Mark Cooper

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Year of Call: 1998

Practice:

Insolvency (Personal and corporate)and corporate restructuring
Insolvency costs assessments
Directors Disqualification
Contractual and commercial disputes
Company law including capital restructuring
Banking and factoring law
Credit and security including guarantees and civil claims arising out of mortgage fraud
Financial services
Trusts
Partnerships
Agency
Related litigation, including injunctions and interim remedies
Professional negligence, including insolvency practitioners and investment managers

Profile:
Mark practices exclusively in commercial litigation and advisory work. In particular, his practice encompasses all aspects of insolvency (corporate and personal including claims by or against office-holders, assessments of the costs of insolvency practitioners and directors disqualification), banking (guarantees, security and factoring disputes) and financial services law (including claims in respect of wrongful advice and portfolio mismanagement). Mark's practice includes contractual and commercial disputes, trusts, company law (including shareholder disputes, derivative claims, capital restructuring, S.459 petitions and directors' duties), injunctions and other interim or equitable remedies (including freezing and proprietary injunctions), professional negligence and partnership disputes. 

Significant Work includes:
Mark has worked in connection with several high-profile insolvencies and insolvency proceedings including Ionica plc, The Accident Group, Hamilton Forbes Ltd, What Everyone Wants Ltd, Leeds, Wrexham and Scarborough Football Clubs and George Reynolds (former chairman of Darlington Football Club).  He recently acted for the claimant in a claim against a major investment bank for mismanagement of a high value investment portfolio and for Chase de Vere in its capital restructuring.

Significant Reported Cases:
Re Sonatacus Ltd; CI Ltd v. Liquidators of Sonatacus Ltd [2007] EWCA Civ 31

Barber v. CI Ltd [2006] BCC 927

Brook v. Green LTL 11/4/2006 (whether there was a genuine and substantial dispute to a claim made by statutory demand such that the demand should be set aside)

Timmins v. Conn [2004] EWCA Civ 1761

Thornhill v. Atherton LTL 21/12/2004 (at 1^st instance)

Malcolm v. Benedict Mackenzie (a firm) & another [2004] EWCA Civ 1748; [2005] 1 WLR 1238

Malcolm v. Benedict MacKenzie (a firm) & another [2004] EWHC 339 (Ch); [2004] 1 WLR 1803

Commissioners of Inland Revenue v Bland & Sargent [2003] EWHC 1068 (Ch); [2003] BPIR 1274

Rye v. Ashfield Nominees , New Law Online 2010815901, 2.08.01 (liquidator's entitlement to the entire costs and expenses of the liquidation out of trust assets) 

Recommendations:

Chambers UK 2011:  Widely acknowledged as a "stalwart who will always go that extra mile to help his clients." Best known for his work on banking, insolvency and financial services disputes, he is known as "a man who gets results."

Chambers UK 2010: Boasting "an excellent insight into commercial insolvency issues," Mark Cooper is a key figure in the region whom instructing solicitors consider to be "a lovely guy to work with."

Chambers UK 2009: With a background as an investment banker in London and New York, Mark Cooper adds "real commercial nous" to matters.  He is an expert in insolvency matters.
Mark Cooper draws praise for his "tough negotiations and comprehensive knowledge of insolvency law."
...peers note that "he is easy to have a productiive dialogue with."  

Chambers UK 2008: A "worthy and responsive" advocate who can be relied upon to "successfully fight a clients corner."

Chambers Guide 2000 - 2007.  Recommended in commercial and insolvency litigation.
"tenacious advocacy in the insolvency field"

Legal 500 2007:
"no nonsense advice"

Legal 500 2005-2006:
Recommended in commercial and insolvency litigation.

Memberships:

Chancery Bar Association
R3
Insolvency Lawyers Association
Northern Chancery Bar Association
North Eastern Circuit

Panels:
Junior Counsel to the Crown (Provincial Panel)

Career & Education

University:	MA (Modern History)
Degree:	Oxford (Exeter College)
Year of Call:	1998 (Middle Temple)
Joined Chambers:	Harmsworth Exhibitioner 2002
Other career history:	Mark previously practised from a commercial set of chambers in Leeds and was called to the Bar after a successful career in investment banking in London and New York.