Laurence Harris > Cooley (UK) LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Cooley (UK) LLP Offices
22 Bishopsgate
LONDON
EC2N 4BQ
England
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Laurence Harris

Work Department
Commercial Litigation
International Commercial Arbitration
Public International Law
Asset Recovery
Life Sciences
International Anti-Corruption/FCPA
Israel
Position
Laurence Harris is partner in Cooley’s London office and vice chair of the firm’s litigation department. He acts for public and private companies, governments, public sector bodies and individuals in complex commercial, public law, fraud and asset tracing disputes. He has extensive experience of both English High Court and international arbitration proceedings under ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL and ad hoc rules. Laurence has had wide involvement in cross-border disputes, frequently involving fraud and asset tracing. He has focused for some years in risk management issues.
Laurence has been a solicitor-advocate since 2001, able to undertake advocacy in all English civil courts. He is admitted to the Turks & Caicos Islands bar for limited purposes.
Memberships
- The Access to Justice Foundation
Education
- Downing College, Cambridge
MA, 1990 - College of Law, London
LSF, 1988 - Downing College, Cambridge
BA, 1987
Lawyer Rankings
London > Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
Instructed by private and public sector clients, the team at Cooley (UK) LLP acts in corruption, investigation, asset recovery and insurance matters on a regular basis. It has noteworthy connections to Asian, African and Caribbean jurisdictions. James Maton leads the practice, which also includes Laurence Harris and Henry Stewart as integral team members.
London > Dispute resolution > Public international law
Cooley (UK) LLP‘s broad PIL practice ranges from investment treaty and international trade disputes and advisory work, to Law of the Sea advice for coastal states, issues of state responsibility in highly contentious regional areas, and international asset recovery work. The London office also has notable investor-state arbitration strength. The practice is led by James Maton, whose PIL expertise spans investor-state arbitrations and treaty disputes; Laurence Harris‘ practice covers complex commercial, public law, and cross-border fraud and asset tracing disputes; and the ‘responsive, thorough and engaged‘ consultant John Brown is a Law of the Sea specialist. The second line of practitioners comprises Henry Stewart, whose PIL litigation expertise includes asset recovery and anti-corruption matters; and associate Juan Nascimbene, who focuses on international treaty arbitration, PIL work and international economic law. Former independent consultant Tim Daniel formally retired from the firm during 2022.
London > Dispute resolution > International arbitration
Cooley (UK) LLP‘s London practice handles both commercial and investor-state disputes. It is particularly experienced in life sciences and technology-related matters, but the group also has a strong track record in energy, oil and gas, construction, financial services, infrastructure development, defence/aerospace and insurance/reinsurance-related arbitrations. UK disputes head James Maton defends clients against commercial, contractual, product liability, and public international law disputes, while Laurence Harris is experienced in international arbitration proceedings.
London > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
Cooley (UK) LLP has an unparalleled reputation for representing companies operating in the life sciences and healthcare space, and is marked out by one client as ‘a clear leader in that critical and growing sector‘. The team’s recent work concerning clinical trials on behalf of IQVIA – led by respected litigators Laurence Harris and Henry Stewart – was just one such example. James Maton oversees the practice.
Lawyer Rankings
- Public international law - London > Dispute resolution
- Commercial litigation: premium - London > Dispute resolution
- Fraud: civil - London > Crime, fraud and licensing
- International arbitration - London > Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Insurance > Product liability: defendant
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: lower mid-market deals, £50m-£500m
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m)
- Corporate and commercial > Venture capital
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Employment > Employers
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition