The Complex Commercial Litigation Law Review - 5th Edition

Oliwer Browne, Latham & Watkins

Oliver Browne is a partner in the London office of Latham & Watkins. He is chair of the London litigation department and a solicitor advocate. Oliver has been an international arbitration specialist for almost 20 years, and has represented companies and states in proceedings conducted under all the major rules as well as on an ad hoc basis. Oliver also has considerable experience with complex commercial litigation around the world, and arbitration related litigation in all levels of the English courts. Oliver’s recent experience includes disputes in various industry sectors, including power generation and distribution, energy, defence, media, retail and manufacturing, financial services and private equity.

Oliver was named as one of the ‘next generation of partners setting the disputes agenda’ by Legal Business in 2015, listed as one of Legal Week’s litigation rising stars 2016 (which profiled him as one of the up-and-coming litigation stars at UK top 50 and top international firms in London) and named a ‘future leader’ in Who’s Who Legal in 2017.

He is recommended for international arbitration, dispute resolution, banking litigation: investment and retail, commercial litigation and public international law by The Legal 500, where he has been praised as ‘smart and modest’, ‘delightful to work with’, a lawyer who ‘handles cases professionally’ and who is ‘great with clients and a strategic thinker’.

Ian Felstead is a partner in the London office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the firm’s litigation department. Ian has almost 20 years’ experience advising clients on a variety of litigation and dispute resolution matters, in particular in relation to commercial, media and regulatory litigation. Ian’s complex commercial litigation practice encompasses all forms of dispute resolution, including High Court litigation, domestic and international arbitration, and specialist tribunals (for example, the Copyright Tribunal). Ian has particular expertise in media litigation, including defamation, breach of confidence or privacy, contempt, data protection, freedom of information and copyright issues. Ian also advises clients on regulatory and public law matters, including acting on behalf of claimants and defendants in judicial review proceedings, advising clients on their regulatory obligations and acting for them in respect of investigations by the relevant regulator. In addition, Ian has considerable experience conducting internal investigations on behalf of clients.

Ian has been described as ‘a very effective lawyer [who] always thinks things through right to the end’ by Chambers & Partners UK, and as being ‘a real pleasure to deal with and [having] great ability’ by The Legal 500.

Mair Williams, Latham & Watkins

Mair Williams focuses on white collar defence. She has considerable trial experience, having started her career as a criminal barrister in chambers. She also has experience in international investigations, representing companies and individuals before regulators and prosecuting bodies, and developing compliance policies and practices for international clients.

In addition to her white-collar work, Ms Williams has experience in all manner of complex commercial litigation and has represented clients at every stage from initial pleadings through to trial and appeal. She has worked with clients from different industries, including financial services, media, food and beverage, manufacturing and technology.

Ms Williams has conducted a range of internal investigations in jurisdictions around the world, including an investigation of a financial services firm following a leak of confidential information to the media, a fraud investigation on behalf of a private pension scheme and representation of a corporation in sanctions proceedings brought by an international development bank. She is routinely instructed on internal investigations involving whistle-blowers. Her diverse range of representative experience includes representing a director in an investigation by the Financial Reporting Council into discrepancies in the annual accounts of a FTSE 250 company and representing a publicly listed investment firm in investigations by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Serious Fraud Office.

Ms Williams is a passionate pro bono advocate and her practice is focused on representing individuals in the criminal justice system, particularly post-conviction.

Aisling Billington is an associate in the litigation department of the London office of Latham & Watkins. She is a solicitor advocate and a member of the firm’s international arbitration and complex commercial litigation practices. She advises on international arbitration, public international law, and complex litigation in England and internationally

Aisling has worked on cases before arbitral tribunals, the English High Court, the English Court of Appeal, and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. She has experience of taking cases both to trial and appellate hearings, and is also well versed in securing advantageous settlements for her clients.

Her cases have included disputes concerning joint ventures, post-M&A matters, company law, banking law, allegations of conspiracy, cartels, fraud, ESG issues, public international law, and human rights law. The Legal 500 lists Aisling as a ‘key lawyer’ for banking litigation.

Aisling’s pro bono work also includes representing clients before English social security tribunals.