Alfred Weiss

Call 2006

weiss@exchangechambers.co.uk

"He is a robust and incisive advocate, an excellent communicator, approachable, and has deep understanding of the law. He asks the right question at the right time."

The Legal 500 2024
Photo of Alfred Weiss

  • Recommendations

    “Alfred is good on his feet and is a good cross-examiner. He gets to the issues at the heart of the dispute.”

    “Alfred is very calm, collected and cool under pressure.”
    Chambers and Partners 2024

    “An advocate who remains composed and unflappable under fire. He is extremely sharp, builds warm rapport with clients and is well respected by the bench.”

    “He is a robust and incisive advocate, an excellent communicator, approachable, and has deep understanding of the law. He asks the right question at the right time.”
    The Legal 500 2024

    “Very clever and a strong advocate. He knows where all the pieces fall into place.”

    “Alfred is affable, confident with clients and a really good team player.”

    “He has a really good pragmatic approach.”
    Chambers and Partners 2023

    “His advocacy is very compelling. He carefully analyses a situation and communicates in a clear and concise manner.”
    The Legal 500 2023

    “He’s an extremely dependable barrister, a safe pair of hands and good with clients.”

    “He’s a good all-rounder: good with clients, professional, but particularly, he is very bright.”
    Chambers and Partners 2022

    “His cross-examination is excellent – he cut the claimant’s case off at the knees. He is also very reassuring with clients.”
    Chambers and Partners 2021

    “He is very friendly and approachable and is excellent with clients. He is an incredibly skilled advocate who can make his point succinctly but forcefully.” “His written opinions are superb and he is a very capable legal mind with very good subject knowledge.”
    Chambers and Partners 2020

    “Concise, intelligent and good at cross-examination. He is also able to strike a rapport with clients and explain principles and processes in a straightforward, non-legalistic manner.” “His cross-examination is excellent and he is also very reassuring with clients.”
    Chambers and Partners 2019

    “Alfred is a very clear and concise barrister. Some Barristers will often tell you what you want to hear but Alfie does not do that. I have obtained written advice from him on commercial litigation matters which is exceptional.”

    “Alfred is a good tactician and is well liked by the judiciary, who listen to him with attention. A very bright junior.”
    The Legal 500, 2022

    “Alfred is thorough, with an excellent attention to detail. He has an impressive courtroom presence and excellent advocacy skills. He is likeable and easy to work with. Clients really like him and I have had nothing but positive reports on him from them.”
    The Legal 500, 2021

    “Very good in front of clients and in court.” “Can turn around even the most unlikely of cases.”
    The Legal 500, 2020

    “He has an excellent bedside manner with clients.” “He has amazing attention to detail.”
    The Legal 500, 2018/19

    “A highly knowledgeable barrister with a strong courtroom presence.”
    The Legal 500, 2017

    “I have instructed Alfie on a number of challenging professional negligence cases mostly involving Solicitors.

    He demonstrates an incisive mind, able to identify areas of breach of duty and separate out issues of causation.

    His style and approach is excellent and above all, he remains pragmatic and realistic, attributes which I believe are essential in this type of work.”
    Andrew Greenwood, Director and Solicitor, Emsleys Solicitors

    “Over the last few years I have instructed Alfie Weiss on numerous occasions.  He has demonstrated an excellent knowledge of the law and provided an efficient service with soundly drafted paperwork.  He has proved to be a combative advocate.  I was particularly impressed with his recent assistance on a complex Multi-Track professional negligence case on which he was retained to assist the claimant”.
    Nick Luty, Partner, Amstrong Luty Solicitors

  • Beyond the Bar

    Alfred spends his spare time with his wife and three young children, as well watching his football team as often as he can, and walking his dog.

  • Education

    • Churchill College, Cambridge – BA History (First Class, 2003)
    • Churchill College, Cambridge – Mphil History (2004)
    • Graduate Diploma in Law – The College of Law (Distinction, 2005)
    • Bar Vocational Course – The College of Law (Very Competent, 2006)
    • Lord Denning Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn

  • Appointments

    • Junior Counsel to the Crown (2012)

  • Memberships

    • North Eastern Circuit
    • Employment Lawyers Association
    • Northern Circuit Chancery Bar Association
    • Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association

  • Publications

    The Blacklists Regulations, in The Local Government Lawyer, 6th April 2010

  • News

Commercial

Alfred is a sought after advocate and advisor for litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution.  He has a broad depth of expertise across the various causes of action that feature in commercial and commercial chancery litigation, but particular specialisms include:

  • Commercial contract disputes in all guises, including breach of warranty disputes, franchise disputes, and claims for rectification
  • Commercial fraud in all guises, including bribes and secret commissions
  • Company law, including claims against directors
  • Economic torts
  • Employment related and/or business protection disputes involving issues concerning database rights, restrictive covenants, breach of confidentiality, fiduciary duties
  • Limitation
  • Partnership disputes
  • Professional negligence claims, particularly involving solicitors, counsel, accountants, architects, engineers, surveyors, and financial advisors
  • Restitution/unjust enrichment
  • Shareholder disputes, in particular s.994 petitions
  • Urgent injunctive relief, including proprietary injunctions and freezing injunctions

His practice involves particularly complex and high value matters in the High Court and Court of Appeal, either as sole trial Counsel, or as a senior Junior to Leading Counsel.  He is often instructed on appellate matters where he has not appeared at first instance, in order to assist with his particular expertise.  He has appeared and in a number of national and international arbitrations, including under the ICC Rules and the LCIA, and is familiar with matters where there is a cross-border element.

As an illustration of Alfred’s practice, the following are examples of matters he has recently been or is currently instructed in:

  • Commercial contract.
  • $20m breach of contract claim against parties domiciled in the UAE and BVI.
  • £1.8m claim concerning a manufacturing contract, turning on complex issues of interpretation.
  • 3 day High Court trial in claim concerning a contract allegedly entered into without authority.
  • Claim against multiple defendants for breach of asset sale agreement concerning sale of accountancy businesses, including for breach of warranty and breach of restrictive covenants in the sale agreement (with Leading Counsel).
  • Defending claim concerning interpretation of a share purchase agreement.
  • Commercial fraud.
  • International arbitration resulting in multi-million dollar award, concerning alleged fraudulent misrepresentations made to client of listed company (with Leading Counsel). Case settled immediately before start of an arbitration challenge to the award made on grounds of jurisdiction (complex argument concerning rival arbitration clauses) and conduct of the arbitration hearing.
  • Obtained freezing injunction against three defendants to a claim for fraudulent misrepresentation concerning a Ponzi style forex trading scheme, and Norwich Pharmacal relief against a third party; with tracing issues.
  • Obtained freezing injunction against defendant to a claim for a transaction at an undervalue.
  • Business protection and urgent injunctive relief.
  • Successfully obtained injunctive relief to prevent breach of covenants contained in an asset sale agreement (with Leading Counsel).
  • Claim for breach of restrictive covenants in contract of employment of senior employee in international logistics industry.
  • Company law.
  • Claim for breach of fiduciary duty (and misuse of confidential information) against agent of manufacturing industry; High Court trial later this year.
  • Instructed in various claims against directors brought by assignees of the claims, often involving mixed causes of action either for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of creditors’ duty, and Insolvency Act claims.
  • Economic torts.
  • Defending a multi-million pound unlawful means conspiracy claim brought by a bank against numerous individuals.
  • Partnership disputes.
  • Farming partnership dispute. Appeared in High Court and in appeal to Court of Appeal concerning the application of interest under the Partnership Act (with Leading Counsel).
  • Professional negligence.
  • Acted for claimants in a High Court claim pursuing conveyancing solicitors, and surveyors, who purchased a house that had suffered a historic landslip and which suffered a further landslip post purchase. Case successfully resolved at mediation.
  • Shareholder disputes.
  • Acted for minority shareholder in company involved in steel manufacturing industry. Case successfully resolved at mediation following presentation of the Petition.
  • Acting for minority shareholder in company involved in logistics and haulage industry.
  • Acting for majority shareholders in High Court trial concerning a business engaged in demolition, haulage and contracting (with Leading Counsel).
  • Acting for majority shareholder in company involved in fast fashion industry (concerning a well known brand).