Lucy Bone

Extensive experience of unlawful competition and business protection disputes, including confidential information/database rights, enforcing restrictive covenants, springboard relief, diversion of business opportunities and team-moves. Lucy is regularly instructed on urgent injuctions, and appeared for successful appellant in leading case on interim enforcement of non-compete covenants, Planon v. Gilligan [2022] EWCA Civ 624. She has depth of experience in the special features of navigating business protection disputes to trial, including speedy trials.

Featured Cases:

• Acting for IFA firm against competitor firm and ex-employee, where +150 clients taken. Proceeding to 6-day trial in Newcastle BPC in 2027.
• Representing Fintech firm in recovering stolen IP and diverted business opportunities. Obtained extensive injunctive relief including Imaging Orders in January 2026. Proceeding to trial in KBD.
• Sole Counsel in speedy trial raising undecided issues of impact of TUPE on interpretation and enforcement of restrictive covenants. Listed for 4-day trial in KBD in March 2026; settled (against John Mehrzad KC and Georgina Churchhouse).
• Advised shipbroker firm on team move of entire desk to rival firm (spring 2026). Novel arguments about garden leave.
• Acted for Defendants in Tech sector in successfully resisting interim enforcement of non-compete covenants and pre-action disclosure requests.
• Represented food manufacturer faced with a team move and theft of proprietary information. Obtained springboard relief and order for forensic search of computers and devices. Matter settled in Spring 2024 after CCMC in Manchester BPC (sole counsel against Andrew Grantham KC).
• Resisted injunction to enforce minimum notice period against solicitor; Hine LLP v. Jones [2023] EWHC 1708.
• Acted for successful appellant in Planon v. Gilligan [2022] EWCA Civ 624 (Leading James Green). Leading case on enformcemnt of non-competes by injunction. CA considered principles relating to restrictive covenant injunctions, hardship as a defence to enforcement of non-compete, delay and balance of convenience.
• Represented 10 Defendants to injunction to restrain employment at a competitor recruitment firm (unled against Daniel Tatton Brown KC).
• Represented eight defendants on a springboard injunction where a prior preservation of evidence order had been obtained without notice.
• Successfully acted for Defendants in Parker Steel v. Barrett Steel [2019]. Novel argument as to the effect of Reg 4 (7) on enforceability of covenants where employees have objected to transfer.
• Secured an urgent injunction for Insurance Brokers including springboard relief following a team move and conspiracy involving 12 employees and a former director.
• Acted for former employee of PR and Communications firm in defending an injunction to enforce restrictive covenants. The case raised issues as to the basis for and appropriate scope of springboard relief, and the interplay between the necessary pre-action steps and delay.
• Acted for the Claimant media company in the first known injunction to restore control of corporate Linked-In groups and connections; Whitmar v. Gamage Limited [2013] EWHC 1881.

Lucy is expert in high-value commercial litigation, representing businesses, individuals and stakeholders in complex corporate and commercial disputes. Lucy is regularly instructed in cases involving allegations of commercial fraud and misconduct, including misrepresentation, diversion of business opportunities, breaches of fiduciary duty and economic torts. Lucy acted for the successful claimant in Lux Films Ltd v. Fowler [2026] EWHC 936, the leading case on unlawful means conspiracy claims against sole controllers.  Lucy provides outcomes-focused strategic advice and robust advocacy at all stages of ligitation.

Featured Cases:

• Acting for national IFA firm against North England based competitor firm in dispute over diversion of business and clients.
• Acting for Fintech company against conspiracy of currenct and former employees to misappropriate a newly developed product and client base. Obtained interim relief including Imaging Order and delivery up of stolen materia (2026). Proceeding to trial in KBD.
• Acting in Lux Films Ltd v. Fowler [2026] and successfully established that director can enter an unlawful means conspiracy with his own company. Won on further claims including breaches of fiduciary duty. Proceeding to remedies including constructive trust over diverted business and damages
• Won claims of breach of directors and fiduciary duties, knowing receipt, unlawful means conspiracy in Lux Films Limited v. Fowler [2026].
• Represented corporate Defendant and 8 ex-employees in team move and conspiracy claim. Allegations of preparatory steps, breaches of directors’ duties, fiduciary duties, inducing breach of contract and unlawful means conspiracy. Acted in PHs and mediation (against Sam Neaman and Grahame Anderson).Settled.
• Acted (led by Gavin Mansfield KC) for a housebuilding firm following a team move. Allegations included conspiracy, misuse of confidential information and unlawful preparatory steps to compete. Obtained injunctive relief, drafted pleadings, represented at various interim hearings including specific disclosure. Settled at mediation.
• Represented Defendants in a team move to a newly formed financial advisory company, resisting springboard relief and Wrotham Park damages.
• Instructed by one of the Defendant employees in the Capco litigation, facing a £130 million claim in the fintech sector including conspiracy and breach of intellectual property.
• Acted for Defendant employee in alleged team move, facing claim under Computer Misuse Act and for misappropriation of confidential information and breach of copyright.
• Represented a Proprietary Hedge Fund against several former traders and a competitor fund re infringement of copyright and misappropriation of trade secrets including trading data and algorithms.
• Instructed by a financial services provider working with retail outlets following a team move. Advised on potential claims, and availability of Wrotham Park damages.
• Advised a media and communications company following the discovery that one of its directors had used information stolen from a competitor in devising customer lists and marketing strategies.

