Lianne Craig
she / her / hers
Lianne joined Hausfeld in 2010, shortly after its launch. In recent years she has been instrumental in the growth and development of the firm's Commercial Disputes team of which she was Practice Head in the years preceding her appointment as London Managing Partner in January 2021.
Expertise
Over her 20 plus years in practice, Lianne has developed a broad domestic and international disputes practice with in-depth expertise in complex commercial and competition matters across a range of sectors. She has considerable experience acting in multi-party and group claims and has carved a niche in managing large, often challenging, financial services disputes.
Lianne also leads the firm's business development activities in Spain and Portugal and is regularly instructed on disputes for Spanish clients. As a member of our Environmental & HR practice group, she is also a strong proponent of the firm's pro bono endeavours.
Lianne was recognised as ‘Individual of the Year for Dispute Resolution London’ by The Legal 500 in their UK awards 2020. In addition, she was recognised in The Lawyer Hot 100 2021.
Broadcasters and specialist press seek Lianne out for comment on key judgments or legal developments. She is also invited to speak by leading conference organisers, such as IBA and ABA, on a regular basis and was appointed as an Officer (Jurisdiction Co-Ordinator) of the IBA’s Class Actions Committee in January 2022.
Prior to joining the firm, Lianne was at Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Clifford Chance LLP.
Clients
Lianne works with many international clients, including on the Iberian and Latin American market. She acts for clients in many sectors including blue chip corporations, financial institutions, private equity and hedge fund investors, SMEs and private individuals.
She maintains strong relationships with Magic Circle and leading City law firms which refer work to Hausfeld when they are conflicted.
Lianne is fluent in Spanish and speaks French to an advanced level.
LLB (Honours) with Belgian Law, University of Aberdeen
Diplôme en Droit Belge (Diploma in Belgian Law), Université Libre de Bruxelles
Legal Practice Course (LPC), College of Law
Solicitor, England and Wales, 2002
Lianne is a member of the:
Radio, TV, quality broadsheets and the specialist press regularly seek Lianne out. She has offered her expert views on legal developments, and financial topics in particular, to:
She spoke extensively on the issues of LIBOR manipulation, particularly in 2012, and more recently about LOBOS, the role of asset managers and investment consultants. She also offered an insight into the FX claim negotiated by our US colleagues.
Chambers
'She is an excellent individual who is able to focus on key issues... She is a wonderful leader who is incredibly smart, hard-working and very dedicated and delivers exceptional client services.' - Banking Litigation, Chambers UK, 2023
Lianne has been recognised as a leading lawyer by Chambers for a number of years. They recognise her expertise as follows:
Lianne Craig is head of the firm's commercial disputes group and maintains a strong reputation for her litigation practice. She is highly accomplished at leading large-scale litigation against banks with regard to mis-selling, benchmark manipulation and other forms of financial misconduct. "Lianne Craig is a real powerhouse in banking litigation." "She is an exceptional lawyer with really outstanding commercial judgement. Her strategy skills are the best I have ever seen - she can take a step back and see the bigger picture, and she is able to see how the other side thinks." - Banking Litigation – Mainly Claimant, Chambers UK 2022
Lianne is listed as a 'notable practitioner'. - Litigation, Chambers UK 2022
Lianne Craig is head of the firm's commercial disputes group and maintains a strong reputation for her litigation practice. She is highly accomplished at leading large-scale litigation against banks with regard to mis-selling, benchmark manipulation and other forms of financial misconduct. "She demonstrates really good judgement and strategic thinking and has amazing instincts." "Lianne is very user-friendly, super creative and very engaged in the day-to-day on a case." "She is a good tactician and negotiator." - Banking Litigation – Mainly Claimant, Chambers UK 2021
Head of commercial disputes Lianne Craig number among the firm's roster of well-respected financial litigators. - Litigation, Chambers UK, Chambers Europe, 2021
Department head Lianne Craig has impressive experience in banking litigation, including large claims related to benchmark manipulation and financial product mis-selling. Sources state she is a ‘hard-working, intelligent and very experienced lawyer’ who is ‘an absolute pleasure to deal with’. - Banking Litigation – Mainly Claimant, Chambers UK 2020
"Lianne Craig is among the firm's roster of well-respected financial litigators." - Litigation, Chambers Europe 2020
Lianne is noted for her expertise acting for claimants in high-profile and complex commercial disputes. She has particular expertise in cases relating to manipulation of benchmark interest rates and interest rate swaps. Sources say: ‘She is quite exceptional – extremely diligent, very personable and a very good lawyer.’ - Banking Litigation – Mainly Claimant, Chambers UK 2019
Recognition as a notable practitioner - Competition Litigation: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK 2018
A well-regarded litigator who assists clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services. She also has experience of arbitration and mediation. - Competition Litigation: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK 2016
Who’s Who Legal
Recognised as a Global Leader for Competition Plaintiff in the 2021 edition of Who’s Who Legal ‘Global Leaders 2021’.
