Leona Powell

Acting for the Claimant in respect of a €35m claim for recovery of a payment made in respect of a purported oil procurement deal. The claim involves allegations of deceit and misappropriation of trust assets, and involves significant asset tracing. Search orders, freezing orders and other order for ancillary relief have been obtained.

Acting as sole counsel for the Claimant department in this high value recovery action involving allegations of deceit, conspiracy and breach of trust. Freezing orders have been obtained.

Acting for the Claimant bank in this €50m claim for repayment pursuant to two Murabahas, together with personal claims against the officers of the principal borrower for dishonestly procuring the dissipation of the bank’s security.  

Acting for the Claimant company in this fraud, bribery and data theft claim against ex-employees and competitors of the claimant. 

Acting as sole counsel for the Claimant recruitment consultants, in this fraud/ recovery claim against two ex employees, for defrauding the company of several million pounds between 2007 and 2013. Various freezing orders and disclosure orders were obtained in support of the claim. 

Acting for Times Newspapers in its claim against Lance Armstrong for recovery of monies paid to him in settlement of his libel claim in 2006, on the basis that the libel action was fraudulent.

Sole trial counsel for the Claimant in this high value claim involving allegations of breach of confidence, misuse of confidential information, breach of fiduciary duty and misappropriations of company funds by an ex company director.

Sole counsel for SOCA in this civil recovery claim against a convicted manufacturer of psychotropic drugs. The action concerned the recoverability of gold bullion seized by the metropolitan police.

Leona acted for SOCA (led by Michael Beloff QC) in the Court of Appeal in this multi $million asset recovery action against an alleged international money launderer. The case is a leading decision on the Court’s powers to limit scope of the obligation to give standard disclosure in civil cases. 

Acted as sole counsel for the Claimant travel company in relation to this high value claim for fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of warranty following a company share sale and purchase. Freezing orders were obtained.

Acted for the Claimant valuers in relation to a multi £m claim for damages and indemnity declarations in relation to a very large scale mortgage fraud. The case required detailed pre-action analysis and planning for the underlying investigation. Multiple search orders, freezing orders and delivery-up orders were obtained against a large number of Defendants.

Acted for the Claimant in this claim in relation to funds misappropriated from the purported sale of a high value Ferrari. Freezing, disclosure, delivery up and passport orders were obtained. Consequential committal proceedings were also issued, with a suspended sentence imposed upon the Defendant. 

Acted as sole counsel for the Claimant bank in a multi £m recovery action in relation to a large scale mortgage fraud involving a large portfolio of properties. Multiple freezing orders were obtained. 

Acted as sole counsel for the Claimant company in relation to this claim involving bribery, breach of fiduciary duty, false invoicing and conspiracy. Freezing orders and disclosure orders were obtained.

Appointed by SOCA to act as independent counsel in relation to a very high value proceeds of crime recovery investigation.

Acting for the Defendants in this €30m claim in relation to the allegedly deliberate wrongful diversion of a cargo of sugar. The claim involved allegations of deceit, procuring breach of contract, conspiracy and deliberate conversion, and personal claims against the directors of T&L Sugars. The claim also involved complex issues of law as to the interpretation and application of the Sale of Goods Act.

Acting for the Claimant companies (in liquidation) in this £15m claim against their former director and shareholder. The claim involves the dishonest payment of unlawful dividends, removal of company trust assets, and issues of alleged backdating of corporate documents. Various interlocutory orders were obtained including trust asset preservation orders and asset repatriation orders.

The action is due to proceed to trial in April 2018.

Acting for the Claimant bank in this €35m claim for repayment pursuant to personal guarantees and/ or oil procurement contracts. The claim involved allegations of forgery. Applied for and obtained freezing and search orders, summary judgment, and various asset enforcement orders. Applied for and obtained order for committal against the Defendant for breach of the freezing order.

In June 2017 Leona applied for and obtained an order for committal against the Defendant, following his breaches of the freezing order (before Teare J).

Acting for the Defendants in this ongoing claim for in excess of £30m concerning the allegdly wrongful diversion of a sugar cargo. The claim involves allegations of conversion, procuring breach of contract and conspiracy. Trial is listed to commence in late 2016. 

Acting for the Claimant in this very high value contractual dispute arising out of the sale of Tate & Lyle’s European sugar business to American Sugar Holdings, including a dispute over the transfer of the business’s sugar futures book. Preliminary issues in relation to the interpretation of notice provisions within the share sale agreement, and the meaning of CPR r7.5 and CPR r6.14, were determined in favour of the Claimant in April 2014. Trial took place in May 2015; the Claimant successfully recovered in excess of €30m.

Acting for the Claimant bank in this €50m claim for repayment pursuant to two Murabahas, together with personal claims against the officers of the principal borrower for dishonestly procuring the dissipation of the bank’s security.  

Acting as part of the Defendant’s counsel team in this headline commercial case involving a dispute over a 20% share in Rusal and allegations of criminality in 1990s Russia. 

Acting for the Claimant AIM listed investment company in a multi-party claim against its previous non-executive directors, investment adviser and investment manager. The claims involve issues of professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, conflicts of interest, and fraud. 

Acted for the Claimant bank in a very high value recovery action against a high net worth individual in a claim pursuant to personal guarantees. Freezing orders were obtained, together with consequential applications for cross examinaton as to assets. Summary judgment was successfully obtained in November 2011.

Sole counsel for the Defendant insurance brokers in relation to a claim involving allegedly negligent broking of a combined commercial insurance policy. Successfully defended the action at trial and in the Court of Appeal in relation to the scope of the indemnity in relation to costs.

Acting for the Claimant bank in this €35m claim for repayment pursuant to personal guarantees and/ or oil procurement contracts. The claim involved allegations of forgery. Applied for and obtained freezing and search orders, summary judgment, and various asset enforcement orders. Applied for and obtained order for committal against the Defendant for breach of the freezing order.

In June 2017 Leona applied for and obtained an order for committal against the Defendant, following his breaches of the freezing order (before Teare J).

Acting for the Claimant companies (in liquidation) in this £15m claim against their former director and shareholder. The claim involves the dishonest payment of unlawful dividends, removal of company trust assets, and issues of alleged backdating of corporate documents. Various interlocutory orders were obtained including trust asset preservation orders and asset repatriation orders.

The action is due to proceed to trial in April 2018.

Acted as counsel in substantial arbitration concerning a commercial logistics supply agreement. 

Junior counsel in UNCITRAL arbitration concerning breach of warranty and a claim for specific performance of a put option. 

Counsel in arbitration concerning the breach of a motorsport sponsorship and marketing agreement. 

Acted as counsel in commodities (steel) arbitration.