Ivanishvili v Credit Suisse Trustee Limited [2023] SGHC(I) 9; [2020] SGCA 62; and Ivanishvili v Credit Suisse Life (Bermuda) Limited [2020] CA (Bda) 13 Civ: Acting as junior counsel on behalf of the beneficiaries of two trusts which suffered multi million dollar losses as a result of fraud and mismanagement of a major investment portfolio. Criminal proceedings took place in Switzerland and judgments in favour of the claimants have been obtained in civil litigation in Bermuda and Singapore.

Various Claimants v British Airways (settled 2021): Led by David Blayney KC, Sophie acted for the lead solicitors in a group action against British Airways. The claim for compensation under the General Data Protection Regulation arises from a breach of British Airways security systems (announced in September 2018) which led to the loss of personal data belonging to hundreds of thousands of customers.

Webinvest v Prokofyeva (2018): Led by Hugh Norbury KC, Sophie acted on behalf of Ms Prokofyeva defending dishonest assistance claims and claims under the Insolvency Act. The claims were connected to the Shlosberg litigation (e.g. ShloIsberg v Avonwick Holdings Ltd [2016] EWCA Civ 1138) in which it was alleged that Mr Shlosberg (Ms Prokofyeva’s husband) unlawfully diverted a receivable said to be worth in excess of US$170m.

Harcus Sinclair v Your Lawyers [2017] EWHC 2900: Acted for the Defendant in an expedited trial (led by Richard Coleman KC), successfully obtaining an injunction to prevent Harcus Sinclair from acting for approximately 45,000 clients in the VW Emissions Litigation following breach of a solicitors' undertaking given in a non-disclosure agreement.

Z Trusts [2015] JRC 214; [2015] JRC 031; and [2015] JRC 196C: Instructed by Voisin Law in litigation involving consideration of the appropriate procedure for winding down a Jersey Trust in circumstances where the net liabilities of the trust exceed its net assets; issues of priority between former and current trustees' liens over trust assets; and the proper exercise of fiduciary powers.

Hendrick v Knight [2014] ETMR 58: Successfully defended an appeal against the decision of the hearing officer in a trade mark dispute. The decision considered the possibility of a pro bono costs order before the Appointed Person.

Sophie is regularly instructed in civil fraud matters, including claims against fraudulent directors, agents and trustees and claims involving fraudulent investment schemes. Sophie's matters often include proceedings for injunctive relief, such as obtaining and resisting search orders, freezing injunctions and Norwich Pharmacal orders. 

Sophie's recent matters include:

Aroncorp v Shah: Led by John Machell KC and instructed by Boodle Hatfield, Sophie acts in claims against directors accused of siphoning off money from the claimant company. Dishonest assistance and knowing receipt claims are brought against entities owned and controlled by the directors.

East-West United Bank SA v Gusinski and GSC Solicitors LLP [2022] EWHC 3056: Sophie (led by Clare Stanley KC) appeared for the Claimant successfully resisting a strike out application of proprietary claims to money that was held in a solicitor’s client account and was represented to be earmarked for the Claimant. The Claimant further alleges that the Defendants conspired to improperly avoid paying the debt owed to the Claimant.

ECO Quest Plc v GFI Consultants Ltd (2017): Acted with David Casement KC for Ecoquest, a company that specialises in ethical investments, to recover £2.2 million of losses arising from a fraudulent scheme perpetrated by the Defendants (Mr Bowers and Mr Skeene) which offered investment in Brazilian teak plantations.

Advised the victim of a Ponzi scheme in relation to knowing receipt claims threatened by other victims of the scheme (2016).

BTA v Ablyazov (2013): Acted as junior counsel (led by John Machell KC) for a Norwich Pharmacal respondent in the enforcement proceedings on the instructions of Boodle Hatfield LLP. Successfully secured the return of the respondent's passports delivered up pursuant to a passport order preventing the non-party leaving the jurisdiction until compliance with the disclosure order.

Sophie acts in a wide range of contractual and commercial disputes and has considerable experience of acting in jurisdiction disputes and advising on conflict of laws issues.

Sophie's recent matters include:

Muncipio de Mariana v BHP Group Plc (formerly BHP Billiton): Sophie acts on behalf of business claimants in the largest piece of group litigation that has been brought before the English Courts. The claim seeks to recover losses caused by the collapse of the Fundão Dam in November 2015 (considered to be the worst environmental disaster in Brazil).

In 2017, led by Jonathan Adkin KC, Sophie acted for a multinational mining conglomerate, in a claim for breach of fiduciary duty against two individuals who held management positions within the group pursuant to advisory contracts. The breaches alleged against the defendants included fraudulently passing funds out of the group and negligently entering into un-commercial agreements with third parties.

Grupo Ozarow SA v Clean Energy Trading Ltd [2016] EWHC 2322: Led by Stephen Houseman KC and Jonathan Harris KC (Hons), successfully discharged a proprietary injunction granted in support of proceedings in Poland. The injunction had the effect of freezing the business of Clean Energy Trading which trades in European Union Carbon Credits.

