Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Georgia Dawson,
Senior Partner at Freshfields
Elected as Freshfields’ Senior Partner in 2020, Georgia was the first woman to lead a Magic Circle law firm and has steered the firm’s US expansion and growth into the global elite. She has a background in internal and regulatory investigations, complex multi-jurisdictional litigation, and compliance advice in relation to anti-money laundering, anti-bribery and corruption and human rights. She has worked on significant cross-border mandates across a range of jurisdictions in APAC, Europe, Africa and Central Asia and is recognised for both her strategic insights and attention to detail on her cases. Georgia holds a first-class Bachelor of Arts (History and Government) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney, and a Master’s degree in international relations from Cambridge University, where she studied as a Chevening scholar.
Georgia has been recognised on INvolve's OUTstanding Top 50 LGBT+ Ally Advocates lists for seven consecutive years (2018 - 2024) and by Stonewall as its Global Senior Champion in 2019. She has been named in Financial News’ inaugural Most Influential in European Finance list (2024) and as one of Financial News’ Most Influential Women in Finance (2023, 2022 and 2021). Georgia was recognised as an ALB Southeast Asia Law Awards Woman Lawyer of the Year in 2021 and was also named an Innovative Leader in the Financial Times Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards 2020.
Gavin Davies,
Head of Global M&A at Herbert Smith Freehills
Gavin leads HSF’s Global M&A Practice, is a member of the firm's governing Board, and is a member of the UK Government DIT Investment Trade Advisory Group (TAG). He led HSF’s private equity practice from 2006 to 2013. Gavin has significant expertise in public takeovers, private capital, strategic board advice and shareholder engagement. Particularly, he focuses on TMT, financial services, and real estate sectors, and on advising HSF's US and Japanese clients. He is recognised in the UK Legal 500 Hall of Fame for upper mid-market and premium deals, in Who's Who Legal as a Thought Leader in Global M&A, and in Chambers M&A. In 2023, Gavin was named in The Financial News Fifty Most Influential Lawyers and he has twice led teams winning Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards. Gavin works with, and is a former Chair of The International Lawyers Project, a leading international charitable organisation providing the skills of senior lawyers to promote human rights, sustainable economic development and the rule of law worldwide. Advises the Government of Sierra Leone on investment matters, having founded the HSF "Fair Deal Sierra Leone" pro bono project which supports the Government of Sierra Leone on a pro bono basis.
Paul Hardy,
UK Head of Government Affairs at DLA Piper
Paul is one of two partners who leads DLA Piper UK's Trade and Government Affairs team. He has over 25 years' experience working as a lawyer and policy adviser, including eight years as a UK barrister, four years as a civil servant in the European Commission in Brussels and eight years as the senior EU Legal Adviser to the UK Parliament. He has also worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross, and for international organisations and NGOs in Bosnia and Rwanda. He remains a "door tenant" (associate member) of the administrative law chambers in the Temple, Francis Taylor Building, where he last practised as an independent barrister. He joined DLA Piper in 2017. He practices in three main areas: Trade law: international trade (WTO), free trade agreement advice (FTAs); customs; trade defence and export control. (55%) Government Affairs: Whitehall (UK Government) advocacy and engagement strategies (registered consultant lobbyist); UK parliamentary procedure (legislative drafting/amendments; select committee advice); UK market entry for international clients; and investor advisory. (35%) Public international law, particularly the law of international organisations and international human rights law. (10%)
Krishna Sood,
Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft
Krishna Sood is a senior leader and Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft, with over 20 years of global experience across Australasia, EMEA and the US. Krishna leads Microsoft’s AI and IP Strategic Initiatives and previously led the global Open Innovation legal team with a focus on copyright, trade secrets, data and digital assets helping product teams develop and launch generative AI products such as Copilot. Prior to joining Microsoft, Krishna worked for the BBC, Formula One and A+E Networks UK, a joint venture between A+E Networks and Sky, in London, and in private practice in Melbourne, Australia. Krishna is an expert advisor to the Global Partnership on AI and the EU Intellectual Property Office and serves on the board of the True Athlete Project. Krishna graduated with a BA in English Literature and honors in Law from the Australian National University and holds a Master of Law from King’s College, London.
