Tim Ward QC Instructed in the Icesave Case

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphéðinsson today announced his decision to instruct Tim Ward QC as lead counsel in the infringement proceedings brought to the EFTA Court by the EFTA Surveillance Authority concerning minimum deposit guarantees on the Icesave accounts. The decision was announced at a Cabinet meeting, following consultations with parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.

Tim Ward is a practicing barrister with Monckton Chambers, widely considered as one of the strongest EU Law chambers. Tim Ward was called to the bar in 1995 and was promoted to silk (Queen's Council) in 2011.

Tim Ward has acted in many high profile cases, thereof around 50 before the European Court of Justice. He has wide experience in litigating EU law cases, and has a appeared in a wide range of cases, i.a. concerning the principle of non-discrimination and state liability for failure to correctly transpose EU Directives (so-called Francovich doctrine, established to apply also under the EEA Agreement by judgement of the EFTA Court in the Sveinbjörnsdóttir case). Mr. Ward was nominated as Barrister of the Year in 2008 and is widely recognised as a leading litigator in his field.

In preparation for this decision, the government consulted with a number of foreign and domestic agents with wide experience in legal proceedings. The foreign minister also met with representatives of movements opposing previous agreements made in order to dispose of the case.

The selection process was based on the following criteria:

• Extensive and successful experience of litigation before the European Court of Justice and other comparable international tribunals.
• The necessary skill and enthusiasm to plead the case with conviction.
• Impeccable English language skills, if not a native speaker. Nationality irrelevant.
• Ability to familiarise with the case immediately and devote full attention to it while necessary.
• That no conflict of interest exist, neither actual nor arising through the perception that any association or previous commitments may in some way be considered compromising.

Concurrently with the appointment, a team of experts will be established in order to assist the litigator in preparing for and carrying out his task.