Direct Access Barrister
Harry James Stuart Stratton
Direct Access Barrister
Harry James Stuart Stratton
Harry graduated from the University of Oxford with distinction. Prior to joining One Essex Court, he qualified as a solicitor in Australia in 2018 and worked at a magic circle firm in London; co-authored one of the leading textbooks on English court rules, Zuckerman’s Civil Procedure (4th ed); and was a world champion mooter and national champion debater. He previously taught advocacy to undergraduate mooters at Oxford University. Outside of practice, Harry sits on the Bar Council’s Pro Bono Committee.
Highlights of Harry's practice include:
• Uyi v Abraham: acting unled in the High Court, defending a religious leader who accused a rival religious leader of being the Antichrist.
● PIFSS v Al Rajaan: defending a Swiss bank in a £3 billion claim for bribery and money laundering brought by Kuwait’s national pension fund. One of the largest fraud disputes ever heard in the English High Court and one of The Lawyer's Top 20 Cases of the year. (Led by Camilla Bingham KC.)
• Confidential instruction: acting for a FTSE-100 company in a dispute with a whistleblower and a national tabloid newspaper concerning breach of confidence and non-disclosure/non-disparagement agreements. (Led by Alexander Polley KC.)
Harry's full biography can be seen at https://www.oeclaw.co.uk/barristers/profile/harry-stratton
Area of Law
Defamation
Harry regularly acts as sole counsel in the High Court pursuing and defending libel claims.
• Uyi v Abraham: acting unled in a High Court libel claim, defending a religious leader who accused a rival religious leader of being the Antichrist.
• Confidential instruction: acting for a FTSE-100 company in a dispute with a whistleblower and a national tabloid newspaper concerning breach of confidence and non-disclosure/non-disparagement agreements. (Led by Alexander Polley KC.)
• Hayes v Pack: defending a national political party in proceedings brought by a failed candidate for selection as a European Parliament candidate and for the Party’s presidency. (Led by Richard Mott.)
Fraud
Harry acts for both claimants and defendants in civil fraud claims.
• PIFSS v Al Rajaan: defending a Swiss bank in a £3 billion claim for bribery and money laundering brought by Kuwait’s national pension fund. One of the largest fraud disputes ever heard in the English High Court and one of The Lawyer's Top 20 Cases of the year. (Led by Camilla Bingham KC.)
• Skatteforvaltningen v Solo Capital Partners LLP: acting for the Danish tax authorities in a £1.5 billion claim for withholding tax fraud, carried out through a complex series of swaps and derivatives. In the words of Foxton J, "one of the largest and most complex pieces of litigation to be heard in the Commercial Court" and one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of the year. (Led by Michael Fealy KC and Jamie Goldsmith KC among others.)
• Privatbank v Bogolyubov: acting for a Ukrainian oligarch in a US$4.2 billion fraud claim brought by Ukraine’s state-owned bank. One of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of the year. (Led by Clare Montgomery KC.)
What sort of work do I do?
Harry's practice centres on civil fraud and defamation. He has acted in some of the largest and most complex litigation in the Commercial Court, and regularly acts as sole counsel in the High Court pursuing and defending libel claims.
Who do I work for?
Harry acts for both claimants and defendants. He regularly acts pro bono (for free) in appropriate cases.