Carly Sandbach

Carly is an experienced commercial litigator with a broad practice encompassing complex, high-value disputes across a range of industries. She is recommended as a Band 1 Leading Individual for Commercial Dispute Resolution by Chambers and Partners.

Carly is regularly instructed in matters involving contractual disputes, shareholder claims, fraud, professional negligence, and banking litigation. Clients value Carly’s strategic judgment, attention to detail, and persuasive advocacy in court and arbitration.

Carly appears frequently in the High Court (in the Chancery Division, the Kings Bench Division and the Commercial Court), as well as in arbitrations. She acts for a diverse client base, including multinational companies, SMEs, financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, directors, and private individuals.

Core Areas of Work:

• Contractual disputes (supply, sale, services, agency, franchise, etc.)
• Guarantees and Indemnities
• Civil and Commercial fraud, misrepresentation, deceit, and conspiracy
• Restitution
• Conversion and other trespass to goods
• Shareholder disputes and unfair prejudice petitions
• Breach of trust
• Breach of fiduciary and directors’ duties
• Economic Torts and Breach of Confidence and related causes of action
• Freezing orders and other interim relief (injunctions, Norwich Pharmacal, etc.)
• Banking and financial services litigation
• Commercial arbitration
• Enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards

Carly is known for combining robust advocacy with commercially attuned advice. She is adept at managing document-heavy and fast-moving disputes, particularly those involving interim applications, parallel proceedings, or urgent relief. Whether acting alone or as part of a counsel team, Carly brings clarity and tactical insight to even the most contentious commercial cases.

Recent or current instructions include:

• Yimanu v Leeds Beckett University (2024) ChD (unrep.) Acting in high value commercial litigation arising from certain leases and associated works contracts alleged to have been entered into by LBU. Claim involved a multitude of alleged causes of action and allegations of fraud. Claim eventually successfully struck out on behalf of LBU. Application for permission to appeal to Court of Appeal successfully resisted.
• Acting in £12m commercial litigation claim and counterclaim between insurer and insurance intermediary involving a variety of complex issues concerning the operation of the relevant insurance scheme, the regulatory environment and the permissible corporate structures through which the same can be operated.
• Acting in a High Court commercial contract claim including, amongst a variety of issues, the extent to which the subject contracts had been varied, novated, or assigned, together with separate significant restitution claims and counterclaims.
• Acting in a claim arising from a serious and substantial fraud perpetrated by a former employee including causes of action in breach of contract; conspiracy by unlawful means; inducing and/or procuring a breach of contract; wrongful disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information; conversion and trespass to goods.
• Acting for the Defendants in a high-value Technology and Construction Court claim in contract, conspiracy and debt arising out of the provision of hosted telephony services.
• Acting for the Defendant contractor in a high value fraud claim brought by a well-known supermarket involving allegations of conspiracy, deceit, dishonest assistance and knowing receipt, and including Freezing Orders and other injunctive relief.
• 199 Solar Limited v Equity Housing Group Limited (unrep) – high value contractual dispute concerning a JCT Construction Contract and involving allegations of misrepresentation.
• Hope Capital 2 Ltd v Jones [2022] EWHC 3206 (Ch) – acting for the Claimant lender in obtaining summary judgment on its claim to enforce a Guarantee.

Carly is a specialist insolvency barrister with substantial experience acting for insolvency practitioners, company directors, creditors, and debtors in both corporate and personal insolvency matters. She has a strong reputation for providing strategic and commercially-focused advice across the full range of insolvency-related issues, from contested winding-up petitions and administrations to complex asset recovery and director misfeasance claims.

Since 2010 Carly has been consistently recommended as a Leading Individual in the Chambers UK Guide. She is recommended as a Band 1 Leading Individual for Restructuring/Insolvency.

Regularly instructed in both advisory and advocacy capacities, Carly appears in the High Court, County Court, and Court of Appeal in cases involving:

• Corporate insolvency: administration applications, winding-up petitions, validation orders, and antecedent transaction claims (preferences, transactions at undervalue, wrongful trading).
• Personal insolvency: bankruptcy petitions, income payment orders, and challenges to statutory demands.
• Directors’ duties and disqualification proceedings.
• Cross-border insolvency issues and recognition proceedings
• Complex restructuring and turnaround strategies, including CVAs and other schemes.

