Gowling WLG

Information Technology; Outsourcing; Dispute Resolution; Advocacy; Investigations - for Corporates & Other Organisations; Mediation; Technology & Outsourcing Dispute Resolution

Partner

Highly regarded for her dedication to achieving her clients' objectives, commitment to client service and her ability to get to grips quickly with the most complex of matters.

Helen Davenport can help you to manage risks and resolve commercial disputes cost-effectively. A director, based in Gowling WLG's Birmingham and London offices, Helen has around 15 years' experience of helping clients resolve commercial disputes, including through escalation, mediation, litigation and arbitration. Her particular areas of focus are technology related matters and also anti-bribery, anti-corruption and corporate investigations.

Experience

Helen advises on a range of commercial disputes in the technology sector and on corporate investigations, fraud related matters and anti-bribery and corruption.

Technology and outsourcing dispute resolution

Helping a London Borough Council manage transition and exit from its business process outsourcing provider and deal with contractual issues that arose during the transition.

Acting for a telecoms provider in litigation with a business partner.

Helping a nationwide wholesaler wanting to terminate its agreement with its provider of network services and transition the service to a new provider do so, at least cost and risk.

Helping a multinational IT and management consultancy manage a dispute, and ultimately avoid litigation, with a customer arising out of a contract for a pan-European applications management service.

Assisting a local authority with an early exit from a 15 year £300 million IT and business process outsourcing contract, devising a strategy that enabled the client to avoid liability for early termination charges.

Corporate investigations and anti-bribery

Helping a team appointed by a County Council to conduct an investigation into a £3/4 million fraud by a Chief Executive of a charity.

Investigating allegations of fraud, conspiracy and breach of duty by individuals at a not for profit regulated organisation.

Recovering £2 million for a publisher following a fraud investigation into online trading by a senior employee.

Investigating, with our colleagues in our Munich office, a possible fraud, alleged by a whistleblower to have taken place at its German subsidiary of a US headquartered client. The alleged fraud extended to Greece and we managed the investigation there too.

Advising a client in the retail sector on putting in place measures to combat anti-bribery and corruption.

Helen has extensive expertise of advising suppliers and purchasers of technology, telecoms and outsourced services, in both the public and private sector. Her technology practice spans advising on disputes arising from contracts (often complex and high value) for the design, build and implementation of IT systems and/or IT services, software licensing matters and also cyber security, including handling data loss and other cyber incidents.

She also helps clients that may have been victims or caught in the middle of other fraud or misconduct - including by conducting investigations, to find out what happened, answer allegations, take action to recover assets, comply with regulatory requirements and/or protect reputation. Prevention is of course better than cure and Helen has extensive experience of assisting clients put in place measures to combat bribery and corruption.

Helen is highly regarded for her dedication to achieving her clients' objectives, commitment to client service and her ability to get to grips quickly with the most complex of matters. Helen has Higher Courts rights.

English