Tahir Ashraf
2008 (Lincoln’s Inn)
Date of call
2008 (Lincoln’s Inn)
Qualifications
Law LLB (Hons);
PgDip Bar;
Master of Laws LLM;
Oxford Leadership Programme
Memberships
Chancery Bar Association
Tahir Ashraf is a multi-award-winning barrister with a practice focussed on contract and commercial law, banking and finance, property and film and media law. He is experienced in complex, multi-party, high-value cases and issues of conflict of laws across multiple jurisdictions.
Tahir is also a qualified solicitor-advocate, giving him a particular understanding of the needs of his clients and solicitors. He is Direct Access Qualified and welcomes instructions under the Direct Access scheme.
Tahir was first drawn to the law while training as a journalist with the BBC. His legal training included a stint at The Insolvency Service where he became interested in insolvency law, before going on to specialise in business and property matters. In 2016, he founded a set of commercial Barristers at 5 Chancery Lane.
He welcomes instructions from SME owners, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals in a range of chancery and commercial law matters, including those related to contract law and partnerships, property trusts and beneficial ownership as well as film and media related matters.
Tahir has advised on international collaborations and joint venture projects on power generation, energy and fuel efficiency involving regulatory, compliance and investment banking elements, as well as in matters of EU and Public international law, including addressing the question of state and diplomatic immunity; in particular concerning actions of state officials.
Tahir is a specialist in business contracts relating to the film industry and in matters relating to Islamic finance and banking. As well as his legal practice, Tahir is a working actor, writer and director. This gives him an unusual dual perspective on the workings of the film industry as well as an appreciation of intellectual property law from both an artist’s and a lawyer’s point of view.
This innate appreciation and understanding of the needs of the artists has gained him a reputation for being far more than a detached lawyer and being regularly approached to act in advisory work as well as disputes within the film industry.
As a qualified solicitor-advocate, as well as a barrister, he understands better than most the pressures on lawyers and busy legal practices, and how to deliver his service most effectively for everyone concerned. Clients and solicitors alike have commended him for his approach to turning what can otherwise be a distressing process into a de-stressing process.
He has been an Editorial Board Member of the LexisNexis Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law (JIBFL) since November 2015.
Awards
- Muslim 100 Power 100 List Parliamentary Review 2018
- Excellence in Commercial Law – Winner – Corporate LiveWire 2017
- Commercial Barrister of the Year – Winner – ACQ5 Global Awards 2016
- Commerce and Business Barrister of the Year – Winner – Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards 2016
- Commerce and Business Barrister of the Year – Winner – Finance Monthly Legal Awards 2016
- Best Commercial Barrister – Winner – UK Acquisition International Legal Awards 2015
Tahir specialises in working with SMEs, entrepreneurs and owner-managed businesses in the UK and with UK-based interests. He undertakes banking advisory work as well as commercial and chancery litigation, and has a reputation for his commercially sound advice. He works with solicitors and industry clients both lay and professional from a diverse background.
He advises clients on a variety of commercial disputes including partnership disputes, shareholder claims, defamation, professional negligence, insolvency matters and claims, property and trusts as well as intellectual property law matters, and is particularly experienced in complex, high-value cases, including multi-party and multiple jurisdictions. His client list includes many at the cutting edge of the automotive, energy and transport sectors. He is also instructed to appear in the UK Supreme Court in landmark commercial cases.
His work includes advice on loan and facility agreements, particularly involving transport infrastructure and projects where land is being procured / or provided for the development of facilities such as solar power plants and waste-to-energy.
He takes a pragmatic yet robust approach to resolving matters either through alternative dispute resolution or court litigation.
His expertise includes:
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Aviation Leasing
• Banking and Islamic Finance
• Company Commercial Contracts
• Contested Probate
• EU & Public International
• Film and Media
• Financial Crime (in particular forex trading)
• Insolvency
• Intellectual Property
• Property
• Regulatory Compliance & Commercial Judicial Review
He advises clients on a variety of commercial disputes including partnership disputes, shareholder claims, defamation, professional negligence, insolvency matters and claims, property and trusts as well as intellectual property law matters, and is particularly experienced in complex, high-value cases, including multi-party and multiple jurisdictions. His client list includes many at the cutting edge of the automotive, energy and transport sectors. He is also instructed to appear in the UK Supreme Court in landmark commercial cases.
His work includes advice on loan and facility agreements, particularly involving transport infrastructure and projects where land is being procured / or provided for the development of facilities such as solar power plants and waste-to-energy.
He takes a pragmatic yet robust approach to resolving matters either through alternative dispute resolution or court litigation.
His expertise includes:
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Aviation Leasing
• Banking and Islamic Finance
• Company Commercial Contracts
• Contested Probate
• EU & Public International
• Film and Media
• Financial Crime (in particular forex trading)
• Insolvency
• Intellectual Property
• Property
• Regulatory Compliance & Commercial Judicial Review
Tahir’s property practice consists of advisory and litigation in a range of issues including trespass, wrongful damage to property and demolition, service charges, resulting and constructive trusts, breach of covenants, and insolvency and restructuring in a leasehold context.
He also advises and represents clients on a range of planning issues including appeals, compulsory purchase and planning enforcement notices. He welcomes instructions particularly in respect of commercial property, industrial property and rural/agricultural land.
He also advises and represents clients on a range of planning issues including appeals, compulsory purchase and planning enforcement notices. He welcomes instructions particularly in respect of commercial property, industrial property and rural/agricultural land.