Chris Nott

Senior Partner

Overview Recent work Speaking engagements Credentials

Chris Nott is a founder of Capital Law and a director of the firm’s integrated HR management consultancy, Capital People.

Since founding Capital Law in 2006, Chris has seen it grow to over 180 employees, with a turnover of over £12million.

He has been a commercial lawyer for nearly 40 years, working mainly on business disputes, such as a £100m claim by employees against their former CEO who had misappropriated their shares, and advising Cardiff City on issues arising following the crash of Emiliano Sala.

In 2016, he launched a litigation fund, a collaboration with a hedge fund to improve access to justice by faster underwriting of claims and more competitive financial terms. For this, Capital was highly commended by The Financial Times Innovation Awards, The Lawyer, and The Legal Week.

An active supporter of the Welsh business community, Chris received an OBE for services to Business and Economic Development in Wales. Formerly Prince of Wales’ Business Ambassador for Wales; Chair of the Welsh Government’s Financial and Professional Services sector panel; and Vice Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Board; he is currently Chair of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission’s Wales inquiry.

Chris is also a director of Cardiff Rugby, and a founder of Knife and Fork Food Ltd and of the Cambrian, Adelboden.

Blocking the Government’s attempt to force a University to merge.
Acting for a football club in a £multi-million dispute with a former shareholder
A football transfer fraud case.
A £100m claim by employees against their former CEO who had stolen their share ownership scheme.
Advising the liquidators of a defrauded private company about a substantial claim against the former Managing Director.
Acting for the beneficiaries of a substantial estate against Trustees who had misappropriated companies owned by it, and recovering very substantial damages.
Advising a company about defending a claim by a secretive Panamanian lender to collect a loan allegedly made a decade before its current owners bought it. Our team worked with 1 Essex Court to develop the unusual circumstances into sustainable defences and, ultimately, achieved settlement the day before trial.

Chris often gives speeches and talks, participates in panel discussions, and gives private talks to teams within organisations. He covers topics such as legaltech, innovation, working responsibly, employee wellbeing, as well as business strategy and government policy.

Here are some of the talks that he’s done recently:

Legal Futures Innovation Conference	11/2018	“The current state of innovation”
Hays South Wales salary survey launch event	11/2018	“Working responsibly”
Gender Bridge	10/2018	“How do employers tackle pay inequality and what are the real issues at play”
Metro and Me	10/2018	“Opening speech and chair of panel discussion on “what does the Metro mean for the Valleys?”
Cardiff Book Festival	09/2018	“Economy debate: what does the future hold? sponsored by Quantum Advisory
British Airways IAG Legal Away Day	06 /2018	“The impact and opportunities of Legaltech for lawyers and in-house legal teams”
SRA Innovate: Making Business Ideas a Reality	06/2018	“Practical innovation – making business ideas a reality”
FairPlay Leadership Development Day	06/2018	“Talent driven organisation and high-performance teams”
FairPlay Employer Leaders’ Forum	06/2018	“Women represented”
Welsh Contact Centre Forum Business Seminar	06/ 2018	“Skills development in Wales for the F&PS sector under the Economic Action Plan”
TheCityUK National Conference	11/ 2017	“Skills and talent across the UK”
Trustee Week Launch	11/2017	“Supporting employees to become trustees”
Hays Salary Guide Launch	11/2017	“The importance of working responsibly for employee recruitment and retention”
Living Wage Week Launch event	11/ 2017	“Living wage for Wales”
Pobl Senior Leadership Team event	09/ 2017	“Working responsibly is good for business”
IWA Conference: Building the Future	09/ 2017	“Sharing and developing infrastructure solutions for Wales”
A Conversation on Homelessness	09/ 2017	“What can the business community do to help alleviate homelessness in South Wales?”
Wrexham Business Professionals	09/ 2017	“Powering regional prosperity – ethical entrepreneurship and responsible business”
Digital Tuesday at Tramshed	09/ 2017	“Risktech”
Responsible People – Pobl Group	09/ 2017	“What does it mean to work responsibly, and how can companies do so?”
Retail Week General Counsel	06/ 2017	“How to make legal dynamic in today’s tech-driven retails world”

If you have any questions about the above events, or if you’d like Chris to speak at one of your events, please contact his Assistant, Cerys, here.

Career

Founder and Senior Partner of Capital (2006 – present)
Founder & Partner of Palser Grossman (1992 – 2006)
Part time Judge in Birmingham for eight years. Chris sat in employment tribunals. His main (very modest) claim to judicial fame is that he was never appealed.
Partner Edward Lewis & Co (1988 – 1992)
Solicitor, Simmons & Simmons (1984 – 1988)
Loosemoores (1981 – 1984)

Education

University of West of England: Law Society Finals
University of Wales Aberystwyth: Evan Davies Scholarship LLB Law 2:1 (1977 – 1980)

Memberships

Vice-Chair of the Welsh Government’s Ministerial Advisory Board
Chair of the Welsh Government’s Financial & Professional Services sector panel
Initial Chair and then member of the Central Cardiff Enterprise Zone
Member of the Task & Finish Group for Development Bank for Wales
Director of University of South Wales
Chairman of The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, (2007-2011)
Non-Executive Director of Cardiff Blues
Founder and Chairman of Knife and Fork Limited (pub and restaurant group)
Trustee of Monmouth Haberdashers Schools Trust
Member of BBC Audience Council for Wales

Languages

French

Practice Areas

Contact