Smriti is a partner in our Disputes and Investigations group. She has a broad and international commercial disputes practice, advising clients on international arbitration, High Court litigation, public law, regulatory compliance matters and significant investigations. She has particular expertise in ESG matters, including in a class actions context and on a range of shareholder disputes. She also regularly advises on contentious aspects of corporate transactions, including on prospects of obtaining injunctive relief.
Recent highlights include advising:
- BAT plc in respect of a group claim threatened by Malawian tobacco farmers, concerning allegations of child and forced labour on third party farms.
- Diageo on a range of matters relating to Vijay Mallya, including High Court proceedings in relation to historic breaches of various contractual obligations.
- Shell plc and its Board of Directors in respect of a derivative action brought by ClientEarth, a minority shareholder, based on allegations of breaches of directors’ duties in respect of the Board’s management of Shell’s climate change related risks and response.
- A FX broker on a number of wrongful termination claims for damages which were precipitated by volatility in currency exchange markets at the outset of the COVID pandemic.
- A UK headquartered homeware retailer, the majority shareholder of a joint venture, on resisting an unfair prejudice petition, ultimately taken to trial, brought by two minority shareholders.
- A financial services company on the termination of a high value SPA and mitigating litigation risk arising therefrom.
- An energy and commodities trader in relation to claims brought before the courts of an African state concerning actions of a local oil exploration company.
- An events, exhibitions and trade shows company based in Singapore in relation to an ICC arbitration, taken to trial, arising from major issues in relation to a joint venture relationship with a Thai national and his related entities.
- A FTSE250 corporate in relation to an ICC arbitration against a Middle-Eastern government concerning one of the largest airport construction projects in the world, and successfully resisted jurisdiction of the local courts in related proceedings.
- The Serious Fraud Office in its defence against claims brought by the Tchenguiz brothers for alleged trespass, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office.
- UK Asset Resolution Limited, Northern Rock Limited and other group companies on a number of actual and threatened public and private law claims.
- The Department of Transport and Government Legal Department in relation to judicial review and procurement claims brought by Eurotunnel and subsequent claims brought by P&O Ferries and their settlement.
- Northern Powergrid on its appeal to the Competition and Markets Authority against Ofgem’s ED2 price control decision for electricity distribution.
- A large UK-headquartered listed multinational company in a formal FCA investigation into allegations of breaches of market abuse regulations.
Prior to joining Slaughter and May, Smriti spent time working at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague and Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. Smriti has also worked as Justices’ Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of Singapore and as a Judicial Assistant at the High Court of England and Wales.
Smriti is recognised as a ‘Key Lawyer’ for International Arbitration by Legal 500 UK 2023.