About
Iain specialises in large-scale corporate and financial services litigation and arbitration for a mix of UK and international corporate clients, private equity houses, entrepreneurs, family offices and financial institutions.
Iain is well known in the market for his expertise in handling complex corporate litigation, including large shareholder, joint venture and post-transaction disputes. He also advises on the rights and obligations of directors, corporate governance, derivative actions and unfair prejudice petitions, insolvency issues and restructuring. Much of his work is of a multi-jurisdictional nature and he has particular expertise in matters involving private equity investments, owner-managed businesses and entrepreneurs.
He acts for financial institutions and fund managers in relation to disputes concerning fund and asset management, lending/security, complex financial instruments (particularly derivatives), trade finance and internal investigations. He has extensive experience of regulatory investigations by the FCA and other regulators, both in the UK and elsewhere, and advises on market abuse and compliance issues.
He is regularly involved in advising non-UK clients involved in English law disputes, particularly in relation to international arbitrations concerning commercial and corporate matters, and in dealing with complex cross-border litigation.
Iain was head of the litigation and dispute resolution group for 12 years, and he is now focusing solely on client work. Iain is also an accredited CEDR mediator.
Experience
- Acting for Travelport Inc in Commercial Court litigation regarding the exercise of a material adverse effect clause in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic under a Share Purchase Agreement in respect of market-leading travel payments businesses. The case involved an expedited hearing in October 2020 and was the first occasion on which this type of provision has been before the English courts.
- Representing ARMS plc in relation to ongoing litigation and regulatory matters arising out of an investigation undertaken on behalf of the company concerning allegations of irregular payments. The matter involved a substantial arbitration in Singapore, claims connected with the subject of the investigation and liaising with regulators in a number of jurisdictions including dealing with enforcement proceedings concerning breaches of the Listing Rules brought by the FCA.
- Acting for the Municipalities of Haugesund and Narvik in claims brought by them against Depfa Bank concerning certain complex swap transactions. The municipalities successfully obtained declarations from the Commercial Court, upheld by the Court of Appeal, that the transactions were void as they were ultra vires under Norwegian law.
- Acting for listed companies, institutions and private equity investors on issues arising out of contested public takeovers and minority shareholder disputes, regularly involving dealing with issues arising in a number of jurisdictions.
- Advising in relation to funds, private equity, joint venture and limited partnership disputes, including sensitive and high value litigation in a number of other jurisdictions including the BVI, Cayman Islands, France, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the US.
- Representing one of the shareholders and directors in a long running family dispute concerning a major independent company in the hospitality, involving an agreed process for group restructuring and sale of certain significant assets followed by a demerger, and an LCIA arbitration to resolve disputes between shareholders.