Lucy is particularly sought after in high-value discrimination, harassment and private equal pay cases. Lucy brings 25 years of experience acting for both claimants and respondents, and prides herself as a versatile strategist. Lucy is recognised for her meticulous preparation and powerful courtroom advocacy.

Featured Cases:

• Leading junior counsel in 2 substantial EAT appeals raising important issues on expert evidence and medical disclosure in disability discrimination claims. 2-day hearing at EAT in spring 2027.
• Acted for neurodivergent FX trader in £12 million claim of sex and disability discrimination (against Diya Sen Gupta KC and Kate Balmer). Complex claims include private equal pay claim against comparator earning 4x claimant’s comp. Settled on eve of 15-day trial (2025).
• Acted for Claimant claiming race discrimination and victimisation against US-based financial services company. Jurisdictional issues arising from cross-border corporate relationships. Successfully defended the Claimant when the Respondents attempted to clawback a Sign-On Bonus by Statutory Demand. Case settled confidentially at start of 8 day trial (2024).
• Acted for Claimant in Koktenturk v. Genesis Investment Management (against Tom Kibling). Claimant was Associate Partner and alleged sex discriminatory performance appraisal and dismissal. Case settled on confidential terms after closing submissions.
• Acted for Global Bank facing allegations of discrimination on the grounds of Religion and Belief. Legal issues as to nature of Philosophical Belief.
• Acted for the Claimant in Barrow v. Kellog Brown Root [2021], the second highest disability discrimination award, at over £2.5 million including £7,500 aggravated damages. Represented at two week hearing conducted by CVP in September 2020 and 3 day remedies hearing in April 2021.
• Instructed in 10 day high value claim against cryptocurrency firm for sex discrimination and harassment.
• Acted for Nathalie Abildgaard in s.26(2) sexual harassment claim against hedge fund IFM. Widely reported in the national press. Settled on open terms after exchange of closing submissions, for £270,000.
• Represented a medical professor accused of sexual harassment by several female colleagues. Successful at the internal hearing in preventing dismissal. Subsequent tribunal complaint of reverse sex discrimination settled before hearing.
• Successfully defended an International Investment Bank against allegations of sex harassment and victimisation arising from conduct on a trading desk including distribution of obscene material.

Lucy is frequently instructed in public interest disclosure cases and brings her forensic approach to the technical issues that arise. Cases often involve complex technical or financial disclosures and have regulatory implications. She has experience of advising on and resisting Interim Relief applications, and significant trial experience.

Featured Cases:

• Defended Fintech start-up in complex whistleblowing dispute, where CTO disclosed alleged regulatory breaches to investors and to FCA. Won, with findings that CTO made disclosures as part of internal power struggle.
• Successfully resisted application for Interim Relief by alleged whistleblower (2025).
• Successfully defended a hedge fund against allegations of regulatory breaches in relation to KYC, money laundering and alleged misrepresentations in prospectus.
• Acted for successful Claimant in whistleblowing case of Meenan v. Tesco Pension Investment [2022]. Tribunal upheld allegation that Claimant made disclosures of errors in the fund’s charging structure, leading to overcharging, made by the COO. Acted unled against Bruce Carr KC at liability hearing, then against Gavin Mansfield KC at remedies hearing. Achieved 21 months future loss.
• Acted for Global Bank in two joined cases valued at £9.2 million, cross border jurisdictional issues in relation to individual respondents. Very serious allegation that Bank’s defective algorithm caused regular manipulation of market data. Led by Paul Goulding KC.
• Represented two former employees of FTSE in complex whistleblowing claims concerning alleged inaccuracies in financial indices and failures in regulatory compliance. The Claimants sought loss of earnings and payment of LTIPs worth +£750,000. Acted unled against David Reade KC. Case settled on confidential terms on the second day of trial.

