England - London • Dispute resolution

Macfarlanes LLP

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The financial services and markets dispute resolution team at Macfarlanes LLP advises on complex regulatory disputes, enforcement actions, and investigations, acting in cross-border litigation. Barry Donnelly is one of the heads of the team, with vast experience in banking litigation, and involvement in Libor matters. Also at leadership level, is the ‘extremely reliable and commercial’ Matt McCahearty and Dan Lavender who is talented in multi-jurisdictional litigation. Other key figures include Laura Bridgewater, and the ‘precise and scrupulous’ Lauren Roberts.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The team is sharp, hands on, fast and with commercial sensitivity which is rare to find.’

  • ‘Matt McCahearty is extremely reliable and commercial. Clients appreciate his ability to spot their needs and provide clear and simple answer also in context of sophisticated strategies.'

  • 'Lauren Roberts is precise and scrupulous.’

Key clients

  • The State of Qatar
  • The British Bankers’ Association
  • JB Firth Rixson Inc, and FR Acquisitions
  • Financial Market Standards Board (FMSB)
  • NatWest

Work highlights

  • Representing 160 banks as members of The British Bankers’ Association in parallel US/UK proceedings relating to an alleged conspiracy to manipulate the US Dollar LIBOR interest rate benchmark.
  • Represented companies in the Firth Rixson group in a $100m + claim relating to two interest rate swaps with Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (the Lehman entity in UK administration).
  • Acting for NatWest in its defence of three separate claims in the Competition Appeal Tribunal relating to loss alleged to have arisen from anti-competitive manipulation of foreign exchange markets.

Lawyers

Leading individuals

Barry Donnelly

Barry Donnelly

Macfarlanes LLP

Barry has more than 30 years' experience in international disputes and investigations, involving banking, finance, financial services, fund and asset management, trusts, insolvency, fraud and financial crime. He has been approved as a Skilled Person by the Financial Conduct Authority and has conducted numerous business critical regulatory reviews in both the UK and overseas. Barry has particular expertise in large scale financial litigation and arbitration, and regulatory investigations and proceedings. He represents clients in connection with investigations and proceedings involving both UK and overseas regulatory bodies and government agencies, including the London Stock Exchange, the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Serious Fraud Office, the Department of Justice, the SEC and the CFTC. He frequently advises and conducts internal investigations for financial institutions and other regulated investment businesses; examples include matters involving failings in systems and controls, conflicts of interest, internal fraud, the alleged manipulation of LIBOR, precious metals, FX and commodities trading, market abuse, insider dealing, misleading statements, money laundering, bribery and corruption, and failure to prevent economic crime. Barry's representation of clients has included complex, often cross-border, disputes and investigations involving the co-ordination of proceedings or the obtaining of evidence abroad, as well as information requests from international courts, regulators and government agencies, such as under the Hague Evidence Convention or the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003. Overseas jurisdictions have included the Cayman Islands, the BVI, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, France, Italy, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Brazil, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Mauritius, Indonesia, Greece, Ireland, the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland.

Matt McCahearty

Matt McCahearty

Macfarlanes LLP

Matt’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and arbitration, white collar defence, regulatory enforcement and internal investigations. Matt leads the litigation and dispute resolution group. He regularly advises global corporations and financial institutions in relation to some of their most significant and sensitive international disputes, investigations and enforcement matters, working frequently with leading independent firms around the world to provide a comprehensive international strategy. Matt has particular familiarity with litigation, arbitration and regulatory enforcement matters in the US having been seconded to a leading New York law firm and worked extensively on transatlantic cases. Matt is a member of the firm’s International Committee, the International Bar Association’s Litigation Committee and regularly speaks at international conferences. He is also a Solicitor-Advocate.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Barry Donnelly, Matt McCahearty, Dan Lavender

Other key lawyers

Lauren Roberts, Laura Bridgewater