As well as global investment and retail banks, Norton Rose Fulbright represents fintech clients and wealth and asset management companies in banking disputes, investigations, enforcement, asset tracing, and recovery actions. ‘All round star’ Harriet Jones-Fenleigh advises a diverse list of financial institutions, from funds to corporate trustees, and has developed particular expertise representing banks in fintech and cyber security disputes. James Lockwood excels in the defence of financial institutions in group action litigation and Samson Spanier receives high praise from clients for his ’excellent and responsive service’. Oliver Jamieson represents financial institutions in commercial litigation and investigations, while Aditya Badami focuses on insolvency disputes. Alison Kellett joined the team from BNP Paribas in August 2023, bringing in-house expertise in banking disputes and investigations. Radford Goodman left the firm in January 2024.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘James Lockwood merits particular mention - he has an understated approach that is super effective with the Court. Clients understandably love him. Samson Spanier is an experienced counsel - his time at the bar means he has a really good feel from the outset for how to position issues before the Court.’
‘James Lockwood is utterly outstanding and, although a fairly recent partner, has the qualities of the most seasoned of litigators. He’s extremely bright, and an excellent lawyer; he’s has a vice-like grip on the details of the case while never losing sight of the big-picture; he’s tactically astute; and he’s a delight to work with. Clients love him. He’s utterly first-rate.'
‘James Lockwood: outstanding up and coming partner, a star of the future. Katie Stephen: well-established industry-leading expert. Aditya Badami (associate): can run big litigation and no doubt will be a superb partner.’
‘Particular mention for Katie Stephen, who is a banking, regulatory and litigation partner, whose calm and determined manner kept our client on course over a decade-long fallout from a failed investment scheme. Also, Aditya Badami, senior associate and surely on course for partnership soon, who is an up-and-coming Commercial Court litigator, tenacious and able to keep his opponents always on the hop.’
‘I work most closely with Samson Spanier. Samson provides excellent and responsive service and is particularly skilled in collaborating with all parties to arrive at a good solution.’
‘Both Samson Spanier and Harriet Jones-Fenleigh are responsive and commercial in their outlook. They have helped steer us through a very tricky dispute involving multiple challenges which could not have initially been foreseen. Their guidance and support throughout have been super.’
‘Harriet Jones-Fenleigh (partner) - very clever, excellent judgement, all round star.’
‘I have worked with Harriet Jones-Fenleigh (partner) and Samson Spanier (Counsel) and both are knowledgeable, responsive and produce clear, client-friendly advice and communications.’
Key clients
- HSBC
- Citicorp Trustee Company Ltd
- Liberty Industries France Pte Limited
- Liberty France Aluminium HoldCo
- ING
- Standard Chartered Bank
- Deutsche Bank
- Saxo Bank
Work highlights
- Acting for HSBC in defending two related complex billion-pound and hundred-million-pound group actions fraud claims set for trial commencing 29 January 2024.
- Acting for the claimant companies, members of the Alvance Aluminium business within the GFG Alliance, in High Court proceedings seeking seek damages of up to approximately $850m against Lightship Capital II LLC and Aluminium Dunkerque AcquireCo 2 Limited as part of a battle for ownership and control of one of Europe’s largest aluminium smelters.
- Represented a committee of lender creditors in support of a contested application for an order to grant a scheme of arrangement, which related to a multi-hundred-million dollar restructuring of a group of companies and was part of the first ever parallel use of an English scheme of arrangement and a Dutch restructuring scheme.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Patrick Bourke