Patrick Sarch,
Head of UK Public M&A at White & Case
Patrick (Head of UK Public M&A at White & Case LLP) was not a diligent or very successful student but has since led various practices in top law firms as an M&A lawyer focusing on takeovers of listed companies, rescuing distressed companies (from care homes to banks) and advising boards and investors on bet-the-company matters. He left school at 17 with solid B grades and turned a 2-week summer job writing share prices on the wall at a stockbroking firm during the City’s Big Bang into a year’s worth of experience. After achieving unexceptional academic results in his Banking and International Finance degree around the time of the major stock market crash, he converted (slowly) to law and then got serious. Having secured a training contract in a recession at a small City firm, he managed his way up the market to work on and then lead some of the world’s leading deals, including record-breaking takeovers, headline-grabbing hostile bids and highly innovative corporate actions. Patrick will talk you through his journey from student scally to a corporate suit and answer your questions about a career in M&A or the law.
Paul Yates,
Head of Global Pro Bono at Freshfields
Paul is counsel and head of Freshfields’ global pro bono practice. He specialises in areas including human trafficking, asylum support and the intersection between pro bono and legal aid. He regularly advises charities on litigation strategy and developed the firm’s leading third-party intervention practice. He has also been at the forefront of the development of legal technology to promote access to justice, co-creating the award-winning Courtnav tool with RCJ Advice. He served as a member of various bodies including the IBA’s pro bono committee and the Administrative Justice Council, and is currently chair of the AIRE Centre. Paul originally studied music at Emmanual College, Cambridge (BA, M.Phil and Ph.D), before converting to law.
Jane Waddell,
Head of Curriculum Design and Development
at The College of Legal Practice
Jane Waddell has responsibility for the leadership and strategic development of the curriculum across the College. Prior to joining the College, Jane was an Assistant Head of Department and Programme Leader for Professional Law at the University of West of England for 11 years. She was a partner at TLT and Eversheds Solicitors between 1998 and 2007
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James Pitchford,
Partner at Mathys & Squire
James Pitchford is a Partner in Mathys & Squire's IT & engineering team. He specialises in patent work in the physics, electronics, engineering and materials science sectors, working with entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs, alongside large corporations, research institutions and universities. James has particular experience in the fields of printing and additive manufacturing, optics, imaging techniques and image processing, electronics and telecommunications, medical devices, electromechanical devices, power engineering, composite materials and nanomaterials, computer software and data processing algorithms.
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Anna Gregson,
Partner at Mathys & Squire
Anna Gregson is a Partner in Mathys & Squire's life sciences team. Anna specialises in strategic patent management, including drafting and prosecuting applications, as well as monitoring of third-party patents and freedom-to-operate analysis. She has in-depth expertise in technologies such as cell and gene therapies, vaccine technologies, antibodies, siRNA technology, biomarkers and diagnostics, recombinant protein technology and therapeutics. She also has significant expertise in the fields of plant biotechnology, biopesticides and plant variety rights.
Devanand ("Dev") Crease,
Partner at Keltie LLP
Devanand (“Dev”) Crease is a Partner in the Life Sciences team at Keltie LLP, one of the leading patent and trade mark attorney firms in the UK and Ireland. Since completing a BSc in Biochemistry at UCL and a PhD in developmental biology at the University of Cambridge, he has worked as a life sciences and chemicals specialist patent attorney for over 25 years and has established a practice focusing on provision of strategic advice to early stage and rapid growth technology companies. Dev has advised companies and clients in diverse fields of biotherapeutics, gene editing, synthetic biology, AI/ML computational biology and specialty chemicals. He handles all areas of IP development including patents, designs, trade secrets and know how. The Life Sciences team at Keltie LLP have advised emerging companies raising over $1.5 billion in funding and investment over the past few years and are proactive in counselling companies throughout their IP journey.
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Clare McGarry,
Managing Associate at Harbottle & Lewis
Clare McGarry is a managing associate in the Film, Television and Theatre Department at Harbottle & Lewis. Clare trained at Linklaters and qualified into their IP and Media team before moving over to Harbottle to join the Film and TV team. Clare works on a broad range of matters across the Film, TV and Theatre industries, on all aspects of the team’s work, including the development, production, acquisition and exploitation of rights and content (including advising rightsholders as well as producers). Clare works with many high profile independent producers and rightsholders as well as advising major SVODs and content financiers. Clients Clare works with include Amazon, Apple, Universal Pictures, Mediapro, Complete Fiction, Jax, Rebellion, Netflix, The National Theatre, Studio Crook, Popcorn, Eventim, See-Saw, to name but a few.