Recognised as a Global Leader for Competition Plaintiff in the 2020 edition of Who’s Who Legal ‘Global Leaders 2020’.
Recognised as a Global Leader for Competition Plaintiff in the 2019 edition of Who’s Who Legal ‘Global Leaders 2019’.
The Who’s Who Legal 2018 Plaintiff Chapter highlighted Lianne for her ‘exceptional performance’ noting the Hausfeld European offices as a “stand out…leading firm in the European market”.
Legal 500
Lianne is recognised as a 'key lawyer.' - Competition Litigation, 2023
She is noted as a 'leading individual [and is] 'extrodinary.' - Banking Litigation, 2023
A 'leading individual, Lianne Craig is probably the best lawyer I have worked with - both a brilliant strategist and also a great technical lawyer. She is absolutely firece when it is required and holds her own against any magical circle partner, but she is also fair and has a string sense of justice. Lianne is also excellent at managing people manager and understands how to run a team on a big case.' - Commercial Litigation, 2023
Lianne is recognised as 'key lawyer.' - International Arbitration, 2023
Lianne is recognised as 'key lawyer.' - Environtment, 2023
Lianne has been recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ for both Commercial Litigation and Banking Litigation for a number of years. Legal 500 highlights:
Ranked as a 'Leading Individual': 'Lianne Craig is absolutely brilliant. She is an exceptional technical lawyer who has a real eye for detail, but she is also an outstanding litigation strategist who is able to manoeuvre tricky situations to achieve brilliant outcomes for her clients. She is also fantastic at managing a team and a case and has taken Hausfeld’s banking practice from strength to strength. In short, she is a real star.' 'Lianne Craig is a genius in devising clever approaches and without match.' - Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2022
Ranked as a 'Leading Individual': 'Lianne Craig is a formidable lawyer and businessperson. She is brilliantly clever and is a real star of the commercial litigation sphere. Lianne is completely fearless and incredibly tough when it comes to fighting her client’s position, but she is also very down to earth and an absolute delight to work with. She is a fantastic strategist and is able to maneuver tricky situations to achieve brilliant outcomes for her clients.' 'A brilliant combination of commercial approach and client skills.' 'Exceptionally impressive.' - Commercial Litigation: Premium, 2022
'Lianne Craig has broad domestic and international disputes experience'. - International Arbitration, 2022
'Lianne Craig is exceptional – bright, insightful, hard-working and a delight to work with.' - Civil Liberties and Human Rights, 2022
Lianne Craig is recognised as a 'key lawyer'. - Environment, 2022
Ranked as a 'Leading Individual': 'very bright and absolutely incredible at strategic thinking' - Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2021
“Lianne Craig is an excellent lawyer and person of great integrity and clarity of vision – an absolute pleasure to work with.” - Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2021
‘Lianne Craig is excellent at taking the lead on cases. She balances strategy and bigger picture thinking with being on top of the details perfectly and is well-liked by her juniors. She is very bright and absolutely incredible at strategic thinking and getting cases over the line. [...] Each of these is unusually easy to deal with and always works hard.‘ - Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2021
Ranked as a Leading Individual. - Commercial Litigation: Premium, 2021
The Legal 500 recognised Lianne Craig as ‘Individual of the Year for Dispute Resolution London’ in their UK 2020 awards.
