Bio
Catherine Naylor has a broad corporate commercial litigation practice, helping her clients to resolve the full range of disputes, both domestic and international, especially offshore. She has particular expertise in post-M&A and company disputes, fraud and asset recovery work, contentious insolvency and trusts litigation across a range of sectors (including financial services, energy, mining and healthcare).
Catherine's clients appreciate her judgement and calm under pressure and her ability to manage teams, including other law firms and counsel. They also appreciate her focus on mitigating risk and on seeking to resolve disputes with minimal impact on their ongoing business, whether through litigation, arbitration, expert determination or alternative dispute resolution. Catherine supports her clients through those processes with the aim, always, of obtaining an efficient and cost-effective resolution.
In company law, Catherine has acted on significant Court of Appeal cases concerning unfair prejudice and the rule against reflexive loss. She has also successfully defended one of her clients in expedited High Court proceedings against allegations of breach of a joint venture agreement.
In fraud, asset recovery and contentious trusts, Catherine's highlights include acting on a $330 million dispute arising from the Madoff Ponzi scheme scandal, where she achieved a commercial settlement for her professional clients. She has also successfully defended (up to the Court of Appeal) a professional services firm and its former director in a fraudulent breach of trust claim.
In contentious insolvency, Catherine has acted for several UK and foreign office holders, including at a section 423 Insolvency Act trial and on a high-value LCIA arbitration claim concerning allegations of corruption.
Catherine brings commerciality to her advice, having spent over four years prior to qualifying as a lawyer working in industry. This experience includes three years with a multi-national manufacturer and distributor, dealing with internal communications, crisis management and employment issues.
Catherine leads the firm's fraud, asset recovery, trusts and contentious insolvency offering and head up the firm's Channel Islands and Brazil country desks.