Ned Beale, head of Towers & Hamlins’ international arbitration team, has joined specialist litigation firm, Hausfeld, in London. 

Beale joins with of counsel Olena Gulyanytska and brings with him international disputes experience spanning Russia, Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa.

His track record includes acting in high-value, London-centred Commercial Court claims embracing civil fraud work, as well as aviation, TMT and financial services. Beale acted for UK legislators intervening in a 2020 UK Supreme Court case, Marex Financial, which is now an authority on the rule against reflective loss in damages and is acting for the same clients in the forthcoming Times Travel Supreme Court case which is considering the doctrine of economic duress.   

That litigation heft adds strength to Hausfeld’s existing commercial disputes resolution team, which now has seven partners and 22 lawyers in London.  Last year the US-based claimant firm added sixteen lawyers in London, including international product liability lawyer Sarah Moore, who joined the firm as a partner from Leigh Day in October.

Core to Beale’s move, however, is his ability to combine both litigation and arbitration, especially in the main arbitral centres, such as the LCIA and ICC, as well as acting as an arbitrator himself. 

That work – focusing on aviation finance, mainstream banking, structured finance and media and broadcast rights – lends itself to Hausfeld’s ambitions to compete with fellow boutiques such as Signature Litigation, Enyo Law, and Stewarts Law, as well as mid-market City law firms.  

Lianne Craig, head of commercial disputes, said: “Ned is extremely well regarded in the City and his practice complements our commercial disputes work while also broadening our arbitration practice where we have seen an increasing number of instructions.” Beale added: “A specialist disputes practice of Hausfeld’s calibre and reputation seems to be a perfect fit for me and my clients."

Last February, Hausfeld opened its seventh European office after absorbing niche Amsterdam claimant firm Zippro Meijer.