4 Stone Buildings

Practices in the commercial chancery field, focusing on commercial litigation, banking, oil and gas/natural resources, company and insolvency. 

Nicola has a broad commercial and commercial chancery practice with particular experience in high value complex disputes, typically involving international components, issues relating to banking and security documents, the natural resources sector, company law and insolvency law.

Nicola has acted in three of “The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases” of the year during her career, including in 2023 acting for the former CEO of Carillion in the high-profile Carillion director disqualification proceedings which arose from allegations concerning the accounting treatment of infrastructure projects and followed the largest liquidation in UK history.

Alongside a busy practice in London, Nicola regularly accepts instructions in offshore matters, particularly from Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the BVI (where she is called to the Bar).

As a former solicitor and judicial assistant in the Court of Appeal, Nicola is well placed to understand the needs of both her professional clients and the court, and to tailor her advice and advocacy accordingly.

The directories describe her as “an exceptional junior who gives good, sensible advice”, “extremely erudite, always on top of the papers and eternally approachable”, as having “extraordinary attention to detail”, “strategic in her advice”, and as “a team player and a pleasure to work with”.

Second Lieutenant, Royal Artillery (Short Service Limited Commission): 1998-1999

Researcher, The Hague Conference on Private International Law: 2004-2005

Trainee and Associate Solicitor in the dispute resolution department, Baker & McKenzie LLP: 2005-2008

Judicial Assistant to the Court of Appeal: 2007

Qualified as a solicitor: 2007

Year of Call: 2008

Called to the BVI Bar: 2022

French

ChBA, Combar, International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, Financial Services Lawyers Association

Harrogate Grammar School; Emmanuel College, Cambridge (BA 2002; LLM 2003; MA, 2005).