David Lawne

Collective Proceedings & Class Actions

David is at the forefront of the UK's collective proceedings regime, acting in landmark cases that are shaping the legal framework for collective redress.

Key cases:

• FX Collective Action (Evans v Barclays Bank & Others).  Leading £3bn opt-out collective proceedings against eight major international banks arising from European Commission foreign exchange manipulation findings. Achieved victory in contested carriage dispute, landmark Court of Appeal breakthrough establishing first business-focused opt-out collective action in English legal history. Currently subject to Supreme Court appeal.  The Lawyer Top 20 Cases 2020, Top 20 Appeals 2025.
• Google Ad Tech Collective Action (Ad Tech Collective Action LLP v Alphabet Inc. & Others).  Acting in £13.6bn collective proceedings concerning Google's alleged abuse of dominance in advertising technology markets. Following a groundbreaking and historic consolidation of competing claims - a first in the UK collective proceedings regime – the claims were certified in 2024 and are proceeding to trial

Competition & Cartel Damages

David has extensive experience in competition damages claims across multiple cartel sectors and jurisdictions. Key cases include:

• Paraffin Wax Cartel Acted for 30 retailers from across Europe in High Court claims for damages against nine global oil companies.
• Marine Hose Cartel Acted for over 50 corporates in damages claims against marine hose cartelists.
• Foam Cartel Acted for corporate group in follow-on claims arising from the polyurethane foam cartel.
• Pre-stressing Steel Cartel Acting for Deutsche Bahn in damages claims in the Netherlands.
• Cement Cartel Acted for large corporate in claims before the Polish courts.

David has been involved in groundbreaking environmental and human rights litigation, combining his litigation expertise with cases of significant social impact.

Key cases include:

• Julood v BP plc Acting for Hussein Julood seeking damages for the death of his son from cancer allegedly caused by BP's gas flaring operations at the Rumaila oil field in Iraq.  First UK lawsuit against a fossil fuel company relating to overseas flaring.  High-profile matter involving novel questions of jurisdiction, environmental harm, and corporate accountability for emissions.
• Duarte Agostinho & 5 Others v Portugal & 32 Others (European Court of Human Rights) Acting for Save the Children in their intervention highlighting the impact of climate change on children and their right to safety and a prosperous future.
• Air Quality Judicial Review Acting for Mums for Lungs, Students for Global Health, The Good Law Project and UK Youth Climate Coalition challenging the UK government to review its Clean Air Strategy in light of emerging links between air quality and the incidence and severity of COVID-19.

David has extensive experience in high-value commercial litigation across banking, fraud, insolvency and contractual disputes.

Banking and Financial Services

• Stuart Wall v The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc £700m interest rate swap mis-selling claim by owner of Opal Property Group.  The Lawyer Top 20 case 2017.
  
• Premier Motor Auctions Ltd v Lloyds Bank Plc and PwC (2017-2018) £45m unlawful means conspiracy and negligence claim. The Lawyer Top 20 cases 2018.
• Leeds City Council & Others v Barclays Bank Plc (2018) £300m+ LIBOR misrepresentation claim, acting for a group of local authorities.
• Graiseley Properties & Others v Barclays Bank Plc High Profile LIBOR/swap mis-selling "test case."
• Wingate Associates v Lloyds Bank Multimillion LIBOR misrepresentation claim against Lloyds Bank.
• X v Deutsche Bank Acting for an investor group in claims against Deutsche Bank.
• Y v Bank of Scotland Acting for hotel business owners in breach of fiduciary duties claims against Bank of Scotland. 
• Z v Santander Acting for large business in multimillion swap mis-selling claim against Santander.
  
  Fraud and Asset Recovery
  
  
• Re X multimillion € fraud claim for Czech investment firm including freezing injunction and security for costs applications.
• Sax v Tchernoy €50m+ breach of contract claim concerning Sardinian development. Heavy jurisdiction application, extensive expert evidence on Russian and Israeli law, service out of jurisdiction.  Reported judgment [2014] EWHC 795.
• Re Z Acting for US hedge fund in fraud claims against Swiss property investment company.
• Re X Acting for international postage company executing search order against competitor.
• NML Capital Limited v Republic of Argentina £284m enforcement of US judgment debt against Argentina. 
  
  Insolvency and Corporate Disputes
  
  
• Angel Group & Others Application to remove KPMG as administrators of £80m+ property development business.  Reported judgment [2015] EWHC 3624 (Ch).
• Re X Acting for director defendant in multimillion £ transaction at an undervalue claim
• Re Y Acting for respondent in director disqualification proceedings
• Re Z multimillion complex unpaid bonuses claim acting for former Hedge Fund senior employee.
• Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd v Baskan Gida Unlawful means conspiracy claim against Ferrero Group during High Court judicial secondment to Mr Justice Briggs.