Elizabeth Barrett

• T  +44 (0)20 7090 4053 (Direct line)
• E  elizabeth.barrett@slaughterandmay.com

• London 
• One Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YY

Elizabeth was Head of Dispute Resolution from 2004 to 2008. Her practice spans a broad range of high-profile commercial litigation, investigations and contentious regulatory matters. She has extensive experience of resolving strategically complex disputes, particularly those involving numerous parties or multiple actions and parallel proceedings in other jurisdictions (notably the USA). She has handled many statutory, regulatory and disciplinary investigations in the commercial and financial sectors, and the subsequent related litigation and class actions. She is often asked to provide urgent and discreet risk management advice to clients facing novel corporate-threatening or reputational issues. Her clients include leading financial institutions, major corporates and governmental and regulatory bodies.

Highlights include advising:

• HM Treasury on a series of high-profile instructions arising out of the financial crisis, including governmental interventions in Northern Rock, and Bradford & Bingley; the administration of certain Icelandic banks; and successfully defending judicial review proceedings brought by hedge funds and a large number of former shareholders in Northern Rock and proceedings arising from the failure of the Kaupthing banking group
• BA in relation to the OFT’s criminal and civil investigations into alleged cartel activity involving passenger fuel surcharges on long-haul flights, including the multi-jurisdictional aspects of the US class actions against BA and the OFT’s criminal proceedings against four present and former employees
• Norwich & Peterborough in respect of regulatory proceedings and class action litigation exposure arising out of the sale of structured products of Keydata Investment Services Limited (in administration) to thousands of customers; the interaction of the FSA, FSCS and the FOS; and the design of a bespoke scheme to deliver ex gratia payments to investors
• Law Debenture Trustees Limited on contentious and litigation issues arising from the entry of the Eurotunnel group into procédures de sauvegarde instituted by the Paris Commercial Court. The issues included representing the Trustee in various proceedings before the English Court by bondholders and activist investors seeking declaratory and injunctive relief

Elizabeth is listed as a leading individual for Commercial litigation, Civil Fraud, and Financial Services (Contentious), and singled out for Administrative and Public Law in The Legal 500 2011. She is also ranked as a leading individual for Dispute Resolution, Civil Fraud, and Financial Services (Contentious Regulatory) in Chambers UK 2012, and for Dispute Resolution in the current editions of Chambers Europe and Chambers Global.