Mark Padley,
Special Counsel at Milbank
Mark, special counsel in Milbank's Litigation and Arbitration Group in London, specialises in the resolution of complex international disputes in the information technology, energy/infrastructure and finance sectors, with a particular focus on competition litigation. He has acted for clients in litigation before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Competition Appeal Tribunal, and in arbitrations under the major institutional rules (including as counsel and advocate). This includes acting for Visa in multiple sets of proceedings in relating to the setting and implementation of multilateral interchange fees associated with the use of debit and credit cards. Mark also advises clients in relation to economic sanctions and is a member of the firm’s Global Risk & National Security Practice. Mark read History at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and then completed his law conversion course and legal practice course at the University of Law.
Kabir Bhalla,
Senior Associate at King & Spalding
Kabir Bhalla is a Barrister and Senior Associate at King & Spalding’s London office, specialising in international commercial and public international law before the English Courts and international tribunals. He has appeared as counsel before all levels of the English Court, including the Commercial Court, Court of Appeal, Privy Council and Supreme Court, as well as before multiple tribunals under all of the major institutional rules. Kabir studied Modern History at the University of Oxford and then converted to law at City Law School. From 2016-2016 he was Judicial Assistant to Lord Sumption and Lord Clarke at the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Privy Council, where he worked on high-profile commercial and public and private international law matters, including the leading cases on the penalty clause doctrine (Cavendish Square Holding BV v El Makdessi), implied terms (Marks and Spencer Plc v BNP Paribas), and the foreign act of state doctrine and state immunity (Belhaj v Straw). Kabir has particular recent expertise in anti-suit and anti-enforcement injunctions, ranging from successfully obtaining as counsel the post-judgment anti-enforcement injunction on behalf of Google versus various Russian media companies in relation to Russian fines worth more than £1.85 octillion; 20 trillion times global GDP (Google v Tsargrad and ors.; January 2025), as well as acting for the Vietnamese airline VietJet in its resistance to anti-suit injunction applications in December 2024. Kabir’s experience ranges from oil and gas disputes (including multiple hearings in the long-running Stati v Kazakhstan matter), to public international law matters, representing the Eastern Government of Libya-backed Chairman in the English High Court authority dispute for the Chairmanship of the Libyan Investment Authority, as well as the Claimants in Hashwah v Qatar National Bank and BB v Al Khayyat, in which the state immunity doctrine was found to bar claims that certain Qatari Banks and senior members of the Qatari ruling elite had participated in terrorist financing arrangements. He has also appeared in several influential reported judgments on the enforcement and recognition of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in England Wales and arbitration-related litigation - see SL Mining v Sierra Leone (jurisdiction and admissibility; section 67 challenges), Union Fenosa Gas v Egypt enforcement of ISCID Awards), and more recently, Motorola Solutions v Hytera Communications on the enforcement of ‘judgments for multiple damages’ under the Protection of Trading Interests Act 1980 and the revocation of enforced judgments following foreign appeals. Kabir has also developed particular expertise in aviation matters, having represented the Indian airline GoFirst (formerly GoAir) in a major arbitral dispute against Pratt & Whitney, the Dubai-based lessor IAFC in its High Court dispute against Saudia, and various other airlines and aircraft manufacturers before both the High Court and in arbitration. He also has a keen interest in India as a jurisdiction, having lectured as a Guest Fellow at the National Law University of India, Jodhpur, and sits on the India Committee of the Commercial Bar Association.
James Buckley,
Senior Associate at Quinn Emanuel
James Buckley is a Senior Associate in Quinn Emanuel’s London office. His practice focuses on international arbitration and complex commercial litigation. James has acted for multinational corporations and financial institutions in a range of areas, including financial services, technology and telecoms, and the pharmaceutical industry. He has advised clients both in high-value English High Court litigation and in relation to arbitration under bilateral investment treaties. James also has experience of advising clients on major regulatory and competition investigations. James graduated from the University of Durham, where he was awarded the highest first class degree in English Literature in his year. He subsequently completed an MPhil at the University of Cambridge in 2015. Prior to joining the firm, James trained at a Magic Circle law firm in London, where he was a finalist in the City of London Solicitors’ Company Prize for the trainee solicitor showing the most promise as a future City lawyer. As a trainee, James also gained pro bono experience at Tower Hamlets Law Centre, representing litigants in County Court housing disputes.