Experienced in matters concerning senior executives including remuneration and bonus claims, including claims at the intersection of partnership law and statutory employment. Frequently acts for high net worth individuals and in cases with regulatory implications.

Featured Cases:

• Advised Brokerage on novel claim by desk head to implied right to have garden leave.
• Advised Hedge Fund on PILON where it subsequently discovered prior misconduct.
• Defended a senior executive at US tech firm against a claim for clawback of substantial signing-on bonus. Linked civil proceedings and cross-border aspect.
• Advised director with share options valued at £3 million on Good Leaver status in negotiations for dismissal.
• Advised equity partner and star performer of an ESG hedge fund, with remuneration package of £25m+, on negotiations for agreed exit. Drafted Particulars of Claim which were deployed to obtain settlement on favourable terms.
• Defended hedge fund against dismissal and bonus claim by former employee. Novel point of law concerning the exercise of discretion not to pay bonus during the notice period.
• Provided an Expert Opinion on English law of termination of employment contracts in the event of executive misconduct for use in long-running multi-party US commercial litigation.
• Advised a hedge fund on strategy for exiting an underperforming executive and shareholder, and defending the firm against his allegations of age discrimination.
• Advised a travel agents in relation to misconduct and breach of fiduciary duties by Managing Director including expenses fraud and misappropriation of company monies.
• Advised the London branch of a Swiss hedge fund on the termination of a director of a hedge fund, where the director had shareholdings in the Swiss parent company.

Lucy has 25 years of experience of statutory matters including TUPE, collective redundancy and multi-party disputes. She is often instructed in test cases on worker status, across a variety of business sectors.

Featured Cases:

• Representing company in appeal on the undecided question of whether partners and quasi-partners are workers within s. 230 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
• Represented Citysprint in 5-day test case on worker status, affecting 2500 countries nationally (2025).
• Acted for a leading National Construction Firm in dispute as to status of bricklayers and foremen. Successful in resisting employee status. Impact for several hundred employees and implications across housebuilding sector.
• Advising a leading infrastructure company on TUPE transfer following a pretender to multiple transferees, including issues of fragmentation. Barrett Steel v Parker Steel: acted in rare case on the interplay of restrictive covenants and TUPE transfer. Successfully resisted injunction for several employees who had objected to the transfer.
• Advising an accountancy firm on the defence of equal pay complaints made by a senior manager in respect of a cross-border role.
• Equal pay claim of like work brought by multiple claimants against an aviation firm.

Known for her robust yet sensitive approach and praised for “impressive balance”, Lucy is sought after as an independent investigator. She is one of just 25 individuals recognised for such work in Chambers and Partners. Lucy has wide experience of diverse investigations at all business levels including C-suite, and has conducted interviews and hearings of executives, senior partners, department heads, star traders and business owners.

Featured Cases:

• Conducted Culture Review for a major rail company. Made recommendations to enhance the working experience of female employees at all levels, and recommended strategies for increasing female promotions to senior leadership and board.
• Disciplinary officer for global software firm. Senior executive accused of gross misconduct upon his arrest for rape. Made findings and recommended sanctions.
• Grievance Appeal officer for major public body, complaints brought by senior Black woman, including allegations against Senior Leadership Team and HR director. Grievance backed by Trade Union as flagship race discrimination complaint, with linked tribunal proceedings.
• Grievance investigation for a global Magic Circle Solicitors firm. Allegations of bad faith and defamation made by one equity partner against others including UK Managing Partner. Led the investigation, interviewed 12 witnesses including several Global Heads of Department in US and Middle East. Collated 6 lever arch files of evidence and condensed reasoning and findings into user-friendly 59 page report.
• Appeal Chair for international art gallery deciding interlinked appeals: 1. Against dismissal for sexual assault/harassment; 2. Against rejection of grievances brought by harassed employees.
• Highly sensitive grievance investigation concerning alleged male rape during a work trip.
• Disciplinary investigation into allegations of sex harassment and predatory conduct by the Managing Director and LLP Partner of international City-based PR firm. Proposed appropriate sanctions and made recommendations.
• Appointed by renowned performing arts association as Independent Appeal Officer to hear appeals of four members (all prominent artists in their sector) against their expulsion and findings that they had bullied the employed CEO.
• Investigation into misconduct by CEO of a national TV channel. As well as allegations of sexual harassment and assault, there were fraud allegations including accounting irregularities, misuse of company monies and misfeasance in a pre-takeover due diligence process.

LLB (1997) Kings College London; LLM in Corporate and Commercial Law (1998)

Queen Mother Scholar (Middle Temple)

Advocacy Trainer (Middle Temple)

CEDR qualified mediator

ELBA, ELA, COMBAR

Middle Temple