Heavy commercial litigation has been a mainstay of Jonathan’s practice since he was called to the bar in 2005, and he has appeared in a number of leading cases in the field. He is recognised as a leading junior in both Banking & Finance and Professional Negligence (Legal 500, 2024). Recent highlights include:

Jonathan is has broad experience of acting in and advising on commercial arbitration in a wide range of arbitral fora, and on arbitration claims in the High Court, including:

• Lead counsel for the successful respondent, Hayat Otel, in Radisson Hotels APS Danmark v Hayat Otel [2023] EWHC 892 (Comm), now the leading case on the application of s. 73 Arbitration Act 1996 to challenges to arbitral awards under s. 68 of the same Act, as well as acting as lead counsel for Hayat Otel in the underlying ICC Arbitration including a 2-week hearing on liability.
• Lead counsel on a number of applications under s. 44 of the Arbitration Act 1996 for interim relief in support of arbitration proceedings.
• Lead counsel for the claimant in an ICC arbitration concerning the operation and management of a power station in Iraq.
• Counsel for the defendant in an LCIA arbitration concerning the enforceability of an ISDA agreement between two Russian-owned parties in light of international sanctions.
• Lead counsel for the respondent in an UNCITRAL arbitration between a London-based bank and a Kazakh state company concerning a claim under a guarantee (London seat)
• Joint lead counsel in an ICC arbitration between two oil & gas exploration companies concerning the application of an "area of mutual interest" provision (London seat)
• Joint lead counsel in ICC arbitration between oil & gas exploration companies concerning a dispute under a joint operating agreement (Singapore seat)
• Joint lead counsel in ICC arbitration concerning a dispute under a gas supply agreement for a power station (Singapore seat)
• Junior counsel in an ICSID arbitration concerning a claim by a Cypriot bank against the Greek state under a bilateral investment treaty for losses incurred in the Greek debt crisis (Swiss seat).

Jonathan is recognised as one of the leading sanctions practitioners at the Bar by Chambers & Partners. He has experience of advising in a wide range of situations involving sanctions and export restrictions under UN, UK and EU provisions, in particular with regard to how they may affect commercial transactions and has acted on numerous successful licence applications to OFSI. He is intimately familiar with the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 as applied both in the UK and their various permutations in British Overseas Territories, and with Regulations (EU) 269/2014 and 833/2014 concerning sanctions against Russia, as well as sanctions involving Iran, Syria, Libya and North Korea amongst others.

• Burford Capital Partners Ltd v London Stock Exchange plc [2020] EWHC 1183 (Comm). Acting for Burford in its claim for Norwich Pharmacal relief to enable it to identify traders allegedly responsible for manipulating its share price contrary to the Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation (EU) 596/2014).
• Advising the London branch of a major Gulf bank on compliance with MiFID 2.
• Advising a UK high street bank on the enforceability of its standard interest-rate variation clause.
• ARC Capital Holdings Ltd v ARC Capital Partners (Comm) [2015] EWHCA 2170 (QB). Acting for defendant in a claim for negligent investment management by a Hong Kong-based hedge fund.
• Terra Firma v Citibank. Acted for Terra Firma in $2 billion claim arising out of the acquisition of EMI in 2007.
• UBS v Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig GmbH [2014] EWHC 3615 (Comm.); [2017] EWCA Civ 1567. Acting for the claimant, UBS, in a US$320 million misselling claim seeking to enforce payment under a number of synthetic CDO transactions.
• Forsta AP v Bank of New York Mellon [2013] EWHC 3127 (Comm). Acting for BNYM to defend a claim by the Swedish national pension for losses incurred in the course of securities lending.
• Harbinger Capital Partners v Caldwell [2013] EWCA Civ 492. Acting for the independent valuer in a claim by former shareholders challenging the valuation of Northern Rock following its nationalisation in 2008.
• Lehman Brothers International (Europe) v Lehman Brothers Bankhaus (Frankfurt Higher Regional Court), concerning the cross-border application of the FSA CASS rules.
• Re Sigma [2009] UKSC 2, now the leading case on the interpretation of commercial contracts, concerning the application of the security trust deed governing the distribution of assets of Sigma Finance Corporation following its collapse in 2008.
• Atrium European Real Estate Ltd v Meinl Bank & ors (Commercial Court), a multibillion euro fraud claim arising out of underwriting and market making activities carried out in Austria on behalf of a Jersey investment fund and raising complex issues of jurisdiction involving the Judgments Regulation, common law rules and arbitration provisions.
• Lacrosse v Royal Bank of Scotland (Chancery Division), concerning the interpretation of the termination provisions of the 1999 ISDA Master Agreement.
• Natixis v (1) WestLB (2) CIBC (3) Terra Firma (Commercial Court). Acting for Terra Firma in its defence of a £100m claim for fraud and negligence in connection with the structuring and sale of securitised notes.

• Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation Ltd v (1) David Neil Gerrard (2) Dechert LLP (Comm). Acting for Dechert LLP and Dechert partner Neil Gerrard in defence of a claim for professional negligence and malpractice by mining conglomerate ENRC
• Barrett v Deloitte LLP (Chancery). Acting for Deloitte LLP in defence of a claim for negligent tax advice by the former manager of pop star Sade
• Pegasus Management v Ernst & Young [2012] EWHC 738 (Ch). Acted for Ernst & Young in defence of claim for negligent tax advice, including issues of assignment of loss between successive claimants
• Baxendale Walker v Middleton, Law Society & ors [2011] EWHC 998 (QB). Acting for PwC in defence of a claim against an expert witness who had given evidence against the claimant in disciplinary proceedings before the Law Society
• Akai Holdings Ltd v Ernst & Young (Hong Kong High Court). Acting for EY,to defend a US$1 billion audit negligence claim arising out of the collapse of the Akai Group
• Orient Power Holdings v Ernst & Young (Hong Kong High Court). Acting for EY in defence of an audit negligence claim
• New China Hong Kong v Ernst & Young (Hong Kong High Court). Acting for EY in defence of an audit negligence claim

• ICC arbitration between two oil & gas exploration companies concerning the application of an "area of mutual interest" provision (London seat) 
• ICC arbitration between oil & gas exploration companies concerning a dispute under a joint operating agreement (Singapore seat) 
• ICC arbitration concerning a dispute under a gas supply agreement for a power station (Singapore seat) 
• SCC arbitration between a Russian oil company and the Republic of Ukraine in a claim under the Russia-Ukraine bilateral investment treaty (SCC, Stockholm seat) 

• Tenant, Brick Court Chambers 2006-2015 and from 2017
• Partner, Joseph Hage Aaronson LLP, 2016-2017
• 2005 Call (Lincoln's Inn)
• Pupillage at Brick Court Chambers, 2005-2006.
• Stagiaire in the cabinet of Judge Forwood, Court of First Instance, European Court of Justice, 2005.
• Macmillan publishers, 2001-2004.

• Languages: French (fluent), Polish (fluent), Italian (conversational).
• Semi-finalist, University Challenge (2003-2004 series).

• Cambridge University (Trinity College) (BA 1997; MA 2005; MMath 2011)
• Harvard University (MA 2000)
• London Metropolitan University (G. Dip. Law 2004)
• Inns of Court School of Law (Bar Vocation Course 2005)
• Scholarships & Prizes
• Junior & Senior Scholar, Trinity College Cambridge
• Frank Knox Memorial Fellow, Harvard
• Hardwicke Award, Haldane and Denning Scholarships, Lincoln's Inn
• CPE Award for best mark in year, London Metropolitan University
• Charles Grant Tennant Prize for Light Verse, Trinity College Cambridge

Chambers & Partners (2025 edition) "Jonathan is a very safe pair of hands."

Chambers & Partners (2025 edition) "Jonathan is very, very bright, he is an excellent communicator and he understands the client relationship."

Chambers & Partners (2025 edition) "Jonathan Dawid is a pleasure to work with."

Chambers & Partners (2025 edition) "Jonathan uses his in-depth knowledge of banking law to get to the heart of the corporate transactions and entity structures that underpin sanctions questions."

Chambers & Partners (2025 edition) "For the knotty stuff, I turn to Jonathan Dawid. He has an outstanding understanding of how business mechanics work."

Chambers & Partners (2025 edition) "Jonathan is a go-to expert in his field. He's very knowledgeable and on top of the details."

