Mr Chris Bushell > Herbert Smith Freehills LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Operating across the legal, financial and professional services sector, the ‘top flight’ partnership and LLPs department at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP offers a practice encompassing specialists in the disputes, corporate, employment, incentives, regulatory and tax field. The team is co-headed by corporate lawyer Malcolm Lombers, who offers extensive experience in handling large partnership structures, mergers, disposals for major accountancy firms and joint ventures, and Alan Watts, who is frequently instructed on high profile partnership disputes for hedge funds, global law firms, professional service firms and real estate organisations. Complementing their employment practices, the ‘capable and effective litigator’ Tim Leaver and the ‘brilliant’ Nick Wright handle contentious and non-contentious partnership work. Andrew Taggart’s expertise lies in disputes, investigations and appointments and exits of members and employees of LLPs, while Chris Bushell focuses on contentious matters particularly in the asset management space. Members of the firm’s tax group, Josh Lom and Isaac Zailer, specialise in advising on the structuring of taxation on partnerships, both in the UK and internationally.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is the ‘leader of the pack in commercial litigation’ with wide ranging experience defending securities class actions and related group claims, advising leading domestic and international banks. Rupert Lewis is ‘strategically aware and client-friendly‘, and sits at the helm of the team, with a practice regularly acting for banks and financial institutions in high-profile, complex disputes. Damien Byrne Hill, global co-head of dispute resolution at the firm, also regularly acts for major financial institutions, alongside ‘excellent litigator’ Chris Bushell and Simon Clarke who has a ‘encyclopedic knowledge of banking law‘. Nic Patmore is another name to note.

From major banks and insurers to start-ups and challenger businesses, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP advises at all levels of the fintech ecosytem. The broad practice is known for its strengths in regulatory matters, data protection and blockchain and digital assets. Practice co-head Nick Pantlin has specialist expertise in the application and adoption of emerging technologies in the financial services and fintech sector, while fellow co-head Caroline Rae is noted for the depth of her transactional acumen. David Coulling has a focus on transformational tech-driven deals, while Marina Reason‘s broad practice extends to strategic structuring and licensing perimeter advice. Chris Bushell frequently handles contentious matters related to digital assets. Alex Cravero has an in-depth understanding of mandates concerning blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP has ‘a long pedigree as a leader in disputes generally‘, with its civil fraud practice stated to be ‘unrivalled’. The team is particularly adept at handling multi-jurisdictional, high value and complex fraud cases, and specialisms include fraud cases in the cryptocurrency sector, as well as acting for sovereign wealth funds on misappropriated assets in different jurisdictions. Practice head Jeremy Garson is ‘one of the best in the business‘, and has recently been active in complex cross-border cases pertaining to allegations of unlawful and dishonest conduct, including bribery, dissipating assets and sham transactions.  ‘Stand-out partner‘ Natasha Johnson specialises in proceedings related to the financial services industry, including alleged financial misstatements, financial and consumer mis-selling and director misfeasance. ‘Outstanding‘ William Turner, specialist for fraud matters involving offshore trusts, as well as Chris Bushell and associate Heather Rankin are further key members of the team.