Dean Armstrong QC

Call: 1985
Silk: 2014

darmstrong@36civil.co.uk

Contact Clerks:

Telephone: 020 7421 8051 (Commercial)

Email: clerks@36commercial.co.uk (Commercial)

Contact Clerks:

Telephone: 020 7421 8007 (Crime)

Email: clerks@36crime.co.uk (Crime)

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Key Contact:

Steven Newbery

Telephone: 02074218040

Email: steven@36commercial.co.uk

Joint Head of Chambers

Barrister

Rights OF Audience – Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)

If you are seeking legal cyber security guidance from a top-rated and internationally renowned expert in this highly specialist field, whether it be for blockchain or cryptocurrency or data breach or indeed any other cyber law matter, Dean Armstrong QC should be your first choice counsel.

Areas of Experience:

Business Law
Commercial Litigation
Consumer
Cybercrime
Financial Crime & Fraud
Regulatory

Practice Profile

Dean Armstrong QC is a highly experienced practitioner who has been involved in some of the highest profile cases of the last decade including the collapse of the News Of The World newspaper. He has also provided advice to those involved in the “Cash for Honours” inquiry and the Leveson inquiry.

He is a regular commentator on legal matters both for Sky and BBC TV as well as on the radio.

He is a specialist in Fraud, Regulatory and Investigations , where civil and criminal law meet.

Dean has a City background, having been employed by blue chip corporates and major City Solicitors and has advised on mergers and acquisitions, directors and shareholders rights and obligations, and set up the regulatory regime for a major multi national.

In recent years he has become increasingly involved in all matters cyber and he is co author of Cyber Security Law and Practice, an authoritative and thorough textbook in the fast developing world oftechnology. This popular work has recently been thoroughly updated and expanded upon in a second edition. He is also co author of the first legal textbook written by counsel on Blockchain and Cryptocurrency. The International Legal and Regulatory Challenges of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency has been well received across the world. Dean has been commissioned to write two more books next year on cyber litigation and cyber insurance. Dean lectures extensively on this subject and, in recent times, has been asked to speak to high profile entities on all aspects of data regulation. Dean has also advised the Law Commission on proposed changes to domestic data protection law.

Dean is an expert on the Senior Managers Certification Regime ( SMCR ) and has recently drafted worldwide rules on the treatment of virtual assets.

Testimonials

"Strengths: "Canny, commercial, tactical and smart." "He has very sound judgement.""

Chambers & Partners 2020

"He showed really good judgement as to which points to take and which not to take, and excellent skills in front of the judge and jury."

Chambers & Partners 2020

"A tactically astute and personable silk."

Legal 500 2020

"An accomplished silk who has real-world commercial experience garnered in the City of London. Sources applaud him for his superior client service, mastery of the facts in a case, and effective advocacy. His recent work includes defending allegations of tax fraud and money laundering. He is experienced in cases with significant international elements.
Very able, incredibly well prepared and someone with an encyclopaedic knowledge of any case he's instructed in; he's a very effective advocate and very good with clients.
His style in front of a jury is very appealing.
Recent work: Acted for a defendant in a large private prosecution involving an alleged fraud on DAS, a German insurance company."

Chambers & Partners – 2019

"100% a battler"

Legal 500, 2018

"A very effective cross-examiner with sound tactical and strategic judgement"

Legal 500, 2018

"A master tactician who can identify key issues quickly"

Client

"Dean Armstrong is fast reaching the point where there will be no one above him at all"

Client

"He is fantastic; very knowledgeable on the law and very, very good on the detail. He is also really down-to-earth with clients"

Client

"Solicitors identify him as an impressive presence in court"

Cient

"He’s a practical man who sees the wider picture"

Client

"[He is] an accomplished silk who has real-world commercial experience garnered in the City of London. Sources applaud him for his superior client service, mastery of the facts in a case, and effective advocacy"

Chambers & Partners 2017

"He worked very well in conference, had prepared extremely well, and dealt very competently with a number of legal arguments. His advocacy skills are sublime and he is a class act."

Chambers & Partners 2017

"A class act with devastatingly effective powers of cross-examination"

Legal 500 2015

Cyber

Dean is considered to be a leading authority in the UK on Cyber law,with a growing reputation in all areas of the subject. Dean co-authored the first comprehensive textbook on the subject, he has advised international banks, large financial institutions, blue chip companies and major players in the not for profit sector. He is expert in areas such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), the impact of Brexit on data regulation, and how international firms should manage data across the world including the increasingly complex area of international data transfer rules.

Fraud, Regulation and Investigations

Dean has been at the forefront of some of the most significant cases in this arena over the past 20 years and has been instructed in some of the most complex and high profile cases.

Work undertaken:

Fraud
Freezing injunctions and ancillary relief
Committal applications for contempt of court
Breach of trust
Breach of fiduciary duty
Conspiracy
Corruption in commercial contracts
Misappropriation of company assets
Investment schemes
Directors disqualification hearings
FCA hearings and investigations

Commercial Dispute Resolution

Dean is a highly experienced commercial advocate, he has a city background, having been employed by blue chip corporates and major City Solicitors and has advised on mergers and acquisitions, directors and shareholders rights and obligations, and set up the regulatory regime for a major multinational.

Work undertaken: