Leonora Sagan > Fountain Court Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Fountain Court Chambers Offices
FOUNTAIN COURT, TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 9DH
England
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Leonora Sagan
Position
Commercial litigation; fraud-civil; business and regulatory crime; financial services regulation; arbitration.
Leonora is a specialist in complex fraud across the civil and criminal legal spectrums, with a wealth of expertise in cases involving allegations of corruption, bribery, and asset misappropriation. She has extensive experience in business, financial, and regulatory crime matters, and regularly appears in and advises on both civil and criminal proceedings brought by the SFO and the FCA.
Leonora frequently acts for high-net-worth individuals, with her client list including members of the royalty, former premiers, top executives, and most recently the key individual in the 1MDB fraud.
Recent case highlights include the FCA’s prosecution of three former executives of Redcentric Plc, which represented the first ever prosecution for the offence of making misleading offences to the market under s.89 Financial Services Act 2012. Leonora acted for the company’s former CEO who was unanimously acquitted on all counts. She represents the Man Group in Public Institution for Social Security of Kuwait v Man Group concerning allegations of large-scale bribery She is currently advising on several sanctions cases, two of which are due to be heard in the Commercial Court in 2022-2023.
A significant part of Leonora’s practice is her representation of professionals accused of serious misconduct. In Tonstate v Wojakovski [2021] EWHC 1122 (Ch) she acted for the successful respondent solicitors against allegations of contempt of court and breaching a Worldwide Freezing Order in failing to disclose the source of third-party funds received on behalf of a client who was subject to the WFO. Leonora succeeded in recovering 100% costs on the indemnity basis on behalf of her client. Other examples include successfully representing a Big Four accounting firm in internal disciplinary hearings concerning bribery allegations, and resisting a Norwich Pharmacal application on behalf of a foreign legal representative. Relatedly, Leonora is often called upon to advise on matters concerning document use and misuse, disclosure, and privilege.
She is appointed to the the SFO’s panel of external counsel and is a contributor to Lissack and Horlick on Bribery (3rd Edn.), co-authoring the chapter on the “adequate procedures” defence to the offence of failing to prevent bribery under s. of the Bribery Act 2010.
Career
2012 Call, Inner Temple
2016-2019: Kobre & Kim LLP (New York and London).
Languages
Greek (fluent), Spanish (conversational).
Memberships
COMBAR, Young Fraud Lawyers’ Association.
Education
Harvard Law School, LLM; Oxford University, BA (Philosophy and Modern and Medieval Languages) (double first-class honours); BPP College, BPTC; BPP College, GDL.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Financial services regulation
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 3Leonora Sagan – Fountain Court Chambers ‘She is extremely bright, clear thinking and focussed. Leonara discards the irrelevant and can build strengths into a case by focussing on what is meritorious and will work with the judge or tribunal. Judges and tribunals will consider her to be a leading light of her generation because of the clarity she brings to a case and the total absence of show or flannel.’
London Bar > Business and regulatory crime (including global investigations)
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 3Leonora Sagan –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Leonora is obviously exceptionally intelligent. Her advocacy is confident and adaptable to the needs of a case. She fights her corner, but is realistic when analysing arguments. More than one silk has asked if she could be cloned. She is undoubtedly a future superstar.’
London Bar > Commercial litigation
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 5Leonora Sagan – Fountain Court Chambers ‘A brilliant lawyer, with a crisp and elegant writing style, who will go very far in the profession. Great attention to detail, as well as a capacity for hard work.’
London Bar > Fraud: civil
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4Leonora Sagan – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Leonora is an extremely impressive junior: A combination of a detail-oriented nature and an unflappable courtroom demeanour means that she wins the confidence of clients and praises of judges alike.’
London Bar > Banking and finance (including consumer credit)
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4Leonora Sagan – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Leonora is an outstanding talent. She has a clear insight and understanding of banking issues. She is able to provide solutions of difficult problems. Her written advocacy is strongly persuasive.’