Laura Hutchings

Laura is a Managing Associate in the Finance & Banking Disputes team and a member of the Commercial Litigation group, specialising in complex financial services disputes and civil fraud claims, but also working on general commercial dispute resolution matters.

She has acted on several high-profile civil cases for both individual and corporate clients across a range of issues, including financial mis-selling, shareholder and company disputes, supply chain fund management disputes, conflicts of interest and breaches of fiduciary duties.

Laura has significant trial experience, as well experience before the Court of Appeal.

Laura is a member of the London Solicitors Litigation Association and the Young Fraud Lawyers Association. She is also part of the Firm's Fashion and Retail sector group.

Key Experience

• Defended Compagnie Financière Tradition ("Tradition") an interdealer broker, in two cases regarding a team move and the alleged misuse of competitor confidential information. Both cases went to trial. An application made by the Tradition Defendants for disclosure of certain confidential information annexed to a settlement agreement between the Claimants and a Co-Defendant was heard by the Court of Appeal. It is widely reported as the authority as to whether privilege (without prejudice privilege and litigation privilege) applies in the context of settlement agreements ([2019] EWCA Civ 1937).
• Represented Duet Group Ltd (a private equity fund) in Commercial Court proceedings brought by Barthélemy Holdings LLC defending warranty and indemnity claims arising from the development of a hotel development on the island of St Barts.
• Represented a US client in the High Court and the Court of Appeal in a dispute concerning expert fiduciary duties.
• Acted for an individual client against NatWest and RBS in relation to claims of financial mis-selling of interest rates rate hedging products.

Career History

Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Trainee Solicitor, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Paralegal, Mishcon de Reya LLP
College of law, LLB (GDL and LPC)
University of Sheffield, BA Hons Management and Economics

Articles and Publications

• 'Waiving' goodbye to privilege? Not so fast, says the high court
• Government calls for Stakeholder Views on Buy-Now-Pay-Later Regulation