Barrister Profile

Christopher Stone

Year of Call 2007

Profile

Chris is developing a substantial practice; in the past year he has appeared in the High Court, EAT, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He is available for instruction in all areas of Chambers’ practice. 

Before being called to the Bar, Chris was a Strategy Consultant for Accenture and the Mergers and Acquisitions Manager for media group News International.

Areas of Practice

Employment

Chris appears regularly for claimants and respondents in multi-day cases in Employment Tribunals and in the EAT and High Court.  Respondent clients include: Credit Suisse, Barclays, Travelodge, Harrods, M&S, Pizza Express and UPS

Recent cases have included the following areas of law:

  • Unfair dismissal (including redundancy and misconduct)
  • Sex, age, race and disability discrimination
  • Whistle-blowing
  • TUPE (including the impact of insolvency)
  • Restrictive covenants, including team moves
  • Holiday and Working Time
  • Practice and Procedure, including limitation
  • Costs

Significant recent cases include:

  • Andorful v LBHF UKEAT/410/11 - concerning the Tribunal's power to strike out a discrimination case at PHR stage
  • Jose v Julio UKEAT/0597/10 – the first appellate authority on the correct interpretation and application of the “domestic worker exception" in the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999, as well as race discrimination;
  • Simpson v Merrick UKEAT/0490/09 – the impact of an employee’s bankruptcy on an employer’s ability to bring a counter-claim;
  • Kevin Keegan v Newcastle United Football Company Ltd [2010] IRLR 94 – instructed by the claimant (led by Chris Jeans QC and Nicholas Randall) in a constructive dismissal claim;
  • C v T - Chris represented the claimant in a whistle-blowing claim, achieving a settlement in excess of £200,000;

Chris is often instructed to advise on the merits of cases as well as draft ET1s and ET3s.  

In the High Court, Chris has appeared in the strike out of a breach of contract claim for c. £900k. He appeared in an application for an interim injunction in Threadneedle Management Services Ltd v Carr and acted as a junior in the preparation for a speedy trial in GFI v Ahali. 

Commercial

Chris has appeared regularly in fast and multi-track cases in the County Courts in contractual disputes and debt-recovery claims.  He is developing expertise in personal and company insolvency matters, including discharge from bankruptcy and winding up. 

Chris has appeared in the High Court in the following matters:

  • Southern Rock Insurance v Endsleigh Insurance (led by Colin Edelman QC and Richard Harrison) - a breach of contract claim for in excess of £15million against a claims handling service arising out of 50,000 motor insurance claims. Chris was instructed on this case for over 18 months;
  • Southern Rock Insurance v Endsleigh Insurance [2010] EWHC 611 (Comm) (led by Colin Wynter QC at the interlocutory application for a mandatory interim injunction);
  • Bristol & West Investments Ltd v Stansbury – Chris appeared for the respondent to an application for an injunction to stay enforcement of an order of possession.

Chris's insurance practice has included providing advice on coverage and the approach of the Financial Ombudsman. He has acted as junior to Colin Edelman QC in a reinsurance matter.

Chris is developing a burgeoning professional negligence practice, having been instructed in solicitors', valuers' and architects' negligence cases.  He has particular speciality in solicitors’ negligence cases, with recent cases including the late service of proceedings and conveyancing matters.  Chris has handled cases up to £900,000 in value.

Sport

Chris is available for instruction on all employment aspects of sports law as well as disciplinary matters. He has a particular interest in rugby.

Chris was instructed by the claimant in Kevin Keegan v Newcastle United Football Company Ltd [2010] IRLR 94, in the Premier League Manager's Arbitration Tribunal, and by a football commentator in a claim against his media employer.

Chris has appeared before the Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel in a matter concerning an abandoned game. He is instructed by HMRC in the appeal by McLaren Racing Limited regarding the correct tax treatment of the $100m fine imposed in 2007 by the World Motor Sport Council.

Tax and Finance

Chris was instructed by HMRC in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in the joined appeals of Davies & James v HMRC; Gaines-Cooper v HMRC, concerning claims by the appellants that HMRC’s booklet IR20 and past practice had created a legitimate expectation regarding their individual tax residence status.

Chris is instructed in several matters in the First and Upper-tier tax tribunals and in judicial review proceedings in the High Court, concerning: individual residence; the availability of pre-entry losses; the sale of goodwill and tax avoidance schemes.

Human Rights

Chris was led by Robert Weir QC for the successful claimants in the Court of Appeal in Thomas & Others v Bridgend County Borough Council [2011] EWCA Civ 862, which established categorically that diminution in the value of property was sufficient to constitute an interference with the claimants’ rights to peaceful enjoyment of their possessions under Article 1 Protocol 1 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

Personal Injury

Chris appears in county court trials and advises on a range of personal injury matters and is familiar with drafting pleadings and opinions.  Chris's cases have involved occupiers’ liability, accidents at work, and road traffic accidents. 

Seminars and Publications 

Chris has delivered seminars to solicitors on the following topics:

  • Litigation in the Premier League Managers' Arbitration Tribunal
  • Limitation in Professional Negligence
  • SAAMCO and the Recoverability of Losses in a Falling Market
  • The Equality Act 2010
  • Discrimination Claims by Equity Partners
  • Confidence and Restrictive Covenants
  • The Quantification of Personal Injury Damages in the Employment Tribunal

Chris is a contributing author of Bloomsbury Professional’s “Discrimination Law” and has had the following articles published:

Education

  • Bar Vocational Course, BPP Law School (Outstanding)
  • Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP Law School
  • MA (International Affairs), Australian National University
  • BA (Hons) Modern History and Economics, St Anne's College, Oxford

Scholarships and awards

  • Megarry Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
  • Droop Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
  • Buchanan Prize, Lincoln’s Inn
  • Chancellor's Letter of Commendation, Australian National University
  • Academic Scholar, St Anne’s College, Oxford

Professional Memberships

ELA, ILS, Free Representation Unit, Bar Pro Bono Unit