Kupeli v Sirketi (t/a Cyprus Turkish Airlines) [2016] EWHC 930: Acted for a Turkish airline (led by Jonathan Adkin KC) defending claims arising from a failed takeover of the Northern Cyprus national airline. At the end of the Part 1 Trial 95% of the 838 pleaded claims were dismissed.

Gudavadze v Anisimov (2014): Instructed by Signature Litigation as part of a team led by Paul Girolami KC and Jonathan Adkin KC for the Claimants in a claim for over $1.5bn concerning the Russian mining company Metalloinvest.

Acted as junior counsel in a breach of warranty and misrepresentation claim worth over £6 million arising out of the acquisition of a well-known UK water business.

Charles Lissack v Manhattan Loft Corporation Limited: Acted as part of a team led by Alan Boyle KC in relation to interim proceedings in a claim arising out of the St Pancras development.

Sophie has experience of advising liquidators of companies, LLPs and charities. Sophie’s work involves claims against directors and shadow directors of companies in liquidation following suspected fraud or breach of duty, including claims for misfeasance and actions challenging transactions at an undervalue and preferences. For previous cases, see Company (above).

Sophie’s work often has an international element, often involving foreign entities, jurisdiction challenges, and conflicts of laws. Sophie has recently been instructed in matters taking place before the Courts of Singapore, Bermuda, Bahamas, BVI, Jersey, Guernsey, and New Zealand.

Sophie's notable matters include:

Bidzina Ivanishvili v Credit Suisse Trustee (Singapore) [2023] SGHC(I) 9; [2020] SGCA 62: Instructed as junior counsel in breach of trust proceedings before the Singapore International Commercial Court. In July 2020 the Court of Appeal in Singapore dismissed the Trustee’s jurisdiction challenge bringing an end to a long running jurisdiction battle. In May 2023, the Singapore International Commercial Court handed down judgment in favour of the claimants following trial.

Bidzina Ivanishvili v Credit Suisse Life (Bermuda) Limited [2020] CA (Bda) 13 Civ; and [2022] SC (Bda) 56 Civ: Previously instructed as junior counsel to recover losses suffered by two unit-linked life insurance policies. Proceedings took place in Bermuda.

Cable Bahamas Limited v Rubis Bahamas (2016): Instructed by Callenders in proceedings taking place in the Bahamas to recover losses caused by a massive fuel leak which caused the closure of Cable’s premises, disruption to its business, and injury to numerous individuals.

Z Trusts [2015] JRC 214; [2015] JRC 031; and [2015] JRC 196C: Instructed by Voisin Law in litigation involving consideration of the appropriate procedure for winding down a Jersey Trust in circumstances where the net liabilities of the trust exceed its net assets; issues of priority between former and current trustees' liens over trust assets; and the proper exercise of fiduciary powers. This litigation is connected to the Equity Trust v Halabi litigation recently before the Privy Council ([2022] UKPC 36).

Advised trustees on potential enforcement of orders in French succession proceedings over assets situated in London owned by a trust governed by Jersey law in advance of Beddoe application in Jersey.

Volaw Trustee Limited v Trustcorp (Jersey) Limited [2013] JRC 028: Instructed as junior counsel in relation to breach of trust claims against former trustees and obtained disclosure, including Norwich Pharmacal relief in Guernsey, for the purpose of investigating the same.

Muncipio de Mariana v BHP Group Plc (formerly BHP Billiton): Sophie acts for business claimants in the largest piece of group litigation that has been brought before the English Courts. The claim is brought on behalf of over 200,000 claimants for loss caused by the collapse of the Fundão Dam in November 2015 (considered to be the worst environmental disaster in Brazil).

Various Claimants v British Airways: Led by David Blayney KC, Sophie acted for the lead solicitors in the group litigation arising against British Airways. The claim for compensation under the General Data Protection Regulation arises from a breach of British Airways security systems (announced in September 2018) which led to loss of personal data belonging to hundreds of thousands of customers.

Sophie also advised claimants in the anticipated data breach litigation against easyJet following the announcement that personal data of 9 million of its customers had been wrongfully accessed as a result of a security breach.

Harcus Sinclair v Your Lawyers [2017] EWHC 2900: Acted for the Defendant in an expedited trial (led by Richard Coleman KC), successfully obtaining an injunction to prevent Harcus Sinclair from acting for approximately 45,000 clients in the VW Emissions Litigation following breach of a solicitors' undertaking given in a non-disclosure agreement.

Kupeli v Sirketi (t/a Cyprus Turkish Airlines) [2016] EWHC 930: Acted for a Turkish airline (led by Jonathan Adkin KC) defending claims arising from a failed takeover of the Northern Cyprus national airline. At the end of the Part 1 Trial 95% of the 838 pleaded claims were dismissed.