FIRE Starters: Summer School

Registration
2.00pm

Welcome & Plan of the Day
2.25pm

Fiona Simpson - Partner - Kingsley Napley
David Chalcraft - Legal Director - HFW
Claudine Morgan - Partner - Charles Russell Speechlys

The Evolution of Asset Recovery: Global Challenges and New Frontiers
2.30pm

• Insights into the global landscape of asset recovery, particularly in key offshore jurisdictions
• Emerging trends and new frontiers in fraud, insolvency, and cross-border disputes

Michael Adkins - Partner - Collas Crill
Ben Ko - Counsel - Baker Mckenzie

Practitioners of the Future: Personal Brand, Career Progression, Diversity & Inclusion
3.10pm

• 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
3.50pm

Live-Action Crypto Fraud Recovery Simulation
4.20pm

• This session is not a lecture. It’s a live-action fraud recovery simulation. You make the calls. You choose the next step.
• Your client’s money has vanished into the blockchain black hole
• He’s just taken out a £20,000 loan, not for a holiday, but to pay you, his lawyer, to devise a recovery strategy
• You can’t give him back the last 50 years. But can you stop the next 5 from being lived in poverty and regret
• Every second counts. Every decision matters. This is where law meets real life, and it's personal. Are you ready?

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

Case Study: Unmasking a Ghost
5.00pm

• A detailed investigation report on a recent enquiry into a convicted criminal masquerading as an industry insider
• Understanding the tools deployed by lawyers and investigators, and how they work together
• Exploring the legal options available to unwind a complicated years-long identity fraud

Polly Sprenger - Partner, Global Investigations - Addleshaw Goddard
Marlon Pinto - Director of Investigations - AnotherDay
Ross Lennox - Associate, Global Investigations - Addleshaw Goddard

Chairs' Summary & Close of Day 1
5.40pm

Pub Quiz & Welcome Drinks
6.00pm

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

Hosted by

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
Clementine Dowley - Partner - Payne Hicks Beach

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