Commercial & Financial Disputes

We have a proven track record in managing complex, high value commercial and financial disputes.

Our London team are highly experienced across a broad range of areas, including:

Corporate and commercial disputes
Financial services and banking disputes
International arbitration
Insolvency and restructuring
Directors’ duties and boardroom disputes
Civil fraud
Securities and shareholder litigation
Insurance
Intellectual property disputes
Professional negligence

Our team is known for its bold and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution. We have significant experience of both trials and alternative forms of dispute resolution, such as mediations. We are rarely conflicted and can act against banks and major financial institutions where other firms cannot. As a result, we regularly receive referral work from some of the most recognised names in the legal world.

With offices in the UK, continental Europe and the US as well as close relationships with select firms in other jurisdictions, we are able to work seamlessly on a global basis. Our team are fluent in several languages. We are accustomed to the dynamics of guiding businesses from different cultures and legal systems through English legal proceedings.

We often take on cases involving novel and complex points of law. We can offer flexible engagement structures and share risk. We have strong relationships with litigation funders and have considerable expertise in arranging tailored funding arrangements for our clients.

- Acting for Indian private equity firm in relation to alleged fraud in connection with bridge financing provided by the client to a US media company.
- Acting for a director of a Czech private equity fund in claims brought by the fund and its other directors against a UK asset management company for fraudulent misrepresentation, conspiracy and breach of contract arising out of a currency trading joint venture.
- Acting as co-counsel in a cross-border fraud claim backed by a leading litigation funder, involving coordinating a Jersey injunction to freeze assets held in an offshore trust and commencing Chancery Division proceedings to enforce foreign judgments and unwind transfers of assets.
- Acting for New Balance Athletics in a high-profile claim against Liverpool FC arising out of a sponsorship agreement relating to the provision of playing kit and other licensed products.
- Acting for a corporate client in a dispute with a multinational commodity trading company relating to an alleged breach of an exclusivity clause in a contract.
- Acting for various clients in relation to contractual disputes arising from COVID-19 including franchise and leasehold agreements.
- Acting for US art lender Athena, successfully obtaining the dismissal of English proceedings against it concerning the ownership of the high value art-work “Humidity” by Jean-Michel Basquiat (reported at [2020] EWHC 3527).
- Acting for the claimant in proceedings against a global energy company for repudiatory breach of a service agreement and related contracts (Comberg v Vivopower International Services).
- Acting for majority shareholders in an unfair prejudice petition relating to a company that owned several of the UK’s largest hotels.
- Acting for an individual in a multimillion-pound contractual dispute with his former employer, a publicly listed specialist securities firm, relating to remuneration and bonus arrangements.
- Acting for entrepreneur business founders successfully defending substantial breach of warranty claims made by their buyers after sale of the businesses. These claims typically involve heavy accountancy evidence.
- Acting in proposed collective proceedings against six banks involved in cartels in the foreign exchange market to recover damages on behalf of those affected by the cartels. Recognised by The Lawyer as one of its top 20 claims of 2020.
- Acting for Leeds City Council and 6 other local authorities claiming rescission of various loan agreements with Barclays Bank totaling several hundred million pounds, in relation to manipulation of the LIBOR benchmark.
- Acting for Stuart Wall in a £670 million interest rate swap miss-selling claim against Royal Bank of Scotland in connection with the collapse of Opal Property Group. Recognized by The Lawyer as one of its top 20 claims of 2017.
- Acting for Graiseley Properties in a high-profile interest rate swap mis-selling claim against Barclays Bank, which was considered the leading civil claim arising from LIBOR manipulation.
- Acting for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking in its intervention in Times Travel v PIAC UKSC 2019/0142, which will be the first time the Supreme Court considers the doctrine of economic duress.
- Acting for the liquidators of Go Science Ltd in a claim against companies in the Royal Dutch Shell group for breach of the equitable duty of confidence, breaches of duty by directors and unlawful means conspiracy.
- Acting for the liquidators of Ventra Investments Ltd in claims valued over £80 million against Bank of Scotland alleging swap mis-selling, LIBOR manipulation and intermeddling in administrative receivership.
- Retained by a leading insolvency practitioner to assist in identifying and recovering assets for creditors in a large bankruptcy.
- Advising a commercial property group in a dispute with its insurer relating to a business interruption insurance policy.
- Acting for corporate in medical sector in relation to claims against insurers under a seller side warranty and indemnity policy.
- Advising an Asian airline pursuing a substantial insurance claim in the Commercial Court arising from the constructive total loss of a Boeing 737 aircraft after a heavy landing.
- Acting for a Spanish tech start up in a high value claim against American Express alleging misuse of confidential information and infringement of intellectual property rights relating to travel savings software.
- Advising various clients on theft of confidential information and disputes relating to enforceability of restrictive covenants.
- Acting in LCIA proceedings involving a major Middle Eastern player in the aerospace industry.
- Acting as lead advocate in a Ukrainian oligarch dispute in LCIA arbitration featuring heavy witness and expert evidence.
- Representing a Chinese respondent in an arbitration concerning a multi-jurisdictional dispute following an alleged breach of a sales agreement.
- Advising an individual on personal injury and professional negligence claims arising out of alleged negligence involving former solicitors and former multinational accountancy firm employer.
- Advising private equity firm on a claim for losses suffered due to alleged solicitor negligence in a corporate transaction.
- Advising various clients on negligence claims against PwC and other large accountancy firms.
- Acting for the joint liquidators in a multimillion fraud and professional negligence claim against PwC and Lloyds Bank (Premier Motorauctions v PwC and Lloyds Bank).
- Acting for primary shareholders in relation to a dispute with minority shareholders regarding a proposed M&A transaction in the technology sector.
- Acting for primary shareholders in a claim brought by minority shareholder arising out of a large (multimillion) share purchase transaction in the education sector.
- Acting for a third-party funder in the RBS Rights Issue litigation, a multi-billion-pound claim by RBS shareholders in the High Court.

