“Leona is an incredibly fast worker, with impeccable judgement. She is phenomenal.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Leona is very bright, her advocacy is consistently well pitched with the court, and she is very responsive and approachable.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Leona is an exceptional barrister – her advocacy work is terrific, her drafting is first class, she works brilliantly with solicitor teams, and is a barrister of choice for any civil fraud dispute.”
Legal 500, 2022
“Her judgement on the basis of analysis is genuinely probably better than everyone and she’s smarter than a lot of silks.”
Legal 500, 2023
“A brilliant advocate who is jaw-droppingly quick at getting on top of complex cases”
Legal 500, 2022
“An excellent advocate.”
Chambers and Partners, 2021
“Hugely intelligent, brilliant to work with and a fantastic advocate.”
Legal 500, 2021
“Quite simply fantastic – I have never come across a better senior junior in the civil fraud arena.”
Legal 500, 2021
“She really understands the fraud space and how the sector works.”
Chambers and Partners, 2020
“Hugely intelligent, brilliant to work with and a fantastic advocate.”
Legal 500, 2019
“Unbelievably bright and effective.”
Chambers and Partners, 2019
“Hugely knowledgeable in the area of civil fraud.”
Legal 500, 2018
“She's the full package as she's a great advocate and has a good eye for detail.”
Chambers and Partners, 2016
Leona has been practising at the bar since 2000. She acts in a very wide variety of commercial cases, with particular expertise in fraud and asset recovery. She has very extensive experience of search orders, freezing orders and other pre-emptive injunctive relief. Her practice also includes general commercial work, in particular large contractual disputes, commodities disputes and professional negligence claims. She appears regularly in the Chancery Division, Commercial Court, Queen’s Bench Division and in commercial arbitrations.
Leona is recognised as a Tier 1 leading junior in the latest editions of both the legal directories, Chambers UK and Legal 500, for her expertise in commercial litigation and civil fraud. Recent comments include:
Previous comments include:
Leona is well recognised as a leading commercial fraud junior. She has very extensive experience of obtaining freezing and search orders, and of dealing with other without notice applications, and she is experienced in managing fraud actions and trials. She also has wide experience of dealing with data theft and recovery cases.
Leona’s clients frequently include family offices, banks and large insurers. She is regularly instructed in cases involving large scale and complex frauds, bribery and corruption, employee and supplier frauds, and breach of fiduciary duty. She is recognised by Chambers UK as a leading junior in civil fraud and commercial litigation.
“Leona is effortlessly brilliant.”
Chambers and Partners, 2023
“A sophisticated performer.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“The standout star junior at the commercial fraud bar – no one has a better understanding of fraud cases.”
Legal 500, 2022
“An excellent advocate.”
Chambers and Partners, 2021
“She is a fraud specialist and a standout junior.”
Chambers and Partners, 2021
“Quite simply fantastic – I have never come across a better senior junior in the civil fraud arena.”
Legal 500, 2021
“She really understands the fraud space and how the sector works.”
Chambers and Partners, 2020
“Quite simply fantastic – I have never come across a better senior junior in the civil fraud arena.”
Legal 500, 2019
“Unbelievably bright and effective.”
Chambers and Partners, 2019
“A fantastic fraud specialist”
Chambers and Partners, 2018
“Hugely knowledgeable in the area of civil fraud.”
Legal 500, 2018
“She is very efficient and heavily relied on by QCs as a reliable junior. People trust her.”
Chambers and Partners, 2017
“A firm favourite senior junior.”
Legal 500, 2017
“She's the full package as she's a great advocate and has a good eye for detail.”
Chambers and Partners, 2016
“Extremely bright, very responsive and very experienced in complex asset tracing”
Legal 500, 2016
Acted for the Claimant in relation to this very high value cryptocurrency fraud claim, including Norwich Pharmacal relief against cryptocurrency exchanges and coordination of related proceedings in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Acting as the main counsel for the First Defendant in this $700m+ claim for deceit and unlawful means conspiracy, and claims under Swiss, Monegasque and Panamanian law. The case involved significant issues in relation to applicable law and jurisdiction, as well as complex issues of fact.
Acted for the claimant bank in this multi-million pound claim to enforce foreign judgments. The case involved complex issues in relation to jurisdiction and search orders against third parties
Acted for the Claimant companies (in liquidation) in this multi million claim against their former director and shareholder. The claim involves the dishonest payment of unlawful dividends, removal of company trust assets, and issues of alleged backdating of corporate documents. Various interlocutory orders were obtained including trust asset preservation orders and asset repatriation orders.
Acted for the Claimant bank in this €35m claim for repayment pursuant to personal guarantees and/ or oil procurement contracts. The claim involved allegations of forgery. Applied for and obtained freezing and search orders, summary judgment, and various asset enforcement orders. Applied for and obtained order for committal against the Defendant for breach of the freezing order.
