Ed Starling

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Edward Starling

Partner Commercial Disputes

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About Edward

Expertise Down arrow

Ed is head of the Disputes Practice Group. A highly experienced litigator and insolvency specialist, he conducts a variety of contentious and non-contentious insolvency and restructuring matters, as well as commercial litigation.

He acts on behalf of lenders, liquidators, administrators, Law of Property Act receivers, trustees in bankruptcy, companies, purchasers of distressed assets, creditors and other stakeholders, shareholders, members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and directors.

Ed specialises in bringing and defending claims brought by officeholders, including transactions at an undervalue, voidable preferences, wrongful and fraudulent trading, knowing receipt and dishonest assistance, and breach of duty (including allegations of fraud and international asset tracing), as well as acting for creditors in appointing or applying to court for the appointment of administrators and liquidators.

He also has significant experience in civil fraud (including investment schemes such as Ponzi schemes), dishonesty and misrepresentation proceedings and investigations, including the use of freezing and other targeted injunctions as well as challenges to jurisdiction/forum.

The business critical litigation Ed conducts includes shareholder disputes, minority shareholder petitions, guarantee claims, professional negligence claims (valuers, solicitors, accountants, tax advisers), earnout/deferred consideration and warranty disputes, and contract/tortious disputes.

Ed also acts as an independent supervising solicitor overseeing search and seizure orders obtained in civil proceedings.

Experience Down arrow

  • Advising the victim of what appears to be a complex cryptocurrency “romance” fraud.
  • Advising and acting for a trustee in bankruptcy in seeking to freeze and trace cryptocurrency assets.
  • Advising a high net worth victim of a phishing fraud perpetrated through an offshore corporate services provider.
  • Acting for the UK holding companies of a Brazilian iron ore mine in Bahia, Brazil bringing a forum challenge in a claim issued in the UK High Court by 103 Brazilian claimants alleging loss suffered as a result of the operation of the mine. There is an ongoing permission to appeal application in the Court of Appeal.
  • Acting in a High Court trial regarding a contract concerning the development of what would be the world’s largest-ever residential superyacht. Issues concern contractual parties, interpretation and breach.
  • Advising on the creative use of a contested administration application to seize control of a leisure manufacturing and retail business by shareholders. This involved a number of contested applications to seek the court appointment of administrators over group companies and circumvented a more lengthy and costly shareholder dispute.

Endorsements Down arrow

R3 Member

Qualified insolvency practitioner (not licenced)

Supervising solicitor

Testimonials

  • Ed Starling is really smart and sensible - aggressive when he needs to be, cool when needed to be. On top of all that, it's a delight to work with him.

    Legal 500, 2025

  • "very clever and an excellent tactical litigator"

    Legal 500

  • "Tenacious" and "we regard [him] as part of our team"

    Legal 500

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