Simon Conroy

Simon advises on high-value commercial litigation and international disputes.

• Acted for the former managing director of a joint venture between a Greek hotelier and a sheikh including four-week Commercial Court trial involving €31m and advising on a related £8m arbitration.
• Acted for a BVI company which owns a £6m property in London included in a worldwide freezing injunction obtained in related proceedings in Cyprus.
• Acted for the former Managing Director of Whessoe Oil & Gas Limited and Cleveland Bridge (UK) Limited in relation to claims for over £50m after costs overruns on the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in South Wales. Struck out £48m pre-trial. Case settled mid-trial.
• Acted for a leading UK architect in proceedings for the alleged wrongful exclusion of a third party from a £77m project in the Netherlands.
• Defended a claim by a London casino for payment of a £2m gambling debt incurred on one night of a period during which the client gambled £90m.

Simon advises on complex IP disputes, including patent, copyright, design right, and passing off claims.

• Acted for a global mining company in relation to worldwide patent litigation against a leading Belgian competitor, including five-week High Court trial, £34m account of profits, two-week appeal to Court of Appeal and Petition to House of Lords.
• Acted for the manufacturer of impact wrenches used in the railway industry in relation to infringement of design right and passing off proceedings.
• Acted for a leading Parisian department store against a leading London department store in relation to a claim for copyright infringement in its Christmas window display.
• Acted for a leading clothes retailer in relation to a claim by a leading clothes retailer for copying its designs.
• Acted for a UK dating agency being sued for passing off by a rival US agency setting up in the UK.
• Acted for a leading Turkish white-goods manufacturer in a domain name dispute.

Simon advises on high-value employment disputes, including discrimination, whistleblowing, restrictive covenants, and wrongful dismissal.

• Acted for a high-flying chartered accountant formerly employed by a major bank concerning a £12m loss-of-career claim due to sex discrimination. Also involved whistleblowing allegations.
• Obtained an interim injunction to restrain the breach of restrictive covenants by the former employee of a leading IT recruitment agency.
• Acted for a music industry executive who was dismissed after falling pregnant.

Simon advises on complex fraud cases, including claims of breach of fiduciary duty and conspiracy.

• Acted for the former director of a joint venture company after his co-director had conspired with a PLC to defraud him.
• Acted for a former partner in a firm of solicitors after the firm’s managing partner had defrauded him.

Simon advises on insolvency and restructuring issues, including liquidation, bankruptcy, and HMRC disputes.

• Acted for a leading independent record label after its joint-venture partner appointed a receiver.
• Acted for the co-writer of a worldwide hit record after his company went into liquidation and he was declared bankrupt.
• Advised a leading West End nightclub in relation to restructuring and issues arising with HMRC in relation to the same.
• Acted for a leading rock band in the aftermath of the liquidation of its European operating company.

Simon advises on contentious probate matters, including disputes over wills, undue influence claims, mental capacity challenges, and executor disputes.

• Acted for the widow of a famous rock guitarist in a dispute with the deceased’s parents and sister who made allegations of undue influence.
• Advised the beneficiary of a famous film star’s will in relation to the executor’s exercise of discretion.
• Advised the beneficiary of a will where the testator bequeathed property in London and Lebanon and the testator’s siblings allege the testator lacked mental capacity.
• Advised the executors of a famous architect’s estate regarding attempts by the deceased’s siblings to appoint new executors.

Simon advises on divorce and family law matters.

• Advised the managing director of a leading futures broker in relation to his divorce.
• Advised a world-famous rock star in relation to his divorce.
• Advised a well-known classical musician in relation to his divorce.

Simon has acted as Privy Council agent for law firms in several Commonwealth jurisdictions.

• Advised the director of a Bahamian company in a $32m dispute with a Bahamian bank regarding a resort development.
• Acted for the Government of the British Virgin Islands in relation to an appeal to the Privy Council regarding duty allegedly payable on imported petroleum.
• Acted for the sole executrix of the deceased’s estate in circumstances giving rise to allegations of undue influence.
• Acted for the wife in ongoing proceedings involving the Matrimonial Causes Act and the Married Women’s Property Act over 17 years after the divorce.

Simon is an experienced mediator and advises clients on alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

• Numerous mediations on behalf of clients since 1990, the vast majority of which settled at or shortly after the mediation.
• Appointed by The Musicians’ Union to mediate a dispute between members.

• Glaverbel v British Coal Corporation [1993] RPC 90, [1994] RPC 443, [1995] RPC 225
• Airtec v Bance [1996] RPC 667
• Wainwright & Burton v FX Music Limited [1999] EMLR 826
• Macdonald v Polaine [2002] All ER (D) 132
• Hart v Relentless Records [2003] FSR 36
• JD Wetherspoon Plc v Van De Berg & Co Limited [2007] EWHC 1044 (Ch)
• Al-Zayat v Aspinall’s Club Limited [2007] EWHC 362, [2007] EWCA Civ 1001
• Whessoe Oil & Gas Limited & Anor v Dale [2012] EWHC 1788 (TCC), [2012] EWHC 2270 (TCC)
• Antigua Power Company Limited v The Attorney General of Antigua [2013] UKPC 23
• Eutetra Bromfield v Vincent Bromfield [2015] UKPC 19 (Jamaica)
• Alcide v Desir & Anor [2015] UKPC 24 (St Lucia)
• Silver Point Condominium Apartments v Johann D Swart & Ors [2015] UKPC 32 (Bahamas)
• Pinard-Byrne v Lennox Linton [2015] UKPC 41 (Dominica)
• Commissioner of Customs v Delta Petroleum (Caribbean) Limited [2016] UKPC 27 (BVI)
• NRC Holding Limited v Danilitskiy & Anor [2017] EWHC 1431 (Ch)
• Sogexia SARL v R Raphael & Sons PLC [2019] 2577 (Ch)
• Gardiner v Tabet [2021] EWHC 563 (Ch)

Simon regularly acts for clients in the media and entertainments industries.

• Opposed the continuation of a Mareva injunction on behalf of the owner of four satellite television broadcasting channels unlawfully sequestrated by the client’s former business partner.
• Acted for a leading independent television production company in relation to its audit of the BBC.
• Advised a world famous author of criminal fiction in relation to a dispute with his former agent.
• Acted for the estate of a famous Spanish poet whose manuscript was being auctioned at Christies without the estate’s consent.
• Acted for an advertising agency in relation to a pan-European injunction obtained by a leading rock band for alleged copyright infringement on a Christmas campaign for a well-known jeans company.
• Acted for the Spanish sponsor of a leading Premiership football club.
• Acted for a leading Formula One racing driver in relation to a claim for infringement of his trade mark.
• Advised a leading football agent on his exit from a joint venture with a Dutch agency.

Simon regularly acts for clients in the media and entertainments industries, particularly music.

• Acted for Hyperion Records Limited in relation to its High Court action against Warner Music UK over the use of a sample of Hyperion’s recording on the hit record “The Sun Rising” by The Beloved.
• Acted for the legendary chill-out DJ, José Padilla, in relation to his High Court actions against Mercury Records over the exploitation of the Café del Mar compilation recordings.
• Acted for Floyd Dyce in relation to his dispute with FJR Music and Production House Records over the rights in the UK number one record “Let Me Be Your Fantasy”.
• Acted for Ray Dorset in relation to the rights in Mungo Jerry’s hit record “Alright, Alright, Alright”.
• Obtained a Mareva injunction on behalf of a member of a leading pop group after his financial adviser had made substantial secret profits on property transactions.