Year of call: 1996 | Year of silk: 2020
Louis Doyle KC is a commercial silk with a particular expertise and reputation and extensive experience in insolvency and insolvency-related work, the latter commonly involving commercial claims litigated under the procedural umbrella of a formal insolvency.
Louis works on both the corporate and personal sides for office-holders, creditors (private and institutional), shareholders and other stakeholders. He has appeared in about forty reported insolvency cases and is named as a leading practitioner across insolvency/restructuring, commercial dispute resolution and chancery in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, as he has been variously since 1999. According to one plaudit, “He is fantastic on his feet and has a very keen sense of how to pitch cases with judges and with opponents; he is well read, technically excellent and clients love him”.
Louis’s practice also encompasses company law, credit and security, financial litigation and interim remedies, including injunctions and summary judgment, director disqualification and public interest petition work (Attorney General panel member, 2001-2007). Alongside the litigation in which he engages, Louis’s practice also extends to non-contentious drafting and advisory work, including an increasing role in assisting and advising, either alone or as part of a team, in the planning and structuring of high-value transactions or assessing the legal risks in proposed investments, most recently a profit participation agreement for investment to be used in procuring a US$30m credit line guaranteed by the US government.
Since its first publication in 2005, Louis has co-authored what is now Doyle, Keay & Curl’s Annotated Insolvency Legislation (10th edn, 2022, LexisNexis) (with Professor Andrew Keay and Joseph Curl KC of 9, Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn where Louis is also a door-tenant). He is also a contributing editor to the leading looseleaf, Gore-Browne on Companies (LexisNexis). Over lockdown, Louis established and now edits the bi-monthly journal, Kings Insolvency. (To be added to Chambers’ free distribution database or to obtain past editions, simply email [email protected]). He has lectured widely to professional audiences on his areas of interest and has undertaken pro bono work throughout his career at the Bar.
Louis has acted for clients from a very wide range of backgrounds, sometimes in very challenging circumstances. As a leader, he encourages team involvement and role delegation. Louis’s preferred approach is an early-stage identification of a client’s aims and outcomes together with an objectively realistic evaluation of merits and risk. Louis is enthusiastic in appropriate cases about mediation and ADR, of which he has extensive experience. He is also interested in innovative case funding ideas.
Louis was born in Liverpool into a working-class family. He is married and has six children. He qualified as a solicitor in 1994 before being called to the Bar in 1996 and joining what is now Kings Chambers in 1999. For many years he served as an officer in the Army’s reserve parachute battalion. In 2017 he founded and headed up Kings Chambers Wellbeing. His interests include fitness, music, literature, The Cormac McCarthy Society and Liverpool Football Club.
Louis’s ongoing and recent work includes:
(HHJ Klein, civil procedure, banking and finance, alleged misconduct by bank global restructuring group, breach of contract, limitation periods, measure of damages, non-compliance, striking out, summary judgments, unless orders)
((HHJ Halliwell client money, misuse, level of knowledge applicable, obligation to resign as a director, director disqualification orders, disqualification periods)
(HHJ Hodge KC, information technology, local government, burden of proof, interpretation, software licensing agreements, non-domestic rates and savings therein relating to business hereditaments)
(Directors, intra-group transfers, preferences claims in liquidation)
(Chief Insolvency & Companies Judge Briggs, issues of quantification of loss and causation in context of misfeasance as regards failure of directors of Halal monitoring company to register company for VAT on professional advice)
(HHJ Behrens; successfully established that, on bankruptcy annulment, monies paid by third party into Insolvency Services Account not susceptible to Secretary of State levy)
(Norris J,equity, administration, Agricultural Credits Act 1928, marshalling, partnerships, subrogation, trustees-in-bankruptcy)
(Norris J, backdating of winding-up petitions)
(Morgan J; ss.315 and 318 of the Insolvency Act 1986, vesting orders)
(Sir William Blackburne; leading case on bankruptcy disclaimer)
(Briggs J; trustee’s remuneration and call for amendment to insolvency legislation)
(applicable test on objection to treatment of proof by voluntary arrangement supervisor)
(proprietary estoppel, undue influence and scope of Court of Appeal’s decision in McGuinness v Norwich & Peterborough Building Society on statutory demand set aside)
(Court’s approach to alleged part consideration and s.245 avoidance of floating charge)
