My practice covers a broad range of commercial disputes but I specialise in contentious insolvency, director and shareholder disputes, contractual disputes and recoveries. I have substantial experience in acting for both claimants and defendants. I have experience of conducting litigation in the Qatar International Court.
I am a personable, sharp and solution-focused litigator. I work with my clients to formulate early strategies that reduce the risk of their disputes having to be resolved at trial. While trial is not always avoidable, focusing on this goal from the outset can reduce the overall cost of litigation for many clients.
I regularly act for:
- insolvency practitioners in respect of claims arising under the Insolvency Act 1986 and the Companies Act 2006, including antecedent transaction claims, misfeasance claims, wrongful and fraudulent transaction claims and asset recovery
- directors whose companies are at risk of insolvency or have entered an insolvency process. This can be prior to a director receiving notification of a potential claim, with a view to assessing their risk and building a strategy for limiting their personal exposure. Or it can be after notification of a claim by an insolvency practitioner, lender, HMRC or other stakeholder
- directors and shareholders involved in boardroom or shareholder disputes
- SMEs, PLCs and sole traders involved in commercial disputes
- creditors seeking advice regarding recoveries, fraud, enforcement and debtors’ insolvency
- high court enforcement officers seeking to identify alternative enforcement options for claimants
- insolvency practitioners and bond insurers in relation to claims made under an insolvency bond.
My recent experience includes:
- acting for a group of investors who had invested significant sums in an unregulated collective investment scheme. I worked with the investor creditors to a) pursue the owners who operated the investment scheme and b) to investigate the whereabouts of their invested funds. We appointed a Provisional Liquidator over the entity operating the investment scheme and obtained a Freezing Order against the scheme owners’ personal assets given the risk of dissipation of the investors’ investments.
- acting for a director immediately following the insolvency of his group of companies. I worked with the director to formulate a strategy for dealing with lenders and the appointed insolvency practitioners, and successfully defended and settled multiple claims pursued post-insolvency
- acting for several directors who were subject to a high value, high court, tort of deceit claim pursued by a lender post-insolvency
- successfully settling a difficult shareholder dispute with an exiting shareholder following the threat of unfair prejudice proceedings and mediation. The exiting shareholder received significantly less than he was initially seeking
- acting for a liquidator pursuing a misfeasance claim against a director where the company suffered material losses as a result of an employee benefit trust. I worked alongside HMRC with a view to agreeing terms for a tri-partite settlement
- acting for a creditor who had been the victim of fraud and successfully petitioning for the fraudster’s bankruptcy
- acting for a creditor who had been the victim of a fraudulent investment scheme and obtaining a full return of her investment, plus interest
- acting for various liquidators, administrators and trustees in pursuing Insolvency Act and Companies Act claims
- advising liquidators, administrators and trustees where cryptocurrency is an asset of the estate
- advising parties to commercial disputes relating to cryptocurrency
- Representing parties in the Qatar International Court in relation to both first instance claims and appeals.
I am a member of R3, the Association of Business Recovery Professionals, and sit on the the IWIRC London’s Events Committee.
I recently spoke at a Chancery Bar Association seminar on cryptocurrency in litigation. Watch the recording.
“She is practical and friendly to deal with, showing good expertise and a commercial approach.”
Legal 500, 2020
“Maria Koureas-Jones is very caring in all legal matters and understanding of clients.”
Legal 500, 2020
“I have worked with Maria over a number of years and have always found her exceptionally knowledgeable and always willing to assist with a wide range of legal queries and complexities. She has a very warm and friendly approach and is always a pleasure to instruct.”
Chris Badger, Director of Legal Compliance at Just
“Maria has assisted our team on litigation issues for a number of years. We have always found her to be responsive, professional and solution focused, even when dealing with more unusual matters. I would have no hesitation in recommending Maria to any business looking for an approachable and competent lawyer.”
Jonathan Currell, Group Head of Finance at Safestore Holdings plc
“I was recommended to Maria a few years ago and referred a matter to her that had not been advanced for a number of years. She not only grabbed hold of the case and pushed it forward but has been instrumental in providing good, pragmatic advice, throughout which will hopefully provide a favourable result. As well as being a good lawyer, Maria is a pleasure to work with.”
Freddy Khalastchi, partner at Menzies LLP
“Having instructed Maria recently in regards to an ongoing litigation matter, in my capacity as liquidator of a company and having worked together over many years on other projects, I can, without hesitation, recommend her services. Remaining down to earth and commercial whilst having up to date technical and legal knowledge in your chosen field is not an easy task. Maria combines all of these attributes seamlessly.”
Marco Piacquadio, partner at FTS Recovery
