Dr. Paul Chu Chiy -Principal
Dr Paul Chiy was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 2007 and as a Solicitor Advocate in 2011. He was appointed by the Lord Chancellor as a Lay Magistrate (Cambridge Bench, UK) on 27 July 2004 and remains in the Supplemental List for England and Wales. Dr Chiy founded the Opportunity Foundation which promotes social mobility and Social Justice Partnerships, a compact of social justice partners. He is a member of the London Court of International Arbitrators, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and an arbitrator of the Cameroon Centre d’ Arbitrage Du GICAM.
Dr Chiy has legal experience in both developed and developing countries, and speaks English and Pidgin English. As a member of the UK Civilian Stabilisation Group he has advised the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department of International Development. He has worked as a lawyer in the public and private sector, in judiciary, executive, and legislative branches of government. Dr Chiy has spent over 25 years in the UK, specifically Wales, Cambridge and London, since winning a British Council Scholarship in 1989. In 2017, he established the Cameroon branch of De Jure Chambers from the UK.
Dr Chiy spent seven years working in the Operations, Networks, and Corporate Affairs Divisions of the UK Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) where he advised Operations and Policy directorates on a range of issues. These included sustainability (social action plans and environmental programmes), EU regulatory frameworks, consumer affairs, information technology, human resources, finance and procurement, licensing, competition policy and enforcement, connections, gas distribution, electricity transmission and distribution. Prior to joining OFGEM, Dr Chiy was based at the University of Cambridge where he was a Durrant Nutrition Fellow at Selwyn College, a Senior Member of Wolfson College, and an Associate at the Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine all at the University of Cambridge. Dr Chiy has authored one book and contributed to numerous journals.
Dr Chiy has private practice experience working at Burges Salmon LLP, Sherman Phillips Solicitors, and Jaffe Porter Crossick Solicitors LLP. At Burges Salmon LLP, Dr Chiy was based at the Regulatory Law Department where he worked on projects including the Potters Bar Train Crash Inquest, the Hertfordshire Buncefield Oil Depot explosion and fire, the Wembley Stadium Crane Collapse, and appeals to the Office of the Rail Regulator. Dr Chiy joined Sherman Phillips Solicitors and Jaffe Porter Crossick LLP as part of their effort to internationalise the practice.
Dr Chiy established De Jure Chambers to respond to the specific needs of small- and medium-size businesses, not-for-profit organisations, charities, people in the diaspora, unincorporated organisations, community interest companies and other similar social enterprises. De Jure Chambers minimises its overheads by only using its premises on demand and working digitally wherever possible, in an effort to provide competitive legal services at an affordable price.
James Corbett KC -Senior Consulting Partner
James Corbett KC is a highly respected barrister with over four decades of experience in the legal profession, specialising in complex commercial litigation, arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution. Since being called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1975, Corbett has built a distinguished career, both as an advocate and a judge, handling high-stakes cases with significant international dimensions. His practice spans multiple jurisdictions, with a focus on commercial law, contract disputes, company law, intellectual property, and trusts.
In 1999, Corbett was appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC), marking him as a leading expert in his field. His reputation for handling intricate financial and commercial disputes has made him a go-to barrister for clients involved in cross-border litigation. Over the years, he has also developed a deep expertise in alternative dispute resolution, becoming an accredited mediator in 2001. Corbett’s mediation and arbitration work has been instrumental in resolving multi-jurisdictional disputes outside of court, helping clients reach settlements in cases involving complex financial and legal issues.
Corbett's judicial appointments further demonstrate his legal acumen. In 2000, he was appointed a Recorder, presiding over cases in the Crown and County Courts. His judicial responsibilities expanded in 2008 when he was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge in England and Wales. He has also served as an Acting Justice in the Commercial Court of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, based in the British Virgin Islands, and since 2022, he has been a member of the Panel of Deemsters in the Isle of Man, where he adjudicates as a part-time judge in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
In addition to his legal practice, Corbett has had a successful career as a managing partner. He joined the international law firm Kobre & Kim in 2010, where he was responsible for setting up and managing the firm’s London and Cayman offices. His leadership during this period demonstrated his ability to navigate the complexities of international law, particularly in offshore financial centres, where he managed cases involving significant cross-border elements and large financial stakes.
