Laura Higgins

Full Profile

Laura has significant experience in corporate internal investigations involving bribery and corruption, often assisting clients in navigating those issues in foreign jurisdictions.  She has a particular interest in acting for clients with a presence in Russia or Eastern European countries and in reputation and crisis management work.

Laura is also experienced at dealing with external regulators and authorities both in the UK and abroad, having acted on matters requiring engagement with the Serious Fraud Office (including one which entailed the successful negotiation of and entry into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement), the Financial Reporting Council and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Experience

• Acting as the lead associate on an investigation for one of the world’s largest energy and commodity groups in respect of allegations of acts of fraud and bribery in the context of evading US sanctions against Iran.
• Acting as the lead associate on an internal investigation for a multinational professional services client in respect of certain identified financial improprieties allegedly conducted by individuals in one of its South Asian member firms.
• Advising a multinational professional services client with a multi-faceted crisis management strategy resulting from the fallout of the Gupta family scandal in South Africa.
• Advising a multinational retailer on a regulatory investigating resulting from a profit overstatement and its subsequent entry into a deferred prosecution agreement.
• Acting for an Eastern European bank in respect of litigation being brought by an individual with alleged interests in a company sold by the bank following the enforcement of its security.
• Acting for a major international investment company in connection with proceedings in the English courts, as well as formal insolvency proceedings abroad.
• Representing a consortium of dissenting shareholders in a Cayman Islands claim in relation to the merger of a Cayman registered Russian oilfield services company.
• Defending a professional services firm in respect of litigation in Latvia and Lithuania arising out of negligence claims concerning the alleged failures of its member firms to identify fraudulent transactions in year-end accounts.
• Representing a Russian businessman in a USD $2bn claim in both the Commercial Court and Chancery Division.