Lawson Caisley
Biography
“He is very assured, has good tactical insight and can get to grips with difficult complex areas.” “He shows good commercial acumen and legal nous.”
Overview
Lawson Caisley is Head of the Commercial Disputes Practice in London, and is Chair of the firm's Global Cyber Risk Committee. He has over 25 years' experience advising large corporations, financial institutions and private equity and hedge funds on all aspects of complex commercial litigation, including cybersecurity and data breaches, post-acquisition disputes, shareholder disputes and activism, negligence and breach of directors' duties.
Lawson has also advised clients on internal and regulatory investigations, including those involving the Financial Conduct Authority, the Information Commissioner's Office, the Serious Fraud Office, the National Crime Agency, Her Majesty' Revenue and Customs, and the Financial Reporting Council. He has experience across a wide range of sectors and industries, including natural resources, aerospace and defence, technology, media and telecoms, financial services, outsourcing and professional services.
Experience
Representative experience includes advising:
UK Finance, the trade body of the UK banking and finance industry, in Supreme Court proceedings concerning the extent to which financial institutions are liable to reimburse customers who have fallen victim to third party payment fraud.
A global mining company in one of the largest group actions ever brought in the English courts relating to damage caused by the collapse of a dam in Brazil.
Hiscox Insurance Company in the business interruption insurance test case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority using (for the first time) its powers under the Financial Markets Test Case Scheme.*
A global private equity firm in litigation involving a €350 million claim concerning the amount of additional consideration payable following the acquisition and subsequent disposal of a major Eastern European brewing business.*
An investment fund in relation to a cyberattack by an employee resulting in the theft of confidential information and trading strategies worth over £100 million per annum. The matter involved civil and criminal proceedings and injunctions in a number of jurisdictions including England, Hong Kong and the US. In England, action included civil proceedings, a CPS prosecution and a subsequent private prosecution against the employee, and judicial review proceedings against the Home Secretary challenging deportation. The cumulative result was that the employee served over four years in jail.*
The directors of a FTSE 250 company in a US$175 million claim by a major shareholder alleging negligence and breach of duty in relation to the company’s operations in Ukraine.*
A Dutch investment fund and its directors in proceedings concerning an alleged £150 million unlawful means conspiracy relating to the acquisition of a bank in Uganda.*
A global bank in relation to the hacking of its mobile banking platform by an external hacker, including advice regarding potential criminal action against the hacker, reporting to and liaising with the ICO, FCA and PRA, and advising in relation to the subsequent FCA investigation into potential systems and controls failures.*
*Experience prior to joining White & Case
“Outstanding to work with” (Legal 500 UK 2021)
“Fantastic, responsive and practical” (Chambers UK 2019)
“An excellent tactician who is very good at handling large and complex cases” (Chambers UK 2018)
Band 1, Commercial & Corporate Litigation, Chambers UK
Hall of Fame, Commercial Litigation: Premium, Legal 500 UK