Carly brings a calm, analytical approach to contentious matters and is known for clear, pragmatic advice that helps clients navigate high-stakes and fast-moving disputes. She is frequently instructed as sole counsel, and also as part of larger counsel teams in heavyweight commercial litigation involving insolvency elements.

Carly appeared before the Court of Appeal as sole counsel in the Second Appeal in Yang v Official Receiver & Ors [2017] EWCA Civ 1465,  clarifying a significant area of personal insolvency law on which there was no existing authority.

Carly is also member of the General Technical Committee of R3 which deals with issues of general importance and significance to the profession, keeping under review all UK and EU legislation, prospective legislation and other matters relating to insolvency law and practice.

Recent or current instructions include:

• Re a Debtor – Acted for the debtors in complex personal insolvency proceedings following the service of statutory demands and the presentation of expedited bankruptcy petitions in respect of debts totalling c.£18 million alleged to be incurred in the capacity of the debtors’ trusteeship of a number of charities.
• Bona Vacantia Ltd v Andrew Noblett (unreported) Acted for the successful Defendant in obtaining reverse summary judgment in respect of a claim seeking to impose personal liability pursuant to section 217 of the Insolvency Act 1986, raising an important and novel point of law.
• Re a Debtor – Acted for the petitioners in heavily contested bankruptcy petitions in successfully opposing allegations that the petition had been presented for an improper collateral purpose, namely to obtain favourable access to a development scheme.
• Re a Debtor – Acted for the petitioner in a series of 3 linked bankruptcy petitions, each of which were the third attempt to bankrupt the relevant Debtor. The case involved a series of complex issues, including the validity and relevance of security and the alleged (but disputed) incapacity of the debtor.

Carly is a commercial barrister with a particular focus on company and partnership law. She advises and represents clients in complex shareholder disputes, breaches of directors’ duties, unfair prejudice petitions, and contentious partnership dissolutions. Known for a meticulous approach and strong advocacy, Carly is regularly instructed in both standalone actions and company-related litigation arising from wider commercial disputes.

She has experience across a wide range of business structures—including private limited companies, LLPs, and traditional partnerships—and frequently acts for directors, shareholders, partners, LLP members, and investors. Her work includes both contentious and advisory instructions, including urgent interim relief and long-running, high-value litigation.

Areas of Expertise Include:

• Shareholder and joint venture disputes
• Unfair prejudice petitions under s.994 Companies Act 2006
• Breach of fiduciary duty and directors’ duties
• Derivative claims and boardroom deadlock situations
• Partnership and LLP disputes, including dissolution and accounting
• Just and equitable winding-up petitions
• Director disqualification proceedings
• Company restorations and rectification of the register

Carly is particularly skilled at handling cases involving closely-held companies or quasi-partnerships, where commercial and personal interests often collide. She brings a pragmatic, strategic mindset to complex disputes, offering clarity to clients at times of legal and business uncertainty.

Recent or current instructions include:

• Carly is currently instructed by the Secretary of State for Business & Trade in Directors’ Disqualification proceedings against Alexander Greensill arising from the collapse of the eponymous Greensill Capital Group. She has appeared in each of the following reported decisions in the case:
  • Secretary of State for Business and Trade v Greensill [2025] EWHC 1380 (Ch)
  • Greensill v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2025] EWHC 544 (Ch)
  • BCC Trade Credit Pty Ltd v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2024] EWHC 2039 (Ch)
  • Secretary of State for Business and Trade v Greensill [2024] EWHC 1803 (Ch)
• Secretary of State v Page & Ward (unrep) – acted for the Secretary of State in these high-profile and high value directors disqualification proceedings, disqualification orders of 10 years obtained after trial.
• Thomas Ward and Another v Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy [2024] EWCA Civ 482 – successfully opposed an application to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal before Lewison LJ .
• Acting in a high value shareholder dispute concerning a well-known sports brand, including allegations of non-payment of dividends and other breaches of directors’ duties.

Carly is a specialist civil fraud barrister with expertise in asset recovery, emergency injunctive relief, and complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation. She is frequently instructed in high-value cases involving allegations of deceit, conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duty, bribery and corruption, dishonest assistance, and knowing receipt.