Corbett’s career has seen him admitted to the Bar in numerous jurisdictions, including Ireland, Northern Ireland, New South Wales, the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts & Nevis, Turks & Caicos, Gibraltar, the Cayman Islands, and The Bahamas. These international qualifications reflect his deep understanding of various legal systems and his ability to act in high-profile cases in key global financial centres.
As of August 2022, Corbett became the Head of Chambers at the Chambers of James Corbett KC in St Helier, Jersey, continuing his extensive legal practice. His work remains focused on advising and litigating in commercial disputes, with an emphasis on offshore law, trusts, and wealth management. In 2023, Corbett further expanded his professional engagements by joining De Jure Chambers as a Senior Consulting Partner, where his expertise continues to shape the firm’s strategic direction in handling complex international cases.
Throughout his illustrious career, James Corbett KC has been driven by a commitment to delivering legal excellence, both in advocacy and alternative dispute resolution. His ability to navigate complex legal landscapes, coupled with his extensive experience in multiple jurisdictions, has made him one of the leading figures in the field of commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Today, he remains a trusted advisor and an influential legal mind, continuing to leave a lasting impact on the profession.
Dr. Andre Alexander -Barrister & Solicitor | Consulting Partner
Dr. Andre Alexander is an experienced English common law barrister and solicitor. He is registered with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority as a foreign lawyer to practice in England and Wales, with additional recognitions internationally. His career also includes former memberships with the Federal Bar of Germany and the Dutch-Brussels Bar.
Academic Credentials:
Dr. Alexander holds several legal and academic qualifications, including an LLB from Northumbria University, an MA in Organisational Psychology from Lancaster University, and a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) with distinction in comparative Slovak and English law.
Accolades and Recognition:
He has received notable honors, including recognition by Diligent for Modern Corporate Governance in 2020 and being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in 2021.
Key Roles:
• Managing Partner, ABS&P International Law Firm: Under his leadership, the firm was recognized as the most innovative law firm in Costa Rica.
• Chief Registrar, ICDRO: Oversees a private dispute resolution court.
• Consulting Partner, De Jure Chambers Limited: Provides expert legal counsel in London.
Practice Areas:
His expertise includes business law, family law, finance, criminal defense, medical malpractice, and human rights law, with a specialization in resolving complex, cross-border disputes.
Client Focus:
Dr. Alexander is known for delivering cost-efficient, effective legal solutions for clients involved in international and complex legal matters.
Millicent Lewis-Ojumu -Solicitor
Millicent Lewis-Ojumu is a City trained corporate Solicitor of England and Wales with over 18 PQE experience and a qualified Mediator/Arbitrator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She pioneered the renowned Centre for ADR in Sierra Leone and is a co-founder of the online ADR platform: Global Online Dispute Resolution.
She is experienced in handling transaction and projects in the development sector across anglophone and francophone West Africa resulting in excellent multi-office programme management skills and Prince2 Practitioner skills in project design and supervision. Having worked in various high level negotiations across West Africa, she is admired by her peers for top class stakeholder management skills and providing strategic technical advice to donors, governments and public/private sector stakeholders.
Millicent is passionate in promoting the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). She is uniquely skilled in using ADR methods for resolving corporate disputes and in peace and conflict mediation work where her corporate experience across West Africa serves her well in developing niche expertise in natural resource management and conflict resolution practice.
She is fluent in four languages, a double honours Law and French graduate of Keele University, UK and a licence graduate of the University of Montpellier Faculty of Law, France.
Wayne Murrell, LLM, FCIArb -Consulting Solicitor
Wayne began his career as an attorney-at-law in Barbados, and after pursuing postgraduate studies in International Business Law at the University of Wales (Aberystwyth), he further developed his practice skills at the firm of Haavind Vislie, Oslo, Norway, following on as a Research Fellow at the Centre for International Legal Studies, Salzburg, Austria. Upon resettling in London, Wayne worked in the city firm of McFaddens Solicitors LLP as an Associate Solicitor for an initial three years, followed on by various stints in industry and local authorities.
Whilst in his current role as Contracts Manager at Imperial College London, Wayne qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and as an ADR group Accredited Mediator (Civil and Commercial/Workplace). He currently assists as a lecturer and tutor in the Domestic Arbitration, Law of Obligations and the Mediation modules run by CIArb, He is a panel member of the Civil Mediation Council and is keen to develop an ADR practice with worldwide reach.
