Patrick Bourke > Norton Rose Fulbright > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Norton Rose Fulbright brings to bear its multijurisdictional regulatory investigations, international trade, and white-collar criminal defence expertise in acting for an array of major global corporates and financial institutions throughout high-profile and complex proceedings, including SFO and FCA investigations, prosecutions by UK and US enforcement agencies, and internal compliance reviews relating to financial services regulations, ESG, and other emerging issues. The practice, led by the experienced duo of Patrick Bourke and Neil O’May, offers a broad range of experience, with key names including Ruth Cowley, who combines litigation and investigations expertise, David Harris, who handles regulatory compliance and cross-border investigations relating to financial crime, and Andrew Reeves, a go-to for cross border compliance work who is increasingly active on the sanctions front. Counsel Stuart Neely focuses on internal compliance investigations relating to bribery and corruption, money-laundering, fraud and ESG issues, while senior associate Claudia Culley handles high-profile mandates for financial institutions and corporates relating to regulatory breaches. Lista Cannon has moved into a senior consultant role.

Norton Rose Fulbright fields a multi-disciplinary pensions disputes and investigations group, bringing together pensions lawyers with colleagues from the litigation, financial restructuring, insolvency and consulting departments. The team focuses on representing trustee and employer clients, in cases regarding the running of a scheme, documentation, and internal and ombudsman complaints. Patrick Bourke takes the lead, also coordinating the wider EMEA practice. Lesley Browning has recent experience in negotiations with trade unions and investigations initiated by the pensions regulator, while Katie Stephen is the name to note for financial services contentious regulatory matters, often acting in pensions-related matters.

Norton Rose Fulbright stands out for its ‘sheer breadth and depth of experience‘; with the team well placed to handle matters ranging from complex contractual claims and M&A disputes to civil fraud. The team’s leadership comprises ‘litigation superpower‘ Ruth Cowley, who heads up the commercial disputes and investigations offering, and ‘hugely talented‘ Patrick Bourke, who oversees the EMEA-wide dispute resolution group. Among the other capable practitioners within the department, Antony Corsi and Andrew Judkins are particularly recommended – with one client describing them  as ‘a formidable team’.

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s core team acts for financial institutions, corporations, governments and state-owned entities from sectors such as financial institutions, energy, infrastructure, technology, life sciences and healthcare. Arbitration head Sherina Petit is highly focused on India-related matters; James Rogers acts in arbitrations seated in Europe, the US, Asia and the Middle East (in addition to London); Patrick Bourke is ‘a brilliant strategist‘; and Holly Stebbing focuses on disputes in the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. Matthew Buckle was recently made partner; and at associate level senior Joseph Bentley and India Furse are experienced team members.