Legal 500 (2025 edition) ‘Very thorough and all over the details of a matter. Hard working and responsive.’

Legal 500 (2025 edition) ‘Very responsive and thoughtful, all over the detail, practical approach to issues.’

Legal 500 (2025 edition) 'Very in depth knowledge and experience in this area, always responsive and happy to help on a variety of challenging issues.'

Chambers & Partners (2024 edition) "He has amazing cross-border knowledge, and is supportive in creating a strategy."

Chambers & Partners (2024 edition)  "Jonathan can think laterally, provides considered advice, and it stands out to me that he is a creative thinker."

Legal 500 (2024 edition) 'Exceptionally bright and always willing to tackle a problem from a different perspective.'

Legal 500 (2023 edition) ‘Brilliant on paper and in oral submissions. A team player and silk in the making.' 

Legal 500 (2023 edition) 'Very intelligent, fights his corner well, strong advocate and sense of humour.'

Legal 500 (2022 edition) "He is highly responsive and a creative thinker who can spot the way through a difficult legal argument."

Legal 500 (2022 edition) "Quickly grasps even the most difficult issues."

Legal 500 (2021 edition) "Highly intelligent senior junior, who benefits from having had time in practice in a law firm, and a superb written advocate: quickly masterminding documents to get to the essence of a case."

Legal 500 (2020 edition) "He is fantastic in unpicking complex issues in the professional liability sphere."

Chambers & Partners (2016 edition) “An experienced banking junior with additional strength in professional negligence and commercial fraud. He is regularly instructed in complex financial disputes. Strengths: “He is an excellent lawyer; very bright and very hard-working with excellent judgement.” “He is quick to grasp complex issues, extremely efficient and no-nonsense. An asset to the team with outstanding drafting skills.”

Chambers & Partners (2016 edition) “Maintains a broad-based and well-respected junior practice at the Commercial Bar. He has a particular focus on commercial fraud, professional negligence and banking matters.” Strengths: “He is very bright, very commercial and a pleasure to work with.” “I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t make it to the top of his profession by the time he hangs up his boots as he’s right up there amongst the brightest people at the Bar.”

Chambers & Partners (2015 edition) “Has a strong reputation for representing major financial institutions, accountancy firms and investment managers. He has particular expertise in the application of EU law to the financial services sector.” Strengths: “A real asset to the team and very good with tricky technical points of both law and fact.”

Chambers & Partners (2015 edition) “Has a practice heavy on banking, professional negligence and commercial fraud cases. Numerous sources draw attention to his technical skill.” Skills: “He is phenomenally bright and extremely hard-working. He’s fantastic at drafting and putting complex concepts into words.”

The Legal 500 (2015 edition) “Excellent – a very able senior junior that every big case needs.”

The Legal 500 (2015 edition) “Extremely quick-thinking and bright, and even under great pressure he is excellent.”

Chambers & Partners (2014 edition) "An asset to the team. He's very good with tricky technical points of both law and fact." "He's very, very bright and he's got that real commercial touch. He understands what clients want and, more importantly, what they should want."

Chambers & Partners (2014 edition) "Quick to grasp complex issues."

The Legal 500 (2014 edition) “He has excellent drafting and analytical skills, especially relating to complex financial transactions.”

The Legal 500 (2014 edition) “Intellectually brilliant, wonderful written work and a tremendous team player.”

The Legal 500 (2013 edition) "the ‘top-notch' Jonathan Dawid"

The Legal 500 (2013 edition) "Jonathan Dawid is noted for his ‘ability to grasp technically complex legal and commercial issues frighteningly quickly', and for his ‘outstanding drafting'."

Chambers & Partners (2012 edition) "Jonathan Dawid is developing a first-class reputation for his professional negligence work."

Chambers & Partners (2012 edition) "Jonathan Dawid stands out as a "no-nonsense" junior who is "'quick to grasp complex issues.'"

Legal 500 (2011 edition) - named as a leading junior in Banking & Finance and Professional Negligence. "Jonathan Dawid is ‘top notch'"

Chambers & Partners (2012 edition): - recommended for Banking & Finance, Professional Negligence

Legal Week - "future star of the bar", 2009