Astraea

Lawyer & team quality

Robert Bedford

Partner Rob joined Astraea from a global firm and specialises in large-scale, cross-border dispute resolution and asset recovery. His clients include multinationals, private equity and credit funds, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, and owner-managed businesses. Recent instructions include: enforcing a US$500 million SCC arbitration award against the Republic of Kazakhstan across multiple jurisdictions, representing investors in a EUR900 million investment arbitration against the Republic of Moldova over airport concession rights, and leading a complex asset recovery action involving worldwide freezing orders against 29 defendants and Chabra respondents in five jurisdictions. He has led a number of investigations including into suspicious prepayments of almost US$300 million to a counterparty shortly before it entered insolvency and into alleged breaches of Russia related sanctions. Rob also advises clients on sanctions compliance.

Khrystyna Khanas

- Associate - Khrystyna is a dual-qualified English solicitor and Ukrainian advocate, specialising in cross-border commercial litigation and arbitration, with a particular focus on civil fraud disputes. Khrystyna worked on some of the leading high-profile cases in the UK concerning asset tracing and recovery, often involving freezing injunctions, disclosure orders and other forms of interim relief. She has also worked on major fraud disputes relating to crypto assets. Khrystyna has acted for both Claimants and Defendants in large and complex commercial disputes in the High Court of Justice and arbitration proceedings under the LCIA rules. She has experience in dealing with disputes throughout all stages of proceedings leading up to and including trials, as well as various interim applications and, in particular, complex disclosure exercises. Khrystyna has deep knowledge and understanding of the political and legal environments in Ukraine and Eurasia more generally. She has a particular interest in legal disputes regarding crypto, the recovery of assets and sanctions issues, as well as enforcement of awards and judgments against sovereign states, and have written various articles on legal issues arising from the Russian Federation’s occupation of Ukraine, enforcement of judgments against the Russian Federation and Russia’s use of crypto to evade sanctions. She is also a regular contributor to Astraea’s thought leadership work and legal insights. Khrystyna completed a PhD in Criminal Justice from Ivan Franko National University in Lviv (Ukraine) in 2013 and a pre-LLM course from Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, USA) in 2025. She is fluent in Ukrainian and Russian and can read Polish in a professional context.

Lisa McCreath

Senior Associate Lisa works across all of the firm's core practice areas, her focus is commercial disputes, typically involving complex claims or civil fraud with a cross-border element. This includes arbitration, mediation and civil litigation. Prior to joining Astraea, Lisa trained and practiced at a global firm that specialises in large-scale, cross-border litigation and arbitration, working between their UAE and Scotland offices. She has experience conducting litigation in the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), UAE (acting alongside local counsel) and UK domestic Courts. In addition, her arbitration portfolio includes claims and awards rendered under many of the major arbitral institutions and rules, including LCIA, ICC and DIAC (and formally DIFC-LCIA). Her practice is truly international having worked with clients and legal experts in the UK, Africa, France, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Gibraltar, BVI, Moldova, Ukraine, US, Canada, Singapore, Australia and the Middle East. Work highlights include the ongoing work for a group of international investors seeking recognition and enforcement of an state-investor arbitration award for USD 500 M in damages against the Republic of Kazakhstan. She has an active interest in the evolving body of cryptocurrency and digital asset disputes. She regularly assists on both contentious and non-contentious instructions in this area. Lisa also contributes to the firm's legal insights, which can be accessed via the Astraea website and LinkedIn.

Rachel McGee

Associate Rachel is an associate working across all areas of Astraea’s commercial dispute resolution practice. Since joining the firm, Rachel has formed a key part of our asset recovery and enforcement team. She has a particular interest in international arbitration and has worked as part of the team representing foreign investors in the enforcement of an SCC arbitral award against a sovereign state. Rachel trained at Astraea, qualifying as a solicitor in 2024 through the SQE route. Rachel has a degree in Philosophy and Politics from the University of Liverpool and a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) from BPP University.

Rory Mulchrone

Counsel Rory was called to the Bar in 2009 and qualified the following year. An experienced advocate, he is also authorised to conduct litigation. Rory acts for clients involved in disputes of all kinds and has particular expertise in advising on and leading complex regulatory investigations, prosecutions and appeals.

Piers Rake

- Partner - Piers is the head of Astraea’s intelligence & forensic investigations team, and leads multidisciplinary engagements on behalf of clients who are navigating complex special situations. Piers is a Solicitor (20 years PQE), a CEDR Accredited commercial Mediator, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and Forensic Investigator. With a background in commercial litigation, Piers has 20 years of experience helping clients to manage risk, resolve disputes and investigate and respond to allegations or instances of financial wrongdoing and non-financial misconduct. In this time, Piers has lived and worked in the Middle East, and has conducted cross border engagements spanning Europe, the Middle East and North & Sub-Saharan Africa. He has particular experience investigating economic crime and advising regulated businesses on their legal and regulatory obligations, having been global head of financial crime Investigations at Barclays Bank Plc. Piers has led investigations into organised crime networks, high-end money laundering and fraud, in relation to drugs and human trafficking, ‘shadow-banking’ schemes, trade-based money laundering, cash-funnelling, investment and accounting fraud, cross-border corruption, tax evasion and sanction circumvention. Piers is a former investigator and adjudicator for one of the UK’s main political parties, where he undertook investigations relating to complaints against party members in a voluntary capacity.

James Ramsden KC

Senior Partner and Co-Founder James Ramsden KC has an expansive international practice in commercial dispute resolution, regulatory, disciplinary, media, sports and public law serving a diverse clientele of City, corporate, governmental and regulatory clients. He is recognised by Chambers UK and Chambers Global as a leading King's Counsel (KC) in commercial dispute resolution and civil fraud, described as “an absolute star” and “a totally dedicated and stellar leader”. He is a committed and versatile advocate who is known for leading cohesive and effective teams in complex and often time-constrained assignments. Aside from the UK, he has been admitted to or advised in multiple jurisdictions including, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, US, Russia, Ukraine, Iceland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Spain, Italy, Uruguay, Australia, BVI, Jersey & Isle of Man. He was recently admitted to the Cayman Bar. James lectures widely on Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF), fraud and asset recovery and is author and contributing editor for the authoritative practitioner’s reference, Butterworths’ Financial Regulation Service.

Nina Stewart

Managing Partner and Co-Founder Nina Stewart is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Astraea and leads on execution of strategy and all operational and growth aspects of the firm. Nina brings a wealth of professional service and board-level business experience to Astraea’s multidisciplinary offering. She is a Solicitor, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) and a Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA). The early years of her career were spent at a Big 4 firm in London providing international tax advice to large corporates. Since then, she has worked across a range of sectors including oil and gas, financial services and the legal sector. Nina has served on Boards and Audit Committees in both the private and charitable sectors, including chairing a private-equity-owned oil services business and serving as a trustee on the Board and chairing the Audit & Risk Committee of the NCT, the UK’s largest parenting charity. She is currently on the Board of the London Football Association (London FA), where she serves as the Independent Non-Executive Finance & Risk Director.

Joe Young

Partner Joe leads on several complex and high value commercial litigation cases. Typically, Joe advises clients on breach of contract, tortious actions, corporate disputes, and civil fraud. Joe has extensive experience of achieving successful outcomes for clients via alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation. Joe trained at Pinsent Masons. In 2014, he then qualified into their Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration team. Joe advised on a mixture of high value and international disputes. Joe focused on commercial and corporate disputes, as well as Civil Fraud and Asset Recovery. Joe also specialised in Pensions and Investments Litigation and worked closely with Pinsent Masons’ Pensions Litigation Team.