Laura Clatworthy
Corporate InvestigationsDebt RecoveryDispute ResolutionDLT, Cryptocurrencies and Crypto Assets

Laura Clatworthy

Partner, Dispute Resolution

Laura has expertise in a wide range of business, commercial and contractual disputes such as SPA, warranty, agency, supplier and franchisee disputes.

She specialises in unlawful competition practices, business diversion & economic torts involving for example breaches of confidence, directors and fiduciary duties, poaching, post termination restrictions, inducement, conspiracy & deceit;  and in intellectual property disputes (trade mark infringement/passing off/brand protection).

Many of her cases are in the financial services sector and in particular centre around trading and broking.

Her work regularly involves injunctions & cross border disputes with conflict of laws issues.

Recent experience:

  • Successfully acting for 10 liquidated companies & their liquidators in their claims to recover ca. £82m from RBS Plc (now NatWest Markets Plc) and Mercuria Energy Europe Trading Ltd for dishonest assistance & fraudulent trading in respect of Missing Trader Intra-Community (“MTIC”) carousel and contra-trading (import/export chains) fraud, arising from their carbon emissions trading. The case dealt with dishonest assistance, knowing participation in fraudulent trading, knowledge and dishonesty, fiduciary duties, attribution, vicarious liability and joint vicarious liability, and the tracing of the transaction chains. Judgment was handed down on 10 March 2020 by Snowden J. Bilta (UK) Ltd (In Liquidation & Ors v (1) Natwest Markets Plc (2) Mercuria Energy Europe Trading Ltd (2020) EWHC 546 (Ch).
  • Acting for a niche car manufacturer to protect its brand against attack in the UK, EU and Internationally. This case involved dealing with various legal actions in multiple jurisdictions and included issuing claims in the UK for breach of trust.
  • Acting for a well-known London market in relation to the opening of a competing retail unit infringing its trade marks.
  • She acted for Tullett Prebon on the split liability and quantum trials in the litigation it brought against BGC (Tullett Prebon plc & Otrs v BGC Brokers LP and Otrs [2010] EWHC 484 (QB)), concerning BGC’s attempt to divert Tullett Prebon’s businesses by poaching up to 100 brokers from a variety of desks, and conspiring to induce 10 brokers to leave Tullett Prebon to join BGC in breach of contract.
  • Acting for Continental Capital Markets SA against GFI Brokers in a business diversion case (multiple simultaneous team moves of multiple broking desks) which took place in Switzerland but was litigated in London – Identified as a Top 20 Case for 2013 in The Lawyer.
  • Acting for various investment funds managed by Aberdeen Asset Management Plc against Satyam Computer Services Limited (now Tech Mahindra) to recover losses caused by the fraud announced by Satyam’s former CEO on 7 January 2009 (known as “India’s Enron”). This case involved a forum challenge made by Satyam.
  • Merchantbridge Managers Inc in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands Financial Services Division  – a shareholder dispute.
  • Successfully acting for Music Choice Limited in various trade mark (UK & CTM) disputes with Target Brands Inc in relation to Target’s attempt to prevent the use of Music Choice’s brand in the UK and EU.
  • Tullett Prebon plc & Ors v Anthony Verrier & BGC – for Tullett Prebon regarding its former COO’s move to BGC.

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