Andy Duerden -Consulting Solicitor
Andy Duerden is a Consultant Solicitor at De Jure Chambers.
A fully-qualified solicitor and mediator, Andy actually began his career as a musician and has twenty years’ experience in the music industry. His 5* musical BLISS starred Emily Blunt, and he has written for film, TV, and theatre, as well as having a book published on song-writing: How to Write a Song – Learn how to bare your musical soul with confidence! Andy completed his LPC at Guildford College of Law in 2013 and qualified as a Civil and Commercial Mediator in 2018. His background in music gives him a rare and insightful perspective which he brings to his work as a lawyer.
Andy has experience in all areas of litigation, but specialises in civil litigation. His work on a number of difficult and high-profile cases has given him a reputation for concerted negotiation skills which are guided by a sensible and pragmatic approach to problem solving and dispute resolution. Andy’s belief in the importance of communication and negotiation led him to develop his own mediation company, Concordia Mediation, where he is uniquely positioned to assist musicians and other creatives to solve their disputes, having a profound understanding of the creative industries himself.
Andy has developed a way of working which puts clients at ease, instils confidence and gets the right results. He has always been a people person and is just as comfortable working with judges and lawyers as he is with musicians and media outlets – what matters to Andy is achieving the best possible results for clients.
Nicole Papantoniou, LLB, BPTC, MCIArb
Nicole Papantoniou was called to the Bar of England and Wales on 13 October 2022 by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple. She is non-practising Barrister of England and Wales. Nicole is an Associate Partner at ABS&P International Law Firm and Vice President of the ICDRO - International Court of Dispute Resolution ONLINE.
Nicole is also the Director of the Care Workers Union since 2023.
Nicole is passionate about social justice and promoting the human rights of underrepresented communities. In pursuit of this passion, she is actively involved in the representation and advocacy of the rights of those in the diasporas. Nicole has worked with a variety of NGO’s promoting the rights and protection of immigrants and refugees, individuals who have suffered from torture and abuse, and the rights of immigrants.
She is reputed for exposing the challenges, exploitation, unfair treatment and abuse that migrant workers are exposed to in the care sector industry. Her goal is to protect the rights of such workers and to champion for fair working conditions and equitable treatment of workers.
Nicole has the following Certifications:
• Challenging Forensic Science: How Science Should Speak to Court, University of Lausanne.
• Youth Justice in the UK: Children, Young People, and Crime, The Open University.
• Legal Aid Supervision, DataLaw.
• LexisNexis Advanced Certificate.
• JustCite Proficiency Test.
• WestLaw UK Certificate of Proficiency.
• Lexis Library Advanced Certification.
• Family Law UK: From Divorce to Child Custody.
• Information Gathering and Assessment of the Case Against the Client, DataLaw.
• Sentencing Council Guidelines, DataLaw.
Nicole is fluent in English, French, Greek, and Turkish with conversational proficiency in Spanish and Arabic
Paul Ngum, paralegal
Paul Ngum is a paralegal at De Jure Chambers with a strong technical and commercial understanding of legal issues.
With over a decade of information technology experience from both the public and private sectors, Paul specialises in all aspects of technology, data protection and privacy law, as well as the legal issues involved in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchains.
Paul’s interests include global data privacy and security issues, cloud computing, and information law covering the entire privacy and security spectrum.
Paul is a professional member of the Society for Computers and Law, a fellow of the National Association of Licenced Paralegals, and a chartered IT professional
Rodney Wright
Rodney Wright works closely with De Jure Chambers on matters of estate management and financial advice.
Rodney set up the Cambridge Will Writing Company after becoming a full member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW). As an estate planning consultant, he offers a range of services including wills, lasting powers of attorney, trusts, care fee advice, probate advice, and also gives advice to the business sector on sole traders, partnerships and limited companies.
Before setting up the company, Rodney wrote wills with a National Company for ten years whilst also working as an Independent Financial Adviser. He was a consultant at Oxford & Cambridge Independent Advisers and has been in the Financial Services Industry his whole working life, gaining a wealth of experience in solving clients’ financial objectives.
DE JURE CHAMBERS
LONDON
Address: Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London, England, WC1V 7QT
Tel: +44 208 798 0917
Fax: +44 207 406 7403
CAMBRIDGE
Address: F21 Stirling House
Cambridge Innovation Park
Denny End Road, Waterbeach
Cambridge CB25 9QE
Tel: +44 01223 643580
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