For additional Commercial & Financial Disputes expertise:

Belgium
France
Germany
Sweden
The Netherlands
United States

The team at Hausfeld’s Dispute Resolution-Commercial Litigation practice are focused on goal achievement while always maintaining the highest degrees of sensitivity, empathy and humanity to its legal solutions and client management. Beyond their impeccable ethics and apex legal knowledge, they are reliably creative and fearless when it comes to legal strategy and tactics. They are collaborative when appropriate and always transparent.

Legal 500 UK, 2024

The Hausfeld team is very bright and specialises in complex matters. They are a good, practical and effective team who remain pragmatic and goal-focused.

Chambers UK, 2024

A great and close knit unit of ex-City partners with banking experience now deployed in a crack squad to assist the investor and borrower community.' and 'Not afraid to take on difficult, interesting cases, often against the magic circle and big American firms. Hausfeld is able to hold it's own against much bigger firms and often out-manouevres them.

Legal 500 UK, 2023

It offers a dedicated team of litigators experienced in taking on complex commercial disputes that are often multi-jurisdictional in scope.” And “They are dedicated to their clients and are always thinking outside the box to help things along.

Chambers UK, 2023

They attract interesting, serious work, often in innovative and emerging areas of litigation, and have an impressive ability to deliver results for clients on even the most difficult of cases.

Legal 500 UK, 2023

Nimble and effective litigators with great expertise and a commitment to claimant work.

Probably the go-to firm acting on the investor/borrower side of the market: quite superb in this space.

Legal 500 UK, 2022

They stand out as being some of the most personable people I have encountered in the legal sector. They are obviously extremely bright, hardworking and knowledgeable but they are also a real pleasure to work with.' and 'Hausfeld are one of the go-to firms if you are an investor seeking to make a high-value claim against the big banks.

Legal 500 UK, 2021

The team is driven to deliver the right result,' says a source. 'The lawyers are engaging and personable, flexible and open, and their communications are top notch. and The team are highly strategic, willing to take on risks and are creative in their approach to claims, comments another client.

Chambers UK, 2021

The team which is very user-friendly and accustomed to risk in a way many firms are not, stands out for high profile disputes on behalf of claimants, and is experienced in disputes involving competition law, arbitration, fraud and insolvency.

Legal 500 UK, 2020