John has represented clients in the LIBOR and FOREX investigations in the UK, US and Europe, and defended former Deutsche Bank traders charged with fraud in the UK and US, including Gavin Black, who was acquitted by the New York Court of Appeals (January 2022). He has also acted in a number of other fraud and regulatory investigations and enquiries, including FIFA, Qatar, and Rolls Royce, and been instructed on a number of derivatives claims arising out of the financial crisis, including the collapse of Lehman Bros and the Icelandic banks. He also represented Italian bank, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS), in multi-million pound proceedings with Nomura in relation to the restructuring of financial transactions.

John has also acted in a wide range of commercial disputes, including acting for a Luxembourg liquidator in complex multi-party proceedings involving US and Italian parties and an alleged £200m fraud, the Fortress litigation, named as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases for 2014. He was successfully involved in an investment dispute on behalf of the Saudi Arabian Development Corporation (SEDCO), arising out of the Pinnacle construction project; he acted in the Skype litigation; has been advising a group of senior oil industry executives regarding their rights in relation to a Singapore arbitration; advised claimants in a competition claim arising from the alleged air freight cartel; and witnesses in connection with BHP's defence of the Brazilian dams case.  

He has also acted in a number of disputes involving Russian and other East European banks and other financial services entities, and continues to act for the former Minister of Finance of Bulgaria as co-defendant with VTB and others in a claim over the alleged sale at an undervalue of part of the Bulgarian telecoms network. John is also lead partner in two separate £200-300m+ arbitrations for those same clients in heavily contested claims with a strong sanctions element. 

His recent experience includes acting for the Railway Pension Scheme (Railpen) on a number of commercial disputes, acting for Sun Global Investments Limited in a claim by Lodha, India’s largest real estate developer, following the issuance of bonds in a $225m refinancing arrangement. John is also lead partner for CMC Markets in a number of disputes for this listed spread-betting company.

He is also instructed by Viaro Energy, RockRose Energy (and their statutory directors) and has successfully defended joint venture-related claims brought by TAQA Bratani, TAQA Bratani LNS, Spirit Energy Resources, and JX Nippon Exploration and Production (UK) - English High Court Dismisses All Claims against Viaro Energy CEO Francesco Mazzagatti et al. in the TAQA Bratani Trial – judgement handed down in December 2024.

Much of John’s work has an international flavour and involves multi-jurisdictional issues. He regularly acts for clients where there are concurrent and/or related proceedings in the US and the UK, and for US clients with UK subsidiaries and/or other UK interests, and he is currently heavily involved in a number of disputes  

John was president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association (2014-2016), is a member of the International Bar Association, and a graduate in law from St Anne’s College, Oxford University. 

John is well known on the London litigation scene and is a favourite with Magic Circle and other leading London, Italian, and US law firms who regard him as a trusted and effective lawyer for conflict referrals work. 

Sources regard him as "a very effective litigator and is very good at negotiating settlements." [Chambers & Partners UK, 2024].

"John Bramhall is an excellent choice for disputes." [Chambers & Partners UK, 2024]

"John Bramhall – seen it all, done it all, litigated it all, and all very successfully." [Legal 500, 2024]

John Bramhall is a partner in the commercial litigation team at DAC Beachcroft. He specialises in handling complex proceedings that involve disputed corporate transactions, as well as alleged breaches of contract and fiduciary duties [Chambers & Partners UK, 2025]

"John is extremely effective at procuring good outcomes for clients’, and is experienced in acting for (and against) financial institutions in disputes over financial product mis-selling [Legal 500, 2025]