Douglas Cochran

Doug has a wide-ranging Chancery practice.  He routinely appears in the winding up lists and regularly represents parties on contested winding up petitions.  Equally, Doug has substantial experience of personal insolvency matters and has advised and represented clients on contested bankruptcy petitions, applications to set aside statutory demands, and other matters.  He recently appeared in a two-day High Court trial concerning the disputed ownership of chattels, alleged by the trustee in bankruptcy to be part of the estate of the bankrupt.

Aside from his work in the field of insolvency, Doug’s Chancery experience includes:

• Advising and representing clients on landlord and tenant claims.
• Representing Applicants and Respondents for the sale of residential property subject to a mortgage.
• Advising clients on Inheritance Act claims.

Doug’s practice has seen him instructed across the range of Chambers’ commercial and chancery practice.  He has a wealth of advocacy experience and relishes trial work. He has been instructed to represent clients in the County Court (small claims, fast track, and multi track) as well as on High Court matters.  He frequently appears in the applications list in both Leeds and Manchester.

He also appears in the magistrates’ court on civil matters, especially those pertaining to national non-domestic rates.

Before joining chambers, Doug studied economics before working for the Competition Commission (a predecessor body to the Competition & Markets Authority), providing research and litigation support.

Doug provides specialist advice to both private parties and public bodies on competition law matters.  He presently provides ongoing competition advice to a major UK regulator and has assisted in their investigation of breaches of the Competition Act.  He recently appeared as junior Counsel (led by Martin Budworth) before the Vice Chancellor resisting an application to strike out allegations of Competition Act breaches.

Doug has spoken at seminars on Competition law topics on a number of occasions, including at the ‘Super Strength Summit’ in Birmingham, where he highlighted the competition law risks in local authority initiatives to regulate super strength alcohol.

Doug is particularly eager to receive instructions pertinent to:

• CMA merger inquiries and market investigations
• Appeals to the Competition Appeal Tribunal
• Competition law queries with a substantial economics element

Doug is instructed across the range of Chambers’ insolvency practice.  He has appeared in the winding up list in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, and Birmingham and frequently appears in the applications list in Leeds and Manchester on insolvency matters.

His experience includes opinions, drafting and advocacy on a wide range of insolvency matters including:

• Contested applications under s.239 of the Insolvency Act 1986 alleging the unfair preference of creditors.
• Applications to recognize a cross-border insolvency.
• Contested winding up petitions and bankruptcy petitions.
• Contested applications to set aside statutory demands.
   

Significant Reported Cases

Wood v Lowe [2015] EWHC 2634 (Ch)
Application by a trustee in bankruptcy for a declaration of ownership over one hundred disputed chattels.  Doug acted for the Respondents.