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Curriculum Vitae
Summary
All specialist areas
Competition/State Aid
European Community Law
Procurement Law
Public & Administrative Law
VAT & Customs Law

Ewan West

MA DPhil (Oxon) MBA (Cranfield) LLB (London)
Call date: 2006

Summary

Professional Background

Ewan joined what is now the Department for Transport in 1994.  From 2000 he was a member of the Senior Civil Service. He occupied a number of posts during his 12 years there and was involved with a series of high profile projects, including railway privatisation, the London Underground PPP and, in his last post, the early stages of the Crossrail project.  He also worked on aviation policy in the European Union and on certain aspects of the regulation of the Channel Tunnel, as well as being secretary to the Department's management board, with responsibilities including business planning and better regulation.  From 1998-99 he was Private Secretary to the Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning. 

He developed a particular expertise working at the interface of the public and private sector, in particular in relation to matters of financing, project management and regulatory compliance, including state aid.  He has considerable experience of dealing with Government departments, regulatory and other public sector bodies, including the European Commission, senior figures in the private sector and Ministers.  He has also been closely involved in the preparation of primary and secondary domestic legislation and has represented the United Kingdom in negotiations over the passage of Community legislation.

As a policy administrator, Ewan was also involved both with the development of internal procedures for dealing with obligations arising under the Freedom of Information Act when it first came into force, as well as handling a number of complex individual requests.  He has practical experience of running public sector procurements and during his Civil Service career worked closely with both in-house lawyers and with private sector legal advisers.

Specialist Areas

Commercial Law; Competition Law; Construction & Technology Law; Environmental Law; European Community Law; Human Rights; Procurement; Public & Administrative Law; Sports Law; State Aid; Telecommunications; Utilities Regulation; VAT & Customs Law

Before coming to the Bar, Ewan worked for 12 years in what is now the Department for Transport.  From 2000 he was a member of the Senior Civil Service.  He developed a particular expertise working at the interface of the public and private sectors and was involved with a number of high-profile projects, including the London Underground PPP and Crossrail.  He also gained considerable experience of dealing with a wide variety of regulatory and other public sector bodies, both domestic and European, and with senior figures within both the public and private sector, including Government Ministers. His public sector experience is a natural fit with the areas of law in which Monckton Chambers excels. Since becoming a tenant he has developed his practice across all the major areas in which Monckton Chambers specialises.  He has appeared before the VAT and Duties Tribunal, the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the High Court ,  the Football Association Appeal Board and the Football Disciplinary Commission of the Football League.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts ~ Oxford University (First Class) (1981)
  • Master of Arts ~ Oxford University (1985)
  • Doctor of Philosophy ~ Oxford University (1992)
  • Master of Business Administration ~ Cranfield University (studies while at the Department of Transport) (1998)
  • Graduate Diploma in Law  (Distinction) (2004)
  • Bachelor of Laws - London University  (First Class) (2005)
  • Bar Vocational Course  (all legal studies part-time) (2006)

Other Skills

Ewan speaks German and has a good reading knowledge of several European languages including French and Italian.

Major/Current Cases

  • Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Services & Others -v- Amalgamated Racing Ltd & Others [2008] EWHC 1978 (Ch) - junior counsel for Amalgamated Racing Ltd in challenge under Article 81/Chapter 1 to lawfulness of licensing arrangements for a new televised picture/data service to bookmakers
  • Lion Apparel Systems Ltd-v-Firebuy Ltd - junior counsel for Firebuy for damages action in the Chancery Division for breach of EU procurement regime
  • Tesco Plc -v- Competition Commission - junior counsel for Competition Commission in Tesco's appeal to CAT challenging proposed "competition test" remedy following Groceries Market Inquiry [2009] CAT 6
  • RM Education-v-HMRC (Junior Counsel for HMRC in proceedings before the VAT Tribunal:  exemption under Schedule 6 of the VAT Act) [2009] UKVAT V20911
  • BAA Limited-v- Competition Commission - junior counsel for Competition Commission in BAA's appeal to the CAT following market inquiry into supply of airport services by BAA
  • Junior Counsel for taxpayer in High Court judicial review challenging application of Section 61 of the VAT Act and associated VAT Tribunal proceedings

Ewan also undertakes a wide range of advisory work, in particular in competition, VAT and procurement matters, though also in relation to public and EU law more generally.  He has worked for a number of regulatory authorities, including the Competition Commission, the Office of Fair Trading and Ofwat, and has a particularly wide-ranging procurement practice, acting for both tenderers and public authorities.  He also has a growing sports law practice.