‘Very good, clever, commercial and user-friendly’ – Commercial Litigation, 2020
Clients love Lianne Craig's brilliant and often-inspiring style. She fights hard for her clients, but she does so with diplomacy and judgement, such that she manages the rare feat in litigation of engendering excellent relationships with those on the other side of the table – this undoubtedly means she gets a better result for her client. – Banking Litigation, 2020
‘Superb and able to project manage and implement strategy on the largest of claims.’ - Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2018 & 2019
‘Experienced in assembling claimant groups.’ – Commercial Litigation, 2018 & 2019
Lianne is highly regarded and described as being ‘very calm under fire and always has workable solutions to thorny problems’. - Banking Litigation: Investment & Retail, 2018
‘Excellent lawyer.’ – Competition Litigation, 2016
The Lawyer
The Lawyer recognised Lianne Craig in their Hot 100 2021.
Lawdragon 2021
Lianne was recognised by Lawdragon in their 500 Global Litigation Lawyers for Litigation & International Arbitration.
Leaders League
Recognised by Leaders League 2021 for Commercial Litigation.
Advises on a wide range of commercial disputes including insolvency, IP, fraud, shareholder (including unfair prejudice/minority shareholder claims and FSMA s 90/90A), breach of warranty, general contract and tort and asset recovery and enforcement.
Selection of case highlights:
Shareholder disputes, including warranty claims; bondholder disputes; claims arising out of loan, structured finance and derivatives transactions and cases involving large scale fraud and mis-selling of investments.
Selection of case highlights:
* Obtained at another firm
Expertise in complex commercial and competition matters across a range of sectors with considerable experience acting in multi-party and group claims.
Case highlights include:
Lianne is a pivotal member of our environmental disputes practice and has been recently involved in matters challenging the government in relation to its Clean Air Policy, the Airports National Policy Statement and in relation to river pollution.
'She is an excellent individual who is able to focus on key issues... She is a wonderful leader who is incredibly smart, hard-working and very dedicated and delivers exceptional client services.
Lianne Craig is probably the best lawyer I have worked with – both a brilliant strategist and also a great technical lawyer. She is absolutely fierce when it is required and holds her own against any magic circle partner, but she is also fair and has a strong sense of justice. Lianne is also an excellent people manager and understands how to run a team on a big case.
She is an exceptional lawyer with really outstanding commercial judgement. Her strategy skills are the best I have ever seen...
Lianne Craig is a real powerhouse in banking litigation.
She is an exceptional technical lawyer who has a real eye for detail, but she is also an outstanding litigation strategist who is able to manoeuvre tricky situations to achieve brilliant outcomes for her clients.
Lianne Craig is a genius in devising clever approaches and without match.
Very user-friendly, super creative and very engaged in the day-to-day on a case.
Very bright and absolutely incredible at strategic thinking.
She demonstrates really good judgement and strategic thinking and has amazing instincts.
Lianne Craig is an excellent lawyer and person of great integrity and clarity of vision.
Excellent at taking the lead on cases. She balances strategy and bigger picture thinking with being on top of the details perfectly and is well-liked by her juniors. She is very bright and absolutely incredible at strategic thinking and getting cases over the line.
Clients love Lianne Craig's brilliant and often-inspiring style.
Sources state she is a ‘hard-working, intelligent and very experienced lawyer’ who is ‘an absolute pleasure to deal with’.
Sources say: ‘She is quite exceptional – extremely diligent, very personable and a very good lawyer'.