Addleshaw Goddard’s impressive client roster includes a full range of financial institutions, including high street banks, building societies, asset financed lenders, and private and foreign banks. Sally Emerton, who is well regarded for her experience acting for retail and commercial banks, with particular expertise in the asset finance and leasing industry, co-heads the practice alongside Ben Lowans, who has a broad finance litigation practice, though specialises in fraud-based litigation. Sandip Singh is noted for his experience handling negligence and fraud-related litigation, while Jennifer Hedley has particular expertise acting for defendant financial institutions.

DLA Piper is well known for its banking litigation expertise, which includes litigation in the fintech sector, COVID-lending disputes, class actions, cyber-security, private equity funding disputes, and ESG-related matters, as well as traditional-litigation support. Practice head Adam Ibrahim has extensive experience in this arena, including acting on class actions. Other key practitioners include Hugh Evans, who has a broad practice that covers mortgage disputes and fraud claims, and Chris Harvey, who handles operational banking issue-related claims, mis-selling claims, injunctions, crypto-assets, and fraud-related matters. Sohail Ali acts for investment, retail, and commercial banks, as well as fintech clients, while Claire Clayton-Stead was recently promoted to partnership.

Gateley Legal’s banking litigation group, which forms part of the firm’s wider commercial dispute resolution team, acts for a wide range of banks, building societies and other finance providers. It is well-versed in a variety of financial disputes, including recovery actions, asset finance disputes, and regulatory matters. The team is led by Andrew Johnson, while Roger McCourt is noted for his experience in handling contractual disputes, professional negligence claims, and fraud-related matters.

Shoosmiths LLP’s finance disputes team primarily acts for banks and financial houses, and has experience in handling business-to-business asset finance matters. Other key areas of expertise include advising on breach of covenant and misrepresentation claims, civil fraud, commercial debt recovery, guarantees and indemnities, enforcement of awards, and cross-border contractual issues. David Farnell and Jonathan Mills, who recently joined from Addleshaw Goddard, co-lead the team; both of whom have experience in acting for asset finance clients on recoveries and litigation work.

Walker Morris LLP acts for a variety of clients, from high street banks, to alternative, niche and challenger lenders, as well as receivers and insolvency practitioners. Rob Payne has a broad practice that covers managed-exit advice, fraud, asset-tracing and recovery, and operational disputes, while Richard Sandford acts for lender clients on a range of disputes. Louise Power rounds off the leadership team, with particular expertise acting for vulnerable borrowers. Legal director Ellen McLean focuses on secured lending litigation, while senior associate Ashley Neville has experience in the retail mortgage and commercial lending arena.