Lauren Hitchman

Lauren has considerable experience in commercial disputes, as both sole and junior counsel:

• Crane Bank and others v dfcu Bank and others: acting for the claimants (led by Hannah Brown KC and David Caplan) in a high-value Commercial Court conspiracy claim, in which it is alleged that several defendants conspired with the Bank of Uganda in order to procure the “resolution” and sale at an undervalue of the assets and liabilities of one of Uganda’s leading financial institutions. Judgments include [2024] EWHC 2773 (Comm) and [2024] EWHC 2836 (Comm).
• Bourlakova v Bourlakov: instructed by the claimants in multi-billion-dollar fraud proceedings against a deceased oligarch and his associates. The claim involves allegations of deceit, forgery, offshore asset misappropriation and the deliberate destruction of evidence.
• Flowcrete UK Ltd and others v Vebro Polymers UK Ltd and others (2023): acted for the claimants (led by Timothy Killen) in a claim for breach of confidence and unlawful means conspiracy relating to the alleged taking of confidential information by a competitor in the industrial and construction chemicals industry;
• Flowcrete UK Ltd and others v Vebro Polymers UK Ltd and others [2023] EWHC 22 (Comm): assisted Charles Dougherty KC and Timothy Killen in this application brought by the defendants to injunct the claimants from relying upon allegedly inadvertently disclosed privileged materials;
• A fintech company v former employees (ongoing): acting for the claimant (led by Diya Sen Gupta KC) in a claim against former employees for the misuse of confidential information;
• A v B (2023): acting (led by Timothy Killen) in a US$10m DIAC Arbitration concerning the supply and upgrade of a mobile land drilling rig (Dubai seat, English law governed);
• X and Y v Z (2022): instructed (led by Timothy Killen) in a High Court (TCC) dispute concerning the design and construction of a domestic property. Lauren was instructed as sole counsel in an application to amend;
• A v B and C (ongoing): acting as sole counsel for a legal services company in a claim against its former directors;
• A v several defendants (2022): instructed (led by Timothy Killen) in a product liability and property damage claim in the High Court. The main claim and its related contribution claims arose out of a fire to a commercial property;
• N v M (ongoing): acting as sole counsel for a company in the sports sector in a claim for misrepresentation and breach of contract;
• PJSC National Bank Trust and another v Mints and another [2021] EWHC 692 (Comm): (as a pupil) assisting Charles Dougherty KC and Timothy Killen in this case concerning whether England was the appropriate forum for proceedings between state-owned Russian banks and foreign domiciled Defendants.

Lauren has considerable experience in commercial disputes, as both sole and junior counsel: 

• Crane Bank and others v dfcu Bank and others: acting for the claimants (led by Hannah Brown KC and David Caplan) in a high-value Commercial Court conspiracy claim, in which it is alleged that several defendants conspired with the Bank of Uganda in order to procure the “resolution” and sale at an undervalue of the assets and liabilities of one of Uganda’s leading financial institutions. Judgments include [2024] EWHC 2773 (Comm) and [2024] EWHC 2836 (Comm).
• Bourlakova v Bourlakov: instructed by the claimants in multi-billion-dollar fraud proceedings against a deceased oligarch and his associates. The claim involves allegations of deceit, forgery, offshore asset misappropriation and the deliberate destruction of evidence.
• A fintech company v former employees (ongoing): acting for the claimant (led by Diya Sen Gupta KC) in a claim against former employees for the misuse of confidential information;
• Flowcrete UK Ltd and others v Vebro Polymers UK Ltd and others (2023): acted for the claimants (led by Timothy Killen) in a claim for breach of confidence and unlawful means conspiracy relating to the alleged taking of confidential information by a competitor in the industrial and construction chemicals industry;
• Flowcrete UK Ltd and others v Vebro Polymers UK Ltd and others [2023] EWHC 22 (Comm): assisted Charles Dougherty KC and Timothy Killen in this application brought by the defendants to injunct the claimants from relying upon allegedly inadvertently disclosed privileged materials;

Lauren is regularly instructed in employment law matters in both the High Court and the Employment Tribunal. She was on part-time secondment to the employment department of Allen and Overy from May 2022 to February 2023.

Lauren has experience in a wide range of employment disputes, including discrimination, harassment, victimisation, unfair dismissal, whistleblowing, equal pay, and constructive dismissal.

Lauren has particular experience in commercial employment matters, including those concerning the misuse of confidential information and breach of restrictive covenants. She also has experience of injunctive work.

Lauren has been appointed to the Employment Lawyers Association Junior Committee.

Highlights of Lauren’s work include:

• Several bankers v a major bank (2023): acting as part of the counsel team for the respondent (led by Claire McCann) in a complex claim including allegations of whistleblowing, harassment, and discrimination;
• A fintech company v former employees (ongoing): acting for the claimant (led by Diya Sen Gupta KC) in a claim against former employees for the misuse of confidential information;
• Flowcrete UK Ltd and others v Vebro Polymers UK Ltd and others (2023): acted for the claimants (led by Timothy Killen) in a claim for breach of confidence and unlawful means conspiracy relating to the alleged taking of confidential information;
• Abbani v Nuffield Health: Acting as sole counsel for the successful claimant in a multi-day final hearing against the UK’s largest healthcare charity in a claim for unfair dismissal and age discrimination;
• Acting as sole counsel for the successful respondent in a constructive dismissal claim;
• Acting as sole counsel for the claimant in a claim brought against a household name for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination (settled before final hearing).

Lauren is a member of the Attorney General's C Panel of Counsel.

Lauren is frequently instructed in high profile and sensitive public law matters. She is currently instructed as junior Counsel to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, and was instructed as a junior junior on the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Alongside her inquiry work, Lauren has been instructed in various judicial reviews, including under the National Security and Investment Act 2021. She was instructed by the Government Legal Department as a junior junior on R (Good Law Project) v Prime Minister (and ors) and R (All the Citizens) v SSDCMS (and anr) [2022] EWHC 960 (Admin), joined judicial reviews of the use of non-Government communications systems such as WhatsApp.

Lauren has considerable experience in insurance matters. She is regularly instructed in a wide range of insurance disputes, particularly those involving allegations of fraud.

As a pupil, Lauren assisted on a variety of insurance disputes, including a case concerning issues of policy cover arising out of business interruption losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a multi-million-pound arbitration concerning coverage under a Professional Indemnity policy.

Lauren accepts instructions in professional liability disputes.

Her recent work includes:

• acting for the defendant accountant in relation to a claim concerning the allegedly negligent provision of tax advice;
• acting as sole counsel in various claims against medical professionals;
• assisting (as a pupil) Charles Dougherty KC with a claim brought against several lawyers arising out of an alleged fraud.