Paul Fallon

Qualified in 1985 with Denton Wilde Sapte before joining Durrant Piesse in 1987 (and subsequently its successor firm Lovell White Durrant, now Lovells), specialising in financial services litigation.

He led the litigation team at Lovells representing the Mirror Group in connection with banking claims arising out of the defalcations of Robert Maxwell and was the Senior solicitor advising BCCI on its claims brought against the Bank of England. Represented Barclays' South African interests in connection with a complex jurisdictional claim following the collapse of a Chemical Refinery business in Swaziland where the Bank was eventually successful following an adjudication by the House of Lords (Barclays Bank of Swaziland v. Hahn). Appeared as solicitor advocate on numerous occasions. Represented the Ford Motor Company in connection with a contractual dispute which was eventually resolved following a Court of Appeal hearing and also acted for a syndicate of Exxon, Texaco and BP on complex litigation arising out of the Syndicate's disposal of its interest in the Octel Partnership.

Paul left Lovells in 1995 to join Davies Arnold Cooper ("DAC") with a brief to head their Financial Services Litigation Group. After the transition, he continued to act for Barclays but also received instructions from Standard Chartered Bank, Independent Insurance (which he represented in the seminal banking case of Lloyds Bank v. Independent Insurance) and the Bank of New York.

He left DAC for Reed Smith in September 1999 and continued to act for much the same portfolio of clients; he acted in 2000 on behalf of Petrotrade (recovering some £400,000 paid to one of its senior executives in bribes) and subsequently on a significant mediation for Barclays in connection with its financing for the redevelopment of the Sangate Site in Newcastle as well as a series of matters for Standard Chartered Bank (mostly in connection with trade finance disputes). Paul was made Head of Reed Smith's European Litigation Group in 2002.

Since founding City Law with Helen Mulcahy in February 2006, Paul has acted on complex cross border matters including the defence of claims brought against UK companies by the SEC in New York; advising on UK Regulatory issues with the FSA and dealing with the UK Takeover Panel.

Paul is Vice Chairman of Committee M (Trade Finance) of the International Bar Association. He has written and lectured widely on issues relating to domestic and cross border finance.

Interests
Reading old books and amusing his children.

View profiles by specialism: all, litigation, corporate