TDN x TL4 Present: Once More into the Cyber Breach – Everything That Comes Next

Sam is a Partner at Cooke, Young & Keidan. Sam’s core practice is technology, banking and fraud. In technology, his experience includes crypto disputes, software licensing and development claims, and breach of warranty claims in an M&A context. His banking experience is broad and includes claims for negligent investment advice, benchmark manipulation and other market abuse, intercepted payments, guarantees, loans and derivatives. Sam also has deep and practical experience of acting on applications for injunctive relief.

Legal 500 names Sam as a Key Lawyer in Banking Litigation, where he is highlighted for fintech disputes, and Commercial Litigation (Premium) and Financial Services (Contentious). Sam “… has that sought after (and very hard to find) combination of technical skill, client care, and case management. He is an exceptional commercial disputes lawyer”.

Sam co-founded and runs the Tech Disputes Network, and spends his spare time pursuing amateur interests in distance running and psychology.

Nicola is a commercial litigator with nearly 20 years’ experience, specialising in complex commercial and cross-jurisdictional disputes, particularly fraud and breach of trust claims. She is highly experienced in executing and advising on worldwide freezing orders and other forms of interim relief.

Nicola practised as a barrister for ten years before joining a leading boutique litigation firm, working on some of the most high-profile cases in the London courts and internationally over the past decade.

She is also called to the Bar in The Bahamas and has advised in relation to Bahamian law.

Sam specialises in complex, high-value commercial litigation and arbitration. His practice has a particular focus on civil fraud / asset recovery, technology, energy / environment, banking, company, insolvency, and international trade. He acts as sole counsel (often against KCs) and as part of larger counsel teams.

Sam has experience of substantial litigation before the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. He is regularly instructed (both led and unled) on interim applications such as freezing orders, search orders, prohibitory injunctions and Norwich Pharmacal/Bankers Trust relief. He acts in international arbitrations under a variety of rules (LCIA, ICC, SCC, LMAA etc.) as well as in English court proceedings in aid of arbitral proceedings and concerning the enforcement of arbitration award (frequently for, or against, sovereign states). He has a particularly strong civil fraud practice, having acted in several multibillion dollar fraud claims over the last few years.

Sam acted as a co-opted member of the Service Sub-Committee of the Civil Procedure Rules Committee and worked on the October 2022 revisions to the gateways for service out of the jurisdiction. He is a founding member of both ‘ThoughtLeaders4 FIRE Starters’ (an industry group for fraud, insolvency and asset recovery practitioners) and ‘CFAAR’ (the first global network for professionals working in the crypto-fraud field), and sits on the editorial committee of the ‘Tech Disputes Network’.

Helen specialises in general commercial litigation, civil fraud, contentious insolvency and company law issues, and professional negligence.

Her practice has a strong international element with expertise in jurisdictional disputes and conflict of law issues, including as they arise at an interim stage in applications for worldwide freezing orders and service out applications or on the substantive claim, and in the cross-border insolvency context.

Helen is a member of Chancery Bar Association, Commercial Law Bar Association, Thought Leaders 4 Fraud, Insolvency, Recovery and Enforcement and the Female Fraud Forum.

Helen is also on the committees of the Tech Disputes Network, the pre-eminent forum for legal professionals working in the field of crypto, digital assets and other tech disputes. She is also an elected member of the Female Fraud Forum’s Social sub-committee.

Lizzie Williams is a dispute resolution lawyer who advises on a broad range of corporate, commercial and individual disputes, with a focus on disputes in the technology, media and entertainment sectors.

Lizzie is a solicitor advocate and has extensive experience of litigation and arbitration from the pre-action stage to trial, including urgent injunctions, appeals, group litigation, mediation and settlement negotiations.

Lizzie has particular expertise in disputes involving technology companies or relating to innovative technologies or digital transformation, including:

• Contractual disputes for technology-focused businesses, from start-ups to large corporations
• Advising on the management, resuscitation and resetting of difficult digital transformation projects
• Disputes involving traditional IT contracts (e.g. hardware, software development, outsourcing, licensing)
• Disputes involving technology procurement (including under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015)
• Disputes involving blockchain technology (e.g. NFTs, cryptocurrency, smart contracts)
• Disputes involving the misappropriation and tracing of stolen digital assets
• Disputes involving investments in technology companies
• Disputes involving AI or other emerging technologies

I am ranked as a 'Rising Star' for Civil Fraud in the Legal 500, where I've been described by clients as a "really dynamic, skilful litigator" and "a superstar in the making" who is "dedicated to providing an excellent client service, obtaining great results against the odds".

I was recently the lead associate in the case of AA v The Family Officer Limited in which I acted for a high-net worth individual to recover monies following a €15 million push payment fraud. The case spanned multiple jurisdictions and utilised 'Persons Unknown' freezing injunctions in the English High Court as well as evidence of mobile phone triangulation and spoofed emails. This case was a rare example of a fraud claim succeeding at the summary judgment stage.

I have conducted a number of internal investigations for large multinational corporate bodies involving fraud, corruption and bribery. My investigation work often overlaps with claims for breach of confidence resulting from the theft and use of confidential business information.