Lucy Bone

Lucy has extensive expertise in a range of post-termination matters, including restrictive covenants, fiduciary duties and preparatory steps to compete. She has depth of experience across market sectors in particular traders and hedge funds, insurance brokers, account executive and the recruitment sector. Some recent examples:

Acted for Insurance Brokers in obtaining urgent injunction including springboard relief following a team move and conspiracy