Thomas Jennings,
Senior Associate at Herbert Smith Freehills
Thomas is a Senior Associate and Solicitor Advocate in Herbert Smith Freehills' dispute resolution team in London, where he advises clients on a broad range of contentious and regulatory matters. Since joining HSF as a trainee solicitor in 2012, Thomas has been heavily involved in a wide range of pro bono projects, including most notably advising the Human Dignity Trust (a LGBT+ rights organisation based in London) in connection with strategic litigation and legislative reform efforts commenced in various different jurisdictions. Most recently, Thomas advised HDT in connection with a claim that was filed before the Supreme Court in Mauritius, successfully challenging the constitutionality of Section 250 of the Criminal Code which criminalised same-sex intimacy. In recognition of his passion and commitment to pro bono work, Thomas received the Stephen Denyer award for best contribution to pro bono by an individual at the LawWorks awards in December 2024.
Kenneth Damien,
In House Counsel at Blackrock via Re:Link
Kenneth Damien is a technology lawyer and founder specialising in technology licensing, data privacy and AI. Currently on assignment at BlackRock via Re:Link (Linklaters) he acts as a Privacy and Technology SME in the Digital Enterprise Legal team. He has previously undertaken roles at Google Cloud and Softbank’s Vision Fund leading a range of technology licensing and regulatory compliance projects. Ken is also the Co-Founder of the Future Impact Summit, an annual technology and social sciences conference hosted at the London School Economics. The Summit has attracted over 500+ attendees, showcasing innovative panels and event experiences including most recently, an AI 'Crisis Simulation' exploring the geopolitics of AI through an interactive, team-based wargaming simulation. For his work Ken received the Internet 2.0 ‘Outstanding Leadership’ Award for outstanding contributions to the field of technology. He delivered his corresponding keynote entitled ‘Singularity Games: Upgrading Your Technology Risk Strategy in the AI Era’ at Internet 2.0 Conference in Dubai (Feb 2024).
Gemma Baker,
Senior Manager, Graduate Recruitment at
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Gemma has worked in legal graduate recruitment for 25 years and has read over 65,000 vacation scheme and training contracts applications. After nine years working for law firms, Gemma headed up the employability teams at both Kaplan Law School and Aspiring Solicitors. She returned to the legal profession in 2018 and now works for Willkie in London.
Anthony Otobo-Martins,
Associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Anthony is an associate in Willkie's Asset Management Team. Qualifying in 2023, Anthony was part of Willkie’s first-ever trainee solicitor cohort following his vacation scheme in spring 2021. He graduated from the University of Kent.
Victoria North,
Associate at White & Case
Victoria North is an associate in the Firm's Debt Finance Practice in London. Victoria has experience advising financial institutions, private credit funds, alternative capital providers, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers in relation to a wide range of finance transactions, including leveraged buy-outs, infrastructure and general bank lending.
Dr Laura de Arroyo Garcia,
Associate at Clifford Chance
At Clifford Chance, Laura leverages her academic expertise to navigate the complex intersection of law and emerging technologies. She supports a cross-practice team with tackling the most pressing legal, regulatory and commercial issues impacting technology implementation and use in business, including digital regulation, artificial intelligence, policy engagement, regulatory investigations, M&A, IT outsourcings, and complex technology arrangements and business separations. Her sector expertise covers consumer retail, healthtech and life sciences, automotive and commodities. She is a member of the firm’s Healthcare & Life Sciences sector group and supports the firm's Healthtech offering. Laura has valuable in-house experience, having spent time on full-time secondment to the legal teams of a global automotive company, supporting the development of a global AI governance program, and a global online retailer, where she helped develop go-to-market strategies for the online sale of consumer care products. She has also been seconded to Clifford Chance's Paris Office. Since 2024, Laura has also served as a member of the Imperial College Research Ethics Committee, which oversees and approves research involving human participants conducted by the College. In this role, she often opines on data protection issues, the validity of consent forms, the ethical implications of AI and other disruptive technologies, and children's privacy.
