Kelwin Nicholls > Clifford Chance LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

The offering at Clifford Chance LLP is singled out by clients as ‘quite simply the best in the market‘, and continues to act in a significant proportion of the most intricate and notable PRA and FCA investigations in the market. Carlos Conceicao ‘teams fierce intellect with highly effective communication skills‘, and has particular expertise in cases of market abuse. Dorian Drew and Oliver Pegden ‘can handle the most difficult and complex cases with aplomb.‘ Drew frequently handles enforcement actions brought by a range of domestic and international regulators, while Pegden is highly active in internal investigations and related High Court litigation. Other notable practitioners in the ‘superb team‘ include Kelwin Nicholls, whose latest highlights include leading one of the first investigations in the blockchain sector, and Samantha Ward, whose expertise lies in data-related risks.

The practice at Clifford Chance LLP is ‘intellectual, outstanding, organisationally superb, and utterly client focused’, with expertise in complex financial products and cross-border matters. The practice consists of a specialist contentious regulatory team, as well as a dedicated in-house forensic accounting team. Many leading banks rely on the expertise of the team, including HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Morgan Stanley. Head of the team Ian Moulding is ‘hugely experienced’ and commended for commanding ‘the trust of senior decision makers in major institutions’. ‘Phenomenal hard worker’ Helen Carty leads the wider litigation practice at the firm, with experience in defending mis-selling claims and advising on derivatives transactions. Noted practitioners include ‘exceptionally capable’ Chris Yates, with experience litigating in both the London and Hong Kong market, along with ‘stand-out partners’ Kelwin Nicholls and Lindsay Bickerton. Matthew Newick acts as the global head of litigation, with vast experience in high-value disputes for the firm’s financial sector clients. At associate level, Ben Jasper, Philip Cox, Michael Gorrie, and Melissa Oppenheim are noted.