Keir Howie
Keir maintains a wide-ranging practice in commercial litigation and arbitration. He has particular expertise in civil fraud, insurance and reinsurance, shipping and international trade, and all aspects of private international law. He is frequently instructed in cases involving allegations of dishonesty, corruption and other serious misconduct.
Keir is ranked by both Chambers UK and Legal 500 for his work in civil fraud, insurance and general commercial litigation. He has been described in the directories as “one of the best juniors currently working at the commercial bar”, “a star of the junior bar”, and “ahead of any other junior of similar call”. He was also shortlisted for insurance junior of the year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards in 2020.
Keir has substantial experience of large-scale disputes, and he is familiar with the unique demands of heavy trials in which very large sums are at stake. He has acted in several of the most high-profile commercial cases of recent years: prominent examples include Brillante Virtuoso (marine insurance fraud), Republic of Djibouti v Boreh (alleged corruption relating to infrastructure projects in Africa) and Excalibur v Gulf Keystone (dispute over oil and gas exploration rights in Iraqi Kurdistan). Each of these disputes involved claims in excess of US$100m and trials lasting for several months, and all attracted significant media interest.