Dispute resolution
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP is for one client, the ‘best banking litigation team in London’, combining ’genuine expertise with real market knowledge’. Members of the team act on a number of high-profile mandates, with particular expertise in securities class actions. Team head and ‘standout litigator’ Rupert Lewis is knowledgeable in this area, and also has particular knowledge of mis-selling and fraud claims. The practice consists of a number of leading individuals in the field, including Chris Bushell, Simon Clarke, John Corrie, and Emma Deas. Ajay Malhotra is noted.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Dispute Resolution
Position
Partner, London
Career
Chris is a dispute resolution partner and solicitor advocate based in London. Chris has significant experience of acting for clients with commercial disputes across various sectors and geographies, but has a particular focus on disputes work involving banks and private capital clients. His experience includes advising on complex contractual disputes, class actions, shareholder and joint venture disputes, partnership and LLP disputes, economic torts, fraud and conspiracy, asset tracing, professional negligence, insolvency disputes, employment-related disputes and privacy and defamation issues.
Chris is Immediate Past President of the London Solicitors Litigation Association (the LSLA), which has over 3500 members and helps to shape civil justice reform and promote best practice in litigation.
Chris is listed as a Next Generation Partner in Legal 500 UK and is described as 'an extremely impressive litigator'. He has also been described in previous editions of Legal 500 as a 'creative problem solver' and having a ‘formidable reputation’.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class) from the University of Bristol (1999) and obtained Distinctions for the CPE and LPC from the University of Exeter (2001) and the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (2002) respectively.
He was admitted as a solicitor in September 2004, has been a solicitor advocate since October 2007 and became a partner in 2014.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
'Nic Patmore exemplifies the ideal senior associate: sharp, proficient, and diligent. He efficiently handles urgent instructions, promptly providing exactly what is needed.’
‘Rupert Lewis: the ideal partner. Fully engaged and a pleasure to work with. Julian Copeman: very experienced.’
‘Real expertise in banking and finance practice areas with experience of some of the most high-profile cases in this sphere. The firm has stand out individuals who impress from associate level right up to partner.’
‘Excellent knowledge of the law and commercial nous, coupled with great client-management skills.’
‘Probably the best banking litigation team in London. Real strength in depth. Genuine expertise with real market knowledge.’
‘The stand-out partners are Rupert Lewis, Simon Clarke and Ajay Malhotra. I would rate Simon Clarke in particular as one of the very best litigators I have ever worked with. A star associate who is a name to watch is Nic Patmore.’
‘The banking litigation team at Herbert Smith Freehills (Kramer) LLP continue to bring us top quality work. They are worthy of their top rankings. The super impressive and experienced Rupert Lewis heads the banking litigation with aplomb.
‘Ajay Malhotra - in my opinion, Ajay should be recognised as a leading partner in banking litigation, as evidenced by the calibre of work he is involved in. Chris Bushell deserves to maintain the ranking of a leading partner in Banking Litigation. He has established himself as a lead partner in a range of commercial disputes & banking disputes.’
‘Rupert Lewis is, for this area, directly relevant and is a standout litigator.
I have worked extensively in this area with Emma Deas, John Corrie and Damien Byrne Hill. Briefly: Emma: very thoughtful, very calm, very efficient - a really safe pair of hands for a difficult case; John - very clever and sees straight to the point; Damien - another veteran litigator who has seen it all before and brings real experience to bear on any problem you may encounter.’
Key clients
- National Australia Bank Société Générale Standard Chartered plc Aux Cayes Fintech Co Ltd (OKX) Binance Holdings Limited UBS
Work highlights
Advised National Australia Bank Limited ("NAB") in relation to a group claim brought by over 900 Claimants relating to tailored business loans alleging, amongst other things, fraudulent misrepresentations.
Advised Société Générale SA and Société Generale Milan branch in respect of a claim brought by a Russian fertilizer company, EuroChem North West-2, a wholly owned subsidiary of EuroChem AG.