Regarded ‘as the pinnacle of London litigation expertise’, Freshfields advises on class action and shareholder claims, including in the Court of Appeal, arising out of ss. 90 and 90A of the FSMA. With experience in the sports and life sciences sector, the firm is also active in employment group litigation and sanctions-related disputes. The team is led by Andrew Austin alongside Samantha Trevan, who acts on group litigation defence, and Sarah Parkes, who advises on banking and finance litigation. Regularly advising on multi-jurisdictional litigation, James Kennedy is well-versed in disputes across a wide range of sectors, from TMT and sports to healthcare and oil & gas. Alison Kirby-Harris specialises in shareholder disputes, including securities and private minority shareholder litigation. Jonathan Kelly acts on litigation arising out of sanctions as well as in life sciences claims.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- Ali (Alison Kirby-Harris) is among the best litigation minds in the City. Strategic, focused, and creative.
- The full breadth and network of Freshfields are put to good use on complex international and high-value matters.
- Alison Kirby-Harris is, in my view, on her way to becoming one of the standout litigators of her generation. She is seriously bright, yet client-focused and efficient. I am quite sure she will be at the very top of the tree for many years to come. Associate Molly Lewis is also seriously bright, has marvelous drafting skills, and is completely on top of the detail.
- I regard Freshfields' litigation practice as the pinnacle of London litigation expertise. They truly outshine their competition. They are highly experienced, have outstanding strategic nous, and unparalleled judgment and skill in the presentation of their client's case.
- James Kennedy is a very safe pair of hands for complex litigation. Simon Orton is clever and user-friendly.
- The team works very well in complex litigation matters involving different jurisdictions, legal concepts, and strategic inputs from various angles. There are no losses in knowledge transfer from one practice group to another.
- Ali Kirby-Harris - unbelievably good client engagement and responsiveness, and a superb team manager who keeps everyone moving in the right direction.
- Rolls Royce - a premium service. Highly knowledgeable, experienced, and sound in judgment. I never have any doubt that they will make sober decisions that advance the clients' interests.
- Tom Clarke is exceptionally knowledgeable and aware of the technical details, while still being approachable, responsive, and cognizant of what matters to the client. Eid-Daniel Jadon is extremely client-friendly and responsive. He works collaboratively to problem-solve and is aware of the details while still being able to focus on the big picture.
Key clients
- Indivior PLC
- dfcu Bank Limited and dfcu Limited
- Noble Foods
- Joint liquidators of GTLK Europe DAC and GTLK Europe Capital DAC and STLC Europe Nine Leasing Limited
- Roadget Business Pte. Ltd. and Shein Distribution UK Limited
- Bayerische Landesbank and Landesbank Baden-Württemberg
- AstraZeneca
Work highlights
Acting for Indivior PLC in respect of claims issued in the English High Court relating to section 90/Schedule 10 and/or section 90A/Schedule 10A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Defending dfcu Bank Limited and dfcu Limited against a claim of unlawful means conspiracy that has been brought by a prominent Ugandan businessman and investor and a company and various individuals associated with him in the English courts.
Acting for AstraZeneca for them in two major ongoing pieces of litigation in the Chancery Division.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Samantha Trevan; Andrew Austin; Sarah Parkes
Other key lawyers
James Kennedy; Alison Kirby-Harris