Mo Shan,
Associate at Hogan Lovells
Mo is an associate in Hogan Lovells' London Private Equity team. Mo advises clients on a broad range of complex private equity transactions, with a particular focus on GP-led and LP-led secondaries and co investments. Before joining the Private Equity team, Mo spent six months in the London Investment Funds team working with fund sponsors across a wide range of private fund transactions. He has also completed a six-month secondment in the Hogan Lovells Frankfurt office, working on a range of private equity and M&A infrastructure and energy transactions. Mo is also passionate about pro bono causes. He has worked with pro-bono clients on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy programme. Mo graduated from UCL with a BSc in History and Philosophy of Science in 2019.
Hyewon (Katie) Sa,
Associate at Freshfields
Hyewon (Katie) Sa is an associate in the Commercial IP team at Freshfields, where she enjoys working on a range of topics across IP, IT, and Data Protection. Katie holds a master's degree in Computer Science from Imperial College London. Despite completing her undergraduate law degree at Oxford, she secured her training contract only during her master's in Computer Science. Katie began her training contract with Freshfields in February 2020, right in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to her career at Freshfields, she spent six months at Clause, a Legaltech startup that was later acquired by DocuSign. During her training contract, Katie completed a six-month secondment to Barclays, further broadening her expertise. Katie leverages her technical background to engage in various initiatives both inside and outside her firm. She aspires to be someone who speak both the languages of “law and tech”: she regularly presents to clients on trends in AI regulation, and organised the Fintech edition of Freshfields’ Female Talent for Tech. Additionally, Katie helped set up the Online Safety Lawyers Network, a new informal networking group open to private practice, in-house lawyers, policy experts, and industry stakeholders from across the online safety ecosystem. Outside of work, Katie is passionate about diversity and inclusion. She is the founder and co-chair of the Asian Affinity Network at Freshfields, which she started in 2021 as a trainee. During her time at university, Katie was the president of the Oxford University Korean Society.
Fred Whittell,
Associate at Macfarlanes
Fred is an associate in the Derivatives and Trading team at Macfarlanes where he acts for a number of managed account platforms, hedge funds, asset managers, high-net worth individuals and corporates across a broad range of brokerage, trading, custody and financing matters. Fred completed his LLM with a specialism in banking and financial regulation at the London School of Economics and Political Science following his BA in History from Royal Holloway. He also worked as a paralegal at Goldmans Sachs, Jefferies and Macfarlanes prior to training as a solicitor. He is a member of the Macfarlanes ESG working group and has particular interests in crypto-assets and financial technology. During his time at Macfarlanes, Fred has undertaken a secondment at a leading quantitative investment manager.
Jessica Duxbury,
Associate at Simmons & Simmons
Prior to her legal career, Jessica graduated with a Bachelor of Psychological Science and from 2005 – 2017 built a career in Project Management on large infrastructure projects. Driven by a desire to give back, she transitioned to law, qualifying as a solicitor in 2023. Jessica trained in family and housing law at BPP University's Legal Advice Clinic where she represented clients in Tribunals and in the Family and County Courts with her casework predominantly focused on domestic abuse and child arrangements matters. Currently, Jessica is a Pro Bono Lawyer at Simmons & Simmons, where she assists in managing the firm's international pro bono practice. Collaborating with the Head of Pro Bono, she helps shape the firm's pro bono strategy, delivering impactful projects and supporting lawyers in providing legal assistance to charitable organisations worldwide. Jessica oversees several pro bono initiatives including a Legal Advice Clinic offering guidance on housing, employment, and small claims. She is currently working to implement a new family advocacy project for the firm and her recent case work includes conducting research for Women's Aid on child harms and homicides and assisting undocumented children with citizenship applications.
Julia Wisniewska,
Associate at Clifford Chance
Julia is an Associate in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team at Clifford Chance. During her training contract, she also completed seats in the legal technology team in London as well as in project finance in Paris and Frankfurt. Prior to joining Clifford Chance, she studied Physics at Imperial College London and undertook various internships, including in the human resources department at a bank, an investment consultancy, an educational NGO and a corporate finance department of a business advisory firm.
Daniel Boden,
Associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Daniel Boden is an English-qualified associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s Dispute Resolution Group. Daniel has broad experience of commercial litigation, international arbitration and regulatory and internal investigations. Daniel also works on ESG and human rights issues and has experience in the financial services and sports sectors. He also maintains an active pro bono practice. Daniel trained at Gibson Dunn and holds a first class honours degree in Hispanic Studies with a distinction in spoken Spanish from the University of Nottingham. For his third year, he completed a year abroad where he worked as a legal intern at a Spanish law firm, Mariscal Abogados, in Madrid from September 2018-January 2019 before studying at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in Argentina from March 2019-July 2019.
