FIRE Starters: Summer School

Registration
2.00pm

Welcome & Plan of the Day
2.30pm

Fiona Simpson - Partner - Kingsley Napley
David Chalcraft - Legal Director - HFW
Sarah Twohig - Senior Associate - Pinsent Masons

The Evolution of Asset Recovery: Challenges and Opportunities
2.40pm

• Insights into the global landscape of asset recovery
• Emerging trends in fraud, insolvency, and cross-border disputes

Michael Adkins - Partner - Collas Crill
Ben Ko - Senior Associate - Baker Mckenzie

Practitioners of the Future: Personal Brand, Career Progression, Diversity & Inclusion
3.20pm

• Strategies for networking in-person and online
• Charting a career path – the importance of mentorship
• Addressing unconscious bias, microaggressions, and creating inclusive teams
• Adapting to technological advancements and new areas of law

Olivia Gare - Senior Associate - Enyo Law
Katie Bewick - Senior Associate - Charles Russell Speechlys

Networking & Refreshment Break
4.00pm

Digital Assets: A New Frontier in Recovery
4.30pm

• Legal considerations for tracing and freezing digital assets
• Unpacking the varying levels of regulations across jurisdictions
• Leveraging blockchain analytics for cryptocurrency tracing
• Tools and techniques for digital asset recovery

Andrew Sidaway - Associate Director - Grant Thronton
Ashley Fairbrother - Partner - Edmonds Marshall McMahon
Matt Green - Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets and Technology Disputes - Lawrence Stephens

Chairs' Summary & Close of Day 1
5.10pm

Pub Quiz & Welcome Drinks
5.30pm

Morning Refreshments
8.45am

Chairs' Opening Remarks & Plan for the Day
9.20am

Key Things to Know About Cross-Border Asset Recovery
9.30am

• Jurisdictional barriers and international cooperation
• An update on treaties and frameworks
• What to know about offshore jurisdictions

Joanna Bogdanska - Attorney at law, Partner - KW Kruk and Partners Law Firm
Jonathan Barham - Partner - Collas Crill

Legal Tools for Tracing, Freezing and Confiscating Assets
10.10am

• Basics of tracing funds domestically and internationally
• Key court orders: freezing orders, disclosure orders, and search orders
• Practical challenges in tracing assets through complex structures

Simon Jerrum - Partner - Russell Cooke
Joe Mitchell - Partner - Stewarts Law
Jessica Lavelle - Barrister - XXIV Old Buildings

Networking & Refreshment Break
10.50am

Class Photo 2025
11.10am

Use of Technology in Your Legal Practice
11.20am

• The role of forensic accounting in uncovering fraud
• Using artificial intelligence in fraud detection
• Digital forensic investigations and eDiscovery

Annabel Kerley - Partner - S&W
Victor Lui - Associate - Payne Hicks Beach

Funding Your Cases
12.00pm

• Explore funding strategies for complex and high-cost recovery cases
• What are your litigation funding options
• Is it worth pursuing?

Joseph Sithole - Director - KRyS Global
Lindsay Woods - Investment Manager -Balance Legal Capital

Networking & Lunch Break
12.40pm

Life Cycle of An Insolvency
1:40pm

• A foundational understanding of insolvency frameworks
• Difference between liquidation and restructuring
• Role of Insolvency Practitioners and Trustees

Katrina Mather - Barrister - Gatehouse Chambers
Ryan Al-Hakim - Associate - Milbank

How To Win A Client: Business Development in The Asset Recovery World
2.20pm

• Key referral sources to be aware of, and collaboration
• Understanding the ultimate client’s objectives
• Cultivating client relationships
• Post-matter relationship building

Jessica Thorpe - Partner - Aletheia Intelligence
Sofia Berggren - Managing Associate - Mishcon de Reya
Sarah Jacobs - Principal Associate - Mills & Reeve

Chair's Closing Remarks
3.00pm

Punting
4.30pm

Drinks Reception
6.30pm

Summer BBQ
7.30pm

College Bar Open
8.00pm

Refreshments
9.00am

Chairs' Welcome Back
9.30am

Unravelling Fraud
9.40am

• Types of frauds
• Investigating a fraud and the tools available
• Drafting applications for fraud cases

Fiona Boyle - Associate - Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Callum Reid-Hutchings - Barrister - Gatehouse Chambers

Assembling The A-Team: Role of Professionals in Asset Recovery
10.20am

• The collaborative nature of asset recovery teams
• Who are the key players?
• Look out for specialised knowledge

Stephen Ross - Partner - Withers
Tom McKernan - Partner - PCB Byrne

Networking & Refreshment Break
11.00am

How Trust and Divorce Coincide with Asset Recovery
11.30am

• Key issues related to trust disputes, hidden assets and enforcement of financial settlements
• Challenges in cross-border divorce cases involving offshore trusts
• Techniques for identifying undisclosed assets in divorce cases

Tamasin Perkins - Partner - Charles Russell Speechlys

The International World: Ensuring your Cross-Border Practice
12.10pm

• Practical tips on working with an international team
• Ensuring cultural understanding
• Key jurisdictions to be aware of

Victoire Chatelin - Attorney - Bonifassi Avocats (France)
Anaïs Abdel Sattar - Senior Associate - Des Gouttes & Associés (Switzerland)

Chairs' Summary & Thank you
12.50pm

Lunch & Close of Event
1.00pm