John Lee

John Lee

Partner

John is a partner in Travers Smith's Dispute Resolution Department.

John’s practice encompasses a broad range of complex and high-value commercial disputes, with a focus on financial markets and investment disputes. He is described by clients as "an exceptional partner - highly intelligent, hard-working, calm, measured and practical, with excellent client-handling skills, even with the most difficult clients". He is also one of London’s leading practitioners in the field of cryptoassets, smart contracts and blockchain technology, having acted on Tulip Trading — the leading English case on the legal status of cryptoassets and the duties owed by blockchain developers — and is recognised by The Legal 500 as “a first-rate lawyer in the crypto area”.

John acts for investment banks and other financial institutions, alternative asset managers, corporates and UHNW individuals in high-value, cross-border litigation before the English courts, with particular depth of expertise in banking and finance, capital markets, private capital, securitisations, and derivatives and structured products disputes. In the fintech space, he acts for both crypto-native and traditional financial institutions on trading, asset recovery and governance matters. His articles are regularly published in journals, including Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, and he is frequently invited to speak at leading industry conferences.

John's broader practice spans post-M&A and shareholder disputes, civil fraud, and professional negligence claims.

Work highlights

Acting on Tulip Trading Limited vs Bitcoin Association, ca. $4.5bn claim against Bitcoin developers for the recovery of stolen bitcoin holdings, the leading case in the English Court on the legal characterisation of crypto-assets, the nature and extent of control exercised and the legal duties owed by the developers of the associated permissionless blockchain networks and the legal remedies available to owners of those assets.

Acting for a French Ligue 1 club in a complex receivables financing dispute over the alleged factoring of receivables due under purported player transfer agreements, involving multiple applicable laws (including FIFA Regulations) and jurisdictions.

Acting for a private equity firm and its investee company in relation to claims made by the latter's founder and minority shareholder for fraud and other serious wrongdoing, and counterclaims for breach of contract, defamation and harassment.

Acting for a Euronext listed company in defending an unfair prejudice claim brought by a founder and minority shareholder in relation to a mining JV

Acting for investment banks, trustees, agents and other financial institutions, asset managers, funds and corporates on a variety of banking and finance, capital markets, securitisation, and derivatives and structured products disputes, including valuation, inter-creditor and other disputes.

Acting for a major financial institution in a +£100m professional negligence claim brought against its Magic Circle firm of solicitors and its paying agent in relation to a series of issuances under a medium-term note programme.

Acting for the issuer of commercial mortgage backed securities in professional negligence claims worth over £180m in the High Court against property valuers in respect of the negligent over-valuation of a portfolio of 30 commercial properties.

Acting for an ultra-high-net-worth individual in High Court claims for professional negligence against a Big Four firm and its affiliate law firm in respect of negligent tax and legal advice.

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