Alex Sciannaca

Alex Sciannaca


Email alex.sciannaca@​

Phone +44 20 7296 2000

Fax +44 20 7296 2001


Practice groupLitigation, Arbitration, and Employment

Alex Sciannaca ‘has excellent understanding of commercial matters’.

Legal 500 2017

Alex Sciannaca has extensive experience of litigating complex and high value commercial disputes on a wide range of issues and for a variety of clients. As a Partner in our Financial Services Litigation team, he has advised major commercial institutions and ultra-high net-worth individuals in proceedings in the UK and abroad, both as claimant and defendant. He has particular experience of contractual and shareholder disputes, fraud, asset-tracing and recovery, and mis-selling claims and is known for his intelligent and practical application of the law to solve his clients' problems and help achieve their goals. Alex has a comprehensive knowledge of the interlocutory weapons available to the English courts, in particular freezing injunctions, search orders and third party disclosure orders. 

He has an in-depth understanding of international contractual disputes including those arising out of the CIS, particularly Russia and Ukraine, and has developed a network of contacts in offshore jurisdictions such as Cyprus, BVI and Cayman to assist with the cross-border elements that are typical of those claims. Most notably, Alex advised BTA Bank of Kazakhstan in relation to its ground-breaking and successful US$6bn claims against its rogue former chairman, Mukhtar Ablyazov, which included victory in the Supreme Court regarding the scope of the English freezing order regime. Alex also advises banks and other financial institutions in relation to their contentious regulatory matters and consumer claims. 

He has many years of experience in dealing with disputes arising out of the financial markets and has a deep understanding of the challenges that currently face his clients' businesses.

Awards and recognitions


Commerical and Corporate Litigation: Tier 4
Chambers UK


Litigation: Tier 6
Chambers UK


Banking litigation: Tier 1
Legal 500


Commercial litigation: Tier 1
Legal 500


Litigation Team of the Year
The Lawyer Awards

Education and admissions


B.A., University of Bristol

Representative experience

Representing a Russian energy group in relation to a complex shareholder dispute involving assets in Ukraine and Russia.

Acting for BTA Bank in relation to a U.S.$6bn fraud claim against its former chairman, Mukhtar Ablyazov, and his associates.

Advising a Swiss biotech company on a dispute with a clinical research organisation under an English law contract.

Acting for an international commodities trading house in relation to a loan default and subsequent enforcement in multiple jurisdictions including Brazil and the Cayman Islands.

Advising a major bank in relation to a review of its submissions to various financial benchmarks.

Acting for a European media company in relation to a joint venture dispute.

Advising a major bank in relation to a claim for mis-selling of an interest rate swap and related loan facility.

Advising a major international bank on potential regulatory and mis-selling issues in relation to the sale of Lehman-backed structured products.

Advising a regulated firm in relation to an FSA enforced review of its sales of sub-prime mortgages.

Acting for a life assurance company in relation to a claim against its Manager for negligent calculations made in connection with its with-profits fund.

Advising a life assurance company on a group action brought in the High Court by over 400 of its with-profits annuity policyholders.

Acting on a claim against professional advisers for losses arising out of negligent advice given regarding changes to the status of its pension fund.

Acting for a major media group in relation to a dispute over payments under a Sale and Purchase Agreement, including advice on the resulting Umpire process and related jurisdiction issues.

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