Newstone Law LLP London

Disputes, tax and private wealth.

Newstone Law brings together litigation experience and private wealth expertise. We advise on high-value commercial disputes, civil fraud and asset recovery, cross-border enforcement, and the tax and structuring of private wealth. Our advice is practical and commercially workable.

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Our approach

Strategy first. Proceedings when they are needed.

We provide specialist legal advice and strategic support. We do not conduct litigation or appear in court on our clients’ behalf. When proceedings are issued, your solicitors conduct them and counsel appears at hearings, and we continue to advise you throughout.

Many disputes are won or lost on decisions taken before a claim is issued: which remedy to pursue, which evidence to secure, which assets to protect and in which court. We concentrate on those decisions, and we stay with the matter as it develops. Where a matter calls for it, we bring in experienced forensic accountants and foreign-qualified lawyers in the jurisdictions concerned.

About Newstone Law

Expertise

Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution

High-value commercial, contractual and civil disputes, professional negligence, intellectual property, reputation, debt recovery and insolvency.

Civil Fraud & Asset Recovery

Fraud claims, worldwide freezing orders and the tracing of assets through companies, trusts, nominees and offshore jurisdictions.

Cross-Border Litigation & Enforcement

Choosing the forum, serving abroad and enforcing judgments and awards where the assets are.

Corporate/M&A

Shareholder disputes, directors’ duties claims, unfair prejudice petitions and claims arising from share sales.

Tax & Private Wealth

Wealth structuring for private clients, families and trustees, property and trusts, residence and domicile, and HMRC enquiries.

Partners

Rory Newman

Partner | Tax & Private Wealth

Leads our tax, private client and private wealth practice, advising individuals, families, trustees and businesses on structuring wealth across borders and on disputes with HMRC.

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Christian Balderstone

Partner | Head of Litigation

Leads our litigation and dispute resolution practice: complex commercial disputes, civil fraud, asset recovery and shareholder disputes, with experience of matters before the Commercial Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

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Latest insights

All insights

October 2026Civil Fraud & Asset Recovery

Post-judgment freezing order against VietJet over judgment debts of about US$250 million

FW Aviation (Holdings) 1 Ltd v VietJet Aviation JSC [2026] EWHC 2633 (Comm)

The Commercial Court (Saini J) granted a worldwide freezing order after judgment against VietJet, a publicly listed Vietnamese airline that owes about US$250 million under a series of English judgments. The court found a real risk of dissipation, based on recent transactions that appeared to move essentially all the value of the airline’s order book of future aircraft to an associated party for illusory consideration.

Obtaining judgment is only part of the task. Where a debtor moves value out of reach, a post-judgment freezing order can preserve the position while enforcement proceeds.

Source: Blackstone Chambers

October 2026Commercial Litigation

The Chancery Division becomes the Business and Property Division

Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2026 (SI 2026/817)

From 1 October 2026 the Chancery Division of the High Court is renamed the Business and Property Division, and the Commercial Court, Admiralty Court, Circuit Commercial Courts and Technology and Construction Court sit within it. The renaming is made by the Senior Courts (Transfer, Amendment and Consequential Provision) Order 2026, and these rules update the CPR to match, including by referring to the President of the Business and Property Division. Proceedings already issued continue as if started in the corresponding court or list.

The same rules add a new CPR 62.10A on permission to appeal decisions under the Arbitration Act 1996 where the deciding court’s permission is required. The application is made to that court at the hearing, or within 14 days of a decision made without one. Court documents and correspondence should now use the new names.

Source: legislation.gov.uk

August 2026Insolvency

Statutory demand on a personal guarantee survives cross-claims

Doubtfire v Horrell [2026] EWHC 2173 (Ch)

Chief ICC Judge Briggs refused to set aside a statutory demand served on a director under his personal guarantee of a company’s loan. The director relied on cross-claims in defamation and conspiracy, and argued that the guarantee had been obtained by duress or undue influence. The defamation claim failed for lack of evidence of serious harm, and the conspiracy claim was neither shown to be genuine nor quantified, so neither could be shown to equal or exceed the debt. The duress case was a bare assertion contradicted by the documents.

A difference between the sum in the original guarantee demand and the sum claimed did not justify setting the statutory demand aside, although the creditor was expected to explain it. A debtor who wants a demand set aside needs evidence, not a list of objections.

Source: 33 Bedford Row

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