- Managing Partner: Bernard O’Sullivan
- Senior Partner: Matthew Frankland
- Number of partners: 8
- Number of Assistant Solicitors: 16
- Number of other fee-earners: 6
THE FIRM Byrne and Partners LLP is a specialist eight partner litigation firm, with particular expertise in complex commercial litigation and criminal investigations. The firm’s practice is built on its experience in managing complex, high value cases, often spanning several jurisdictions. It provides clients with high-level partner attention and finds solutions that protect their reputations and businesses.
PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK The firm combines civil, criminal and regulatory teams who between them deal with general commercial litigation, civil and criminal fraud, confiscation and asset recovery, insurance and reinsurance disputes, and regulatory, disciplinary and tax investigations.
Byrne and Partners’ Civil Litigation Team is frequently involved in the largest cases heard by the Commercial Court. Most recently these have included acting for Yukos Capital in its $425million claim against Rosneft Oil Company, acting for a principal defendant in the £40million claim brought by 550 claimants over the Innovator tax planning scheme and acting for defendants in various sets of proceedings brought by Kazakhstan’s JSC BTA Bank. The team has particular expertise in interim injunctions and recently secured the discharge of a $75million freezing order on behalf of Indonesia’s Humpuss Group.
The Criminal Team, which works closely with the civil department, deals with major prosecutions conducted by the principal prosecution agencies (including the Serious Fraud Office, the Financial Services Authority, RCPO and specialist departments of the Crown Prosecution Service). The work undertaken covers all aspects of fraud allegations, money laundering issues, market abuse investigations, stock exchange enquiries, tax investigations, restraint and sanctions issues and investigations pursued by competition authorities. In addition the firm acted in the first FSA criminal prosecution for insider dealing.
CLIENTS Byrne and Partners’ clients range from large commercial organisations (often financial services corporates) to individuals. In recent years the firm has acted in various high value matters relating to Yukos Oil and since 2000 Bernard O’Sullivan has led the worldwide defence of the Abacha family.
INTERNATIONAL Although London based, a large percentage of Byrne and Partners’ civil and criminal cases are multi-jurisdictional, meaning the firm has extensive experience in foreign courts and works closely with a well developed network of international law firms. Byrne and Partners has particular experience in the US, Swiss and BVI courts and in 2009 coordinated work on one of the largest trials heard by the Singapore Commercial Court that year. The Criminal Team has provided specialist advice on investigations in the USA and throughout Africa. Byrne and Partners’ team includes lawyers fluent in Russian, Italian and French.
RECRUITMENT Byrne and Partners has grown consistently since its formation in 2003, during which time the workforce has more than tripled in size. In addition the partnership has recently expanded for the first time, both through the internal promotion of Elizabeth Seborg and the lateral hire of Yvonne Jefferies from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert.
Areas of PracticeCommercial Litigation: 40%
Insurance Litigation: 10%
Criminal Litigation: 30%
Regulatory Investigations: 20%