Carly is particularly experienced in obtaining and resisting interim remedies such as freezing orders, proprietary injunctions, search orders, and Norwich Pharmacal/disclosure relief. She regularly acts for claimants and defendants in fast-paced, high-stakes disputes where strategic decision-making and tactical precision are critical.

Often instructed by financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, litigation funders, corporates, and high-net-worth individuals, Carly combines detailed legal knowledge with a practical, results-driven approach to tracing and recovering assets.

Expertise Includes:

• Fraudulent misrepresentation and deceit
• Conspiracy and unlawful means claims
• Freezing and proprietary injunctions
• Search orders and third-party disclosure
• Tracing claims and restitutionary remedies
• Breach of trust and fiduciary duty
• Cross-border enforcement and jurisdictional challenges
• Fraud claims arising from corporate insolvency

Carly is well-versed in the practical interplay between civil fraud litigation and related areas such as insolvency, company law, and financial regulation. She is comfortable working with foreign lawyers and forensic experts in coordinated efforts to locate and secure assets across multiple jurisdictions.

Recent Work Highlights:

• Acting in a High Court commercial contract claim including, amongst a variety of issues, the extent to which the subject contracts had been varied, novated, or assigned, together with separate significant restitution claims and counterclaims.
• Acting in a claim arising from a serious and substantial fraud perpetrated by a former employee including causes of action in breach of contract; conspiracy by unlawful means; inducing and/or procuring a breach of contract; wrongful disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information; conversion and trespass to goods.
• Acting for the Defendants in a high-value Technology and Construction Court claim in contract, conspiracy and debt arising out of the provision of hosted telephony services.
• Acting for the Defendant contractor in a high value fraud claim brought by a well-known supermarket involving allegations of conspiracy, deceit, dishonest assistance and knowing receipt, and including Freezing Orders and other injunctive relief.

Carly is an experienced barrister with a strong practice in professional negligence, regularly instructed in claims involving solicitors, barristers, accountants, surveyors, architects, financial advisers, and construction professionals. She acts for both claimants and defendants, including insurers and professional indemnity bodies.

Carly brings a clear, commercial approach to complex liability and causation issues, often in cases with overlapping contractual, tortious, and regulatory elements. She is frequently instructed in high-value disputes and has acted in many professional negligence cases arising out of commercial transactions, failed litigation, property valuations, construction projects, tax advice, and investment mis-selling.

Expertise Includes:

• Solicitors’ and barristers’ negligence (including missed limitation, negligent drafting, and lost litigation)
• Surveyors and valuers (negligent valuations, overvaluations, and LPA receivership issues)
• Accountants and auditors (tax planning, audit failures, and misstatements)
• Financial advisers and IFAs (mis-selling and suitability)
• Construction professionals (architects, engineers, project managers)
• Claims involving multiple defendants and contribution/indemnity issues
• Insurance coverage and policy interpretation (often in the professional indemnity context)

Carly is known for her careful handling of expert evidence, strategic advice on limitation and causation issues, and strong advocacy in both trial and settlement contexts. She has experience at all stages of proceedings, including mediation, preliminary hearings, and full trials, often in the TCC, Chancery Division, or Commercial Court.

Carly secured an important victory in the Court of Appeal in the case of Allsop v Banner Jones [2021] EWCA Civ 7, which has significant and wide-ranging implications for future claims, and now features in all leading practitioner texts on the subject.

Recent Work Highlights:

• Acting for the Claimant in High Court proceedings in respect of a negligent valuation of shares in the context of a compulsory buy out, and in related proceedings for the same Claimant against the solicitors acting for him in connection with the same.
• Allsop v Banner Jones [2021] EWCA Civ 7 acted for the successful Appellant in a decision which clarified the law on the applicability of the Phosphate Sewage test and the availability of the defence of abuse of process on the grounds of collateral attack in the context of professional negligence claims.
• Acting in High Court proceedings for the Claimant directors seeking to bring proceedings against accountants for negligent tax advice provided to their company.
• Acting in High Court proceedings for the Claimant directors seeking to bring proceedings against accountants for negligent tax advice provided to their company.
• Acting for the Claimant lenders in professional negligence proceedings against surveyors in connection with valuation advice given.
• Acting for Defendant accountants in professional negligence proceedings alleging an obligation to provide certain insolvency advice.
• Acting for the Claimant in professional negligence proceedings seeking a contribution / indemnity from company accountants consequential upon a claim by Liquidators to recover allegedly unlawful dividends paid to the Claimant.