(block transfer of large number of IVAs; expenses of creditors’ meeting and associated formalities; jurisdiction of court to interfere with approved arrangements where costs caps met)
(Lewison J; creditors’ meetings; liquidation; proof of debt; voting rights; proper approach to admission of proofs under r.4.70 and equivalent provisions)
(Morritt C; annulment; discretionary powers in annulling under s.282 and reviewing under s.375)
(Court of Appeal; creditor claims; company voluntary arrangements; costs; debtors; fees; funding arrangements)
(Court of Appeal; administration; proper basis for valuation of third party goodson application for sale by administrators under Schedule B1, para 71)
(Mr Terence Mowschensen KC; directors’ duties; secret profits; quantification of director’s liability to account to complainant company)
(IVA; meaning of “reputed wife”; treatment of creditor by chairman; setting aside of arrangement; personal costs liability of office-holder, including various interim applications for specific disclosure and s.375 review before Warren J and the late Laddie J)
(Patten J; EC Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings; applicable law; proper construction of CVA; effect of German security; delivery up of arrangement assets)
(Bodey J; appearing for the Crown (Queen’s Proctor); effect of fraud/defective service in Middle Easton court process)
(Lloyd LJ, sitting as a High Court judge; appropriate jurisdiction; conflict of law; EC Regulation; English court to deal with dispute subject to German law)
(bankruptcy; whether $2.8m gaming debt incurred in US capable of founding English bankruptcy petition)
(first reported disputed block transfer order)
(Court of Appeal following five day trial in the Mercantile Court; interpretation of contractual agreement; liability of vendor to meet due diligence costs of prospective purchaser))
(successful appeal to High Court overturning findings of transactions-at-undervalue and preferences below)
(Blackburne J; ranking of office-holder’s remuneration as expense in administration where shortfall)
(charging orders; setting aside; scope of CPR r.40.9)
(IVAs; standing of supervisor to petition for bankruptcy after expiration of fixed-term arrangements)
(jurisdiction of court to interfere with nominee’s fee as fixed by creditors; subsequent appeal to theCourt of Appeal aborted)
(Mr Peter Leaver KC; striking out just and equitable winding-up petition in the face of complex offer to buy-out petitioner)
(Court of Appeal; bankruptcy; vesting of contractual claim)
Court ofAppeal; bankruptcy; nature of cause of action; vesting of personal injury claim)
(CVA; liquidated damages/ penalty clause; treatment of creditor for voting purposes)
(bankruptcy; charging orders)
(automatic directions; joinder)
Chambers UK 2022
“A wonderful barrister.” “Clear and strong with clients.” “He is a very good advocate.”
Legal 500 2022
“Louis has a remarkable emotional intelligence and ability to connect and communicate with clients from all walks of life, his advocacy is superlative and he can be relied upon to consider and advise upon all aspects of a case.”
“Incredibly knowledgeable and commercial. Great in front of clients and always comes across totally professional.”
Chambers UK 2021
“He is very proactive and exceptionally good with clients.” “He is a very slick advocate.”
“A very approachable barrister – he is great with clients and can explain complex legal matters in a simple way.” “Very good on paper and has an excellent presence in court.”
Legal 500 2020
“A highly recommended new silk.”
“He is extremely strong commercially, excellent at understanding the solicitor and client objectives and needs, also displays a great depth of technical knowledge and understanding”
“He is clear of thought and provides concise advice.”
“His practice includes company law, insolvency and financial litigation.”
Chambers UK 2020
“He is very accessible and always really helpful. If it’s a tricky contentious insolvency case, Louis is a go-to.” “He doesn’t sit on the fence and gives very robust opinions. He presents his client’s case in the strongest way possible.”
“He is a leading practitioner for insolvency-related chancery work.” “He has a very relaxed advocacy style which is very effective and he backs that with fabulous intellectual knowledge.”
Chambers UK 2019
“He knows the insolvency law and rules very well, he’s very authoritative and he’s a very energetic advocate.”
“An excellent, well-informed barrister. A pleasure to instruct.” “Extremely able and an excellent advocate.”
Legal 500 2019
“Excellent on his feet.”
Chambers UK 2018
“Particularly good on contentious matters, he is well known and respected in the industry.”
“He is a very intelligent guy with a good knack for looking at cases from new angles.” “He has an excellent range of experience, provides commercially sound advice and represents good value for money.”
Legal 500 2018
“An insolvency expert.”
Chambers UK 2017
“I rate his advocacy skills and technical knowledge very highly.” “Both clients and judges seem to absolutely love him.”
Legal 500 2017
“A first-class barrister.”
Chambers UK 2016
“A well-known and very well-regarded barrister, strong on insolvency issues.”
“He is an excellent, well-informed counsel. He’s a pleasure to instruct.”