Leona applied for and obtained an order for committal against the Defendant, following his breaches of the freezing order (before Teare J).
Acted for the Claimant bank in this €50m claim for repayment pursuant to two Islamic finance facilities, together with personal claims against the officers of the principal borrower for dishonestly procuring the dissipation of the bank’s security.
Leona has an extensive commercial practice, appearing regularly in heavy commercial disputes in the Commercial Court and the Chancery Division. She has extensive experience of managing cases involving proceedings across multiple jurisdictions.
Leona has also acted as counsel in many confidential commercial arbitrations, in particular in relation to commodities disputes. She has experience of UNCITRAL, ICC, LCIA and DIFC-LCIA arbitrations. She has also acted as an arbitrator in relation to two UNCITRAL arbitrations.
“Her judgement on the basis of analysis is genuinely probably better than everyone and she’s smarter than a lot of silks.’”
Legal 500, 2023
“Leona is an exceptional barrister – her advocacy work is terrific, her drafting is first class, she works brilliantly with solicitor teams, and is a barrister of choice for any civil fraud dispute.”
Legal 500, 2022
“Her judgement on the basis of analysis is genuinely probably better than everyone and she’s smarter than a lot of silks.”
Legal 500, 2023
“A brilliant advocate who is jaw-droppingly quick at getting on top of complex cases”
Legal 500, 2022
“Hugely intelligent, brilliant to work with and a fantastic advocate.”
Legal 500, 2021
“Hugely intelligent, brilliant to work with and a fantastic advocate.”
Legal 500, 2019
“Incredibly intelligent and user friendly, a brilliant all-round barrister.”
Legal 500, 2018
“She is one of the best.”
Legal 500, 2017
“A brilliant all-round senior junior and an extremely able advocate”
Legal 500, 2016
“Very quick, practical and bright – a pleasure to work with”
Legal 500, 2015
Throughout 2022 and 2023, Leona has been acting for the claimants in this high value contractual dispute with HMRC. The case involves complex issues in relation to tax law, trusts, and rescission.
Acting as the main counsel for the First Defendant in this $700m+ claim for deceit and unlawful means conspiracy, and claims under Swiss, Monegasque and Panamanian law. The case involved significant issues in relation to applicable law and jurisdiction, as well as complex issues of fact.
Acting for the Defendants in this claim for £30m concerning the allegedly wrongful diversion of a sugar cargo. The claim involved allegations of conversion, procuring breach of contract and conspiracy.
Acting for the Claimant in this very high value contractual dispute arising out of the sale of Tate & Lyle’s European sugar business to American Sugar Holdings, including a dispute over the transfer of the business’s sugar futures book. The Claimant successfully recovered in excess of €30m at trial.
Acted for the Claimant bank in this €50m claim for repayment pursuant to two Islamic finance facilities, together with personal claims against the officers of the principal borrower for dishonestly procuring the dissipation of the bank’s security.
Acting as part of the Defendant’s counsel team in this headline commercial case involving a dispute over a 20% share in Rusal and allegations of criminality in 1990s Russia.
Leona has extensive international commercial arbitration experience and has appeared and acted in several UNCITRAL, ICC, LCIA, DIFC-LCIA and ad hoc arbitrations. She has particular expertise in relation to commodities disputes and has also acted as an arbitrator in relation to two UNCITRAL arbitrations.
Acted as counsel in substantial arbitration concerning a commercial logistics supply agreement.
Junior counsel in UNCITRAL arbitration concerning breach of warranty and a claim for specific performance of a put option.
Counsel in arbitration concerning the breach of a motorsport sponsorship and marketing agreement.
Acted as counsel in commodities (steel) arbitration.
MA Oxon
Junior Counsel to the Crown (B Panel).
Mahfouz v El Rashid [2017] EWHC 1460 (Comm) (asset disclosure, committal, contempt)
Angel Group v Davey [2017] EWHC 1149 (Ch) (indemnity costs, dishonesty, misappropriation of trust assets)
Cherney v Deripaska [2012] EWHC 1697 (QB) (organised crime, witness anonymity, witness protection
Serious Organised Crime Agency v Namli [2011] EWCA Civ 1411 (civil recovery proceedings, disclosure, public interest immunity)
T&L Sugars v Tate & Lyle Industries [2015] EWHC 2696 (Comm) (breach of contract, hedging, futures trading, indemnity clauses)
Gutermann v Hartley [2012] EWHC 1697 (QB) (injunctions, confidential information)
Standard Bank Plc v Al Jaber [2011] EWHC 2866 (Comm) (guarantees, estoppel, implied terms, summary judgment)
VAT registration number: 782323920
Barristers regulated by the Bar Standards Board
Gary Oliver
Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7325
Derek Sutton
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7327
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Deputy Senior Clerk
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Clerk
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Clerk
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Marc Armstrong
Clerk
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Adam Fuschillo
Clerk
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Clerk
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Sophie Reeve
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7324
Rio Sully
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7299