Chambers and Partners 2025

• “Carly has a truly impressive ability to grapple with complex issues, distil them down, and communicate effectively with clients, lawyers and the court. She is a genuine asset to any legal team.”
• “Carly is super tenacious and she knows her stuff.”
• “Carly is great. She’s a really good barrister and advocate, and a nice person.”

The Legal 500 2025

• “Carly is incredibly bright, provides clear legal advice, is commercially astute, and user friendly with clients. She is also a tenacious and highly skilled advocate.”
• “Carly is excellent, as she combines fierce intelligence with commercial nouse. She is also a very strong advocate who is clear and concise.”

Chambers and Partners 2024

• “She is a silk in waiting”
• “Carly is excellent. She has great attention to detail and her cross-examination is very effective.”

The Legal 500 2024

• “Carly is excellent in all aspects of her practice. She is strong on paper and in conference, and she is a particularly strong advocate; she is confident, tenacious, hugely persuasive, and she can always be relied upon to fight her client’s corner.” “Carly is a real star; she combines really sharp analytical skills with a clear focus on achieving the client’s commercial goals, and she is as strong on paper as she is when appearing before the court with an ability in both forms to persuasively present her client’s case at its strongest.”

Chambers and Partners 2023

• “Carly is hard-working, responsive and very intelligent.”
• “Carly is ferocious in cross-examination. She is also very user-friendly.”

The Legal 500 2023

• ‘Carly is very good at cutting through the issues and assimilating information very quickly. She is unafraid to be direct with clients where necessary, particularly where it is for their own good.’

Chambers and Partners 2022

• “Very commercial and focuses on getting the right outcome for the client.”
• “She deals with complex areas with a minimum of fuss, is really commercial and focuses exclusively on the outcome for her clients.”
• “She’s a tenacious advocate who is very good in court; she makes bold submissions but ones with foundation.”

Chambers and Partners 2021

• “She is technically excellent and a very, very good advocate.” “She can be a real fighter when she needs to be, but is also very polished and very clever.” “Always very well prepared and will really fight her client’s corner.”
• “She is a very strong advocate.”

Chambers and Partners 2020

• “She is extremely tenacious and punches well above her weight; her advocacy skills are excellent.”
• “A very sharp and strong advocate.”
• “She is extremely tenacious and an excellent advocate.”

• Secretary of State for Business and Trade v Greensill [2025] EWHC 1380 (Ch) – application by Mr Greensill seeking to stay significant parts of the Secretary of State’s claim against him pending the determination of certain Australian proceedings connected to the collapse of the Greensill Group.
• Greensill v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2025] EWHC 544 (Ch) – Appeal against the decision to permit parties to certain Australian proceedings connected to the collapse of the Greensill Group to obtain and use the affirmation filed by the Secretary of State in support of their application for a disqualification order against Mr Greensill in those related proceedings.
• BCC Trade Credit Pty Ltd v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2024] EWHC 2039 (Ch) – application by parties to certain Australian proceedings connected to the collapse of the Greensill Group to obtain and use the affirmation filed by the Secretary of State in support of their application for a disqualification order against Mr Greensill in those related proceedings.
• Secretary of State for Business and Trade v Greensill [2024] EWHC 1803 (Ch) – application by the Financial Times seeking access, on open justice principles, to the affirmation filed by the Secretary of State in support of their application for a disqualification order against Mr Greensill.
• Ward v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2024] EWCA Civ 482 acted for the Secretary of State in these high-profile and high value directors disqualification proceedings, disqualification orders of 10 years obtained after trial. And then successfully opposed an application to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal before Lewison LJ .
• Hope Capital 2 Ltd v Jones [2022] EWHC 3206 (Ch) – acted for the Claimant lender in obtaining summary judgment on its claim to enforce a Guarantee.
• Allsop v Banner Jones Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 7 – acted for the successful Appellant in a decision which clarified the law on the applicability of the Phosphate Sewage test and the availability of the defence of abuse of process on the grounds of collateral attack in the context of professional negligence claims.
• Yang v Official Receiver [2017] EWCA Civ 1465 – second appeal to Court of Appeal clarifying a significant area of personal insolvency law on which there was no existing authority.