Ola Popoola,
Associate at Clifford Chance
Bio coming soon!
Zoë Deckker,
Associate at Druces
Zoë Deckker is a solicitor in the Construction team at Druces LLP. Zoë joined Druces in 2023, having qualified as a solicitor in October of that year. Graduating from the University of Oxford in 2017 with a degree in English and Modern Languages, Zoë first completed an MSt in Modern Languages, also at the University of Oxford, before going on to gain early legal experience and completing her two years as a trainee solicitor with another distinguished London law firm. Zoë has a long-standing interest in architecture and the built environment, which drew her to specialise in construction. Although sitting within the Dispute Resolution Department, Zoë’s work encompasses both contentious and non-contentious construction; this includes the drafting of suites of construction contracts and involvement in construction and engineering disputes for a variety of clients. Zoë also provides support to teams across the firm in respect of building safety matters.
Rik Palmer,
Graduate Recruitment Advisor at Reed Smith
Since joining Reed Smith's Graduate Recruitment team in early 2024, Rik Palmer has been actively involved in the selection process for all UK graduate programmes. He also supports and mentors future trainees, advises on the application process, and is dedicated to developing the next generation of Reed Smith's legal teams.
Dina Lander,
Pupil at Devereux Chambers
Dina joined Chambers as a pupil in October 2024. Dina’s principal areas of practice are corporate and commercial law and equity, with a focus on taxation law. Dina was called to the Bar in Sydney Australia in 2022. Prior to joining the Bar in Sydney Dina worked as a prosecutor at the Australian Taxation Office and an associate (judicial assistant) at the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. Dina is currently completing Masters in Taxation at the University of Oxford and has over twenty years of experience in the financial services industry, as well as an MSc in Finance, having initially been trained on Wall Street as a mergers and acquisitions analyst. With a particular interest in international commercial arbitration, Dina volunteers at the annual VIS International Commercial Arbitration moot in Vienna. Key recent cases in Australia include: · RRS Holdings Aus Pty Ltd ATF RRS Holdings Trust v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue Fl 2024/00145052 – NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal Australia – Briefed by the Chief Commissioner as sole counsel in respect of a dispute relating to a taxpayer’s liability to pay surcharge land tax under Land Tax Management Act (1956) (NSW). · McDonald v MAK Constructions and Building Services Pty Ltd [2024] NSWCA 63 – led by Klooster M – Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of NSW Australia – Successful appeal to stay granted in the District Court of NSW in context of s 32 of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW). · Response to special leave application to High Court of Australia (equivalent to the Supreme Court of UK) in Lieschke v Lieschke [2023] NSWCA 241– led by C Birch SC and J Mack – Statutory interpretation of section 34 of the Commercial Arbitration Act 2010 (Cth) in context of application to set aside an arbitral award. · YKMOUR v Commissioner of Taxation Proceedings No 2022/7897 Administrative Appeals Tribunal Australia – led by McGovern L – Representing the Commissioner against a taxpayer appeal in relation to the validity of amended assessments pursuant to section 170 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) (ITAA36) in context of fraud and evasion. · R v Marufuzzaman Case no 2023/004507774 – District Court NSW Australia – Successful appeal on sentence as sole counsel. Awards DAAD (Deutsche Akademische Austauch Dienst) Scholarship to study at the University of Bonn Inland Legal Prize for the highest mark in Jurisprudence Conflicts of Law Prize for the highest mark in private international law Finalist in the Kevin Lindgren Prize Copyright Competition Frank Austill Prize for Academic Excellence Education Masters in Taxation, the University of Oxford (Oxford) – currently completing Diploma-in-Law, Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) (Sydney) - Distinction average MSc in Shipping, Trade and Finance, City University Business School (London) Certificate IV Diploma in Mortgage Broking (Sydney) Diploma in Financial Planning (Sydney)
Declan Harris,
Pupil at FOURTEEN
Declan Harris is a pupil barrister at FOURTEEN, specialising in family law. Under the supervision of Michael Glaser KC, he is gaining experience across a broad range of family matters including matrimonial finance. In April, he will begin his ‘second six’ and start representing clients in his own cases. Before coming to the Bar, Declan studied English Literature at Durham University, where he founded the Non-Law Into Law Society. He later completed the law conversion at BPP and the bar course at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy. Declan is the first person in his family to attend university, and he is passionate about making the legal profession more accessible to those without a traditional legal background.
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Tanya Rahman,
Trainee at Mathys & Squire
Tanya joined Mathys & Squire in 2023 and works as a Trainee Trade Mark Attorney in the trade mark team in London. She has an LLB Law degree and has completed an LLM in Intellectual Property Law at Queen Mary, University of London. Tanya has a background in IP law with a particular focus on brand protection and anti-counterfeiting procedures. Since starting her training at Mathys & Squire, Tanya has gained experience in trade mark clearance, prosecution, and opposition proceedings at the UKIPO and internationally. She has experience working with a range of clients, from SMEs to larger clients in relation to trade mark matters in various fields including beauty, fashion, renewables, and financial services. She has enthusiasm to support and advise clients and prospective clients on how to better adopt, protect and enforce their trade mark rights, both in the UK and around the world. Tanya is a first-generation university graduate in her family and is passionate about making the legal profession more accessible to students from various backgrounds, as well as raising awareness of alternative legal careers. Tanya is also currently studying towards her PG Certificate in Trade Mark Law and Practice at Queen Mary, University of London, and is on track to become part-qualified.
Eyo Ntekim,
Trainee at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Eyo is a trainee solicitor and has completed seats in Private Equity, Litigation and Asset Management. Eyo completed a vacation scheme at Willkie in 2022 and joined as a trainee in September 2023. Eyo graduated from the University of Sheffield.
Mary Suberu,
Trainee at Mayer Brown
Mary is a Trainee Associate at Mayer Brown. She grew up in southern Vermont, and completed her undergraduate degree in International Business and French in upstate New York. She subsequently worked at the U.S. Council for International Business, and as a paralegal at the NYC Law Department and the Financial Conduct Authority. During her training contract, she has completed rotations in Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Corporate & Securities, and currently sits in Finance. She is passionate about giving back to her community and serves on the board of American Women Lawyers in London as Events Co-Chair. She is also passionate about mentoring students and actively participates in various pro bono, DE&I and other initiatives with organisations like Aspiring Solicitors and SEO London. She is an editor of her firm’s ESG blog “Eye on ESG” where she regularly reports on the most recent ESG regulatory developments and findings. She also runs her own personal blog “Esquisitor Law” which follows her journey of becoming an esquire and solicitor, and explores the differences and similarities between the US & UK legal systems.
Gus Courtauld,
Trainee at Latham & Watkins
Gus studied Philosophy at Cambridge University, followed by an additional year at Cambridge Business School, specializing in corporate finance. After working in finance for a year, he transitioned into corporate law. He is currently a trainee in Restructuring and is about to begin his second seat in Corporate.
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Louis Brosnan,
Technical Assistant at Mathys & Squire
Louis joined Mathys & Squire in 2023 as a Technical Assistant in the IT & engineering team. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Imperial College London, with a particular expertise in the fields of astrophysics and largescale data modelling, including computational analytics, Python & Assembly coding languages and microprocessors. Since joining Mathys, Louis has worked with clients on inventions spanning a broad range of fields, including everything from nano-composite materials to augmented reality devices, AI image detection and telecoms. He is currently part-way through his formal training and on track to become a qualified UK patent attorney by the end of 2025.
Anthony Choi,
Trainee at Clyde & Co
Anthony is a fourth-seat trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co, currently sat in the Corporate team. He read Anthropology at UCL, before completing the GDL and LPC ahead of starting at Clyde & Co. He is now reading Philosophy at Cambridge University part-time while he completes his training contract. At Clyde & Co, Anthony has also sat in Tax and Financial Institutions, Directors & Officers (FID&O), and has been on secondment to the General Counsel team at AIG. Outside of law, Anthony has experience working in politics and finance.
Millie Jones,
Trainee at Mishcon de Reya
Millie is a trainee solicitor at Mishcon de Reya, due to qualify in August 2025. She studied History at the University of Warwick and in her fourth year, for various reasons, decided to pursue a career in the law. She completed her GDL at the University of Law and then worked as a paralegal at Goodman Ray Solicitors, a boutique family firm based in London, during which time she secured a training contract at Mishcon. She then completed the LPC and started her training contract in August 2023. So far, she has done seats in Employment, Private Wealth Disputes and Family, and is hoping to qualify with the firm in September 2025.
Annika Shah,
Trainee at A&O Shearman
Annika is currently a trainee solicitor at A&O Shearman, where she is sitting in the Debt Finance team. Annika studied History at the University of Warwick and subsequently completed the law conversion course and SQE at BPP University.
Sam Colman,
Trainee at Norton Rose Fulbright
Sam is an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright. He currently works within the firm's pro bono practice across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. His work focuses on asylum, citizenship and welfare benefits law. Before qualifying, Sam sat in corporate energy and commercial disputes teams, was seconded to Paris and became the firm's first pro bono trainee. Sam studied English and French as an undergraduate at Warwick University before completing an MSc in Global Governance and Ethics at UCL. Outside of work, Sam produces music for hip-hop and RnB artists and runs a podcast called Global Governance Futures that he founded with a team at UCL's Global Governance Institute.
Jake Duxbury,
Trainee at Dentons
Jake is a final-seat Trainee Solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team at Sainsbury's, on secondment from Dentons. Jake studied Spanish at the University of Oxford before transitioning into law. Whilst studying the LPC, Jake also worked as a Restructuring and Insolvency Paralegal at Slaughter and May. At Dentons, Jake has completed seats in Regulatory and Investigations, Corporate, and Restructuring and Insolvency. Outside of work, Jake enjoys baking and traveling up and down the country watching his beloved Liverpool.
Maitri Sanghvi,
Legal Assistant at Pitchbook Data
Following on from completing a BSc in Psychology, Maitri decided to pursue a career in Law, and enrolled on the full-time GDL conversion course with The College of Legal Practice. Maitri is now working as a Legal Assistant at PitchBook Data.
Sarah Hutchinson,
Pupil at Spire
Sarah is currently a first six pupil at Spire Barristers in Leeds which specialises in family and public law. Prior to studying law Sarah served in the British Army for 21 years working in the areas of human resources, auditing, policy development and compliance as well as internal discipline and grievance procedures. Following this she studied International Relations (MA) at the University of York before working in the charity sector with charities supporting vulnerable young people, refugees and migrant communities. Sarah assisted in the formation of the Sulha Alliance CIO which supports Afghan former interpreters and other locally employed civilians employed by the British Armed Forces. She remains a trustee for this organisation.
Molly Macaire,
Trainee at Stephenson Harwood
After graduating from the University of Exeter, Molly did her PGDL at BPP. Molly then took a year out of studying to work as a Human Rights Legal PR Consultant before starting her LPC and LLM. She joined Stephenson Harwood in September 2023. Molly has done seats in Banking and Finance; Projects, Energy and Infrastructure; and a client secondment to Sizewell C. She is heading into the Pro Bono team for her final seat.
Fatima Ali,
Programme Assistant at Bridging the Bar
Fatima is the BTB Programmes Assistant. She studied Law (LLB) at SOAS, University of London. She is an aspiring barrister who has a particular interest in immigration law, and is currently completing the Bar Vocational Studies course and an LLM at City University of London. She is also a Royal Scholar at The Honourable Society of Middle Temple Inn, having been awarded the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Scholarship in 2023. As a full-time wheelchair user, Fatima is strongly dedicated to supporting aspiring barristers with disabilities accessing the Bar and is honoured to work with BTB to help fulfil their aim of diversifying the Bar.
Siru Chen,
Trainee at Dentons
Siru Chen is a second-seat trainee at Dentons. Siru is currently on client secondment at NatWest Markets in the Derivatives department. Her first seat was in Real Estate. Prior to being a trainee, Siru studied History BA at QMUL before doing the GDL and more recently, the SQE.
Michael Taylor,
Trainee at Charles Russell Speechlys
Michael studied History at the University of Nottingham between 2018-2021 before completing the PGDL and the SQE. Michael started his training contract at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP in September 2023 and has sat in the Corporate team, the Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency team and was also seconded to Morgan Stanley’s Legal Tech and Data team. He is currently sat in the Corporate Tax team ahead of (hopefully) qualifying in September 2025.
Holly Topping,
SQE Student and Paralegal
Having worked as a nurse in the NHS for 5 years, Holly decided on a change of career to move into the legal profession. Holly completed a conversion course, and has since began working as a Paralegal at Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP, and is studying part-time on the SQE1 Preparation course at The College of Legal Practice.
Imogen Sherriff,
Bridging the Bar
Bio Coming Soon!