Blog
Can a De Facto Director be disqualified as a Director?
Fiona Simpson
"very committed and commercially minded"
Legal 500, 2020
FRENCH VERSION / VERSION FRANÇAISE
Fiona specialises in civil fraud litigation, advising clients bringing or defending civil fraud proceedings, often involving injunctions and often with an international dimension. Fiona regularly advises on freezing orders and asset tracing. She is recommended in Who's Who Legal: Asset Recovery Global Guide 2021 and listed as a Thought Leader in the Who's Who Legal: GIR - Asset Recovery 2020 Guide.
Fiona also advises clients in commercial dispute resolution matters including breach of contract, partnership disputes and shareholder/director disputes. Fiona regularly advises on jurisdiction matters where a party is domiciled outside England and Wales and/or where the subject matter of a claim involves other jurisdictions.
Fiona is actively involved in the firm's Internal Investigations and Anglo French services teams.
Fiona never underestimates the emotional involvement in litigation and the impact on clients. She understands that clients have to be able to carry on running their business and so takes the strain of the litigation from them.
She has been appointed by the High Court to act as a Supervising Solicitor in relation to the execution of Search Orders.
Fiona is listed in the global directory Who’s Who Legal for Asset Recovery and Legal Investigations and is recommended by Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.
Fiona is Kingsley Napley’s Trainee Principal. She is a French speaker who has lived and worked in France
What clients and directories have said
a very approachable litigator, efficient and organised, and she takes the time to know the case and the client."
Chambers and Partners, 2019
I am very impressed with her"
Chambers and Partners, 2019
is highly rated"
Legal 500, 2019
Recommended for her “enviable list of clients” and “superb skills obtaining search and seize orders". She regularly advises clients on internal investigations."
Who’s Who Legal and GIR top lawyers for internal /external investigations, 2017
thinks things through very carefully"
Legal 500, 2017
very measured in her approach and an extremely safe pair of hands"
Legal 500, 2017
tenacious"
Legal 500, 2016
incredibly hardworking and very assured"
Legal 500 UK, 2016
...Recommended..."
Legal 500 UK, 2015
Thank you for being a strong pillar in my life for the past few years!”
Client
Your support and the way you took things in charge have been of great comfort as I was very worried with the whole situation.”
Client
I can't recommend you and KN enough in our dealings with [other side] and thank you once again for all your efforts.”
Client
I was so relieved to hear you this morning. Congratulations for this outcome.”
Client
incredibly hardworking" and "very assured"
Legal 500
...Recommended..."
Legal 500 UK, 2015
Recent work
- Successfully defending (in the High Court and the Court of Appeal) JSC BTA Bank’s claim against Madiyar Ablyazov that monies given to him by his father were caught by freezing orders obtained against his father and should be paid to BTA in part satisfaction of judgments obtained against his father [2016] EWHC 3071 (Comm) and [2018] EWCA Civ 1176
- Obtaining a freezing order against an individual who unlawfully and in breach of trust removed several million pounds from a joint bank account, and recovering those monies for our client
- Representing an individual in defending a freezing order obtained without notice, and in support of arbitration proceedings, by a major Russian bank in the maximum sum of EUR 64.4 million
- Acting for an individual based in Switzerland defending fraud allegations and a freezing injunction
- Acting for a company involved in a joint venture defending a prohibitory injunction obtained by its joint venture partner
- Defending a finance director against allegations of fraud and breach of duty relating to the sale of a company
- Acting as the court appointed independent Supervising Solicitor on Search Orders obtained in fraud proceedings
- Advising a client who was served with a Search Order by text and What’s App and advising on compliance with that Order and defending the underlying claim
- Obtaining a freezing order against a firm of accountants and one of its partners who had removed monies from a number of clients' trust accounts and obtaining Bankers Trust orders against the defendants’ bank
- Acting for a UK company, its directors and shareholders defending allegations of advanced fee fraud brought by claimants based in Iraq and the Turks & Caicos Islands
- Defending an individual and a firm in civil fraud proceedings relating to unauthorised payment of monies held in escrow
- Acting for a company bringing a claim against a director for breach of duty and making a secret profit
- Successfully defending a claim brought against our company client by an individual purporting to be a shareholder of the company for rectification of the register of members
- Advising a company in respect of an EGM at which a director/shareholder attempted to have 2 individuals appointed to the Board and obtaining an injunction to prevent those 2 individuals holding themselves out/acting as directors of the company
- Acting for a restaurateur (director and majority shareholder) and one of his co-directors successfully defending an unfair prejudice claim brought against them by a minority shareholder/director
- Successfully striking out proceedings in England for want of jurisdiction, acting for (1) a Swiss based director of a BVI company and (2) a US based director of an English company
- Pursuing and defending professional negligence claims against surveyors, insurance brokers, solicitors, barristers, accountants and tax advisers
- Defending a high profile individual facing multiple directors' disqualification proceedings
- Advising companies and individuals who have fallen victim to Vishing frauds to recover monies from banks
Professional societies and Memberships
- Fraud Lawyers Association (committee member)
- Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association
- London Solicitors Litigation Association
a stand-out name among sources who commend her as “very commercial and completely dedicated to the client’s objectives”
Who's Who Legal: Asset Recovery Global Guide 2021
Fiona has an eye for detail, which is so important in fraud work. She can process all that complex information and make it simple enough to move the case forward."
Chambers and Partners 2020
She is meticulous, organised and efficient."
Chambers and Partners 2020
Clients love Fiona and she has the ability to drive litigation in the right direction."
Chambers and Partners 2020
extremely good extremely in relation to fraud, freezing injunctions and claims against directors."
The Legal 500 UK, 2021
Partners Sue Thackeray and Fiona Simpson are both also excellent – tough and hard working, again with an excellent litigator’s sense for judging the strengths and weaknesses of both sides’ cases."
The Legal 500 UK, 2021
extremely polished"
The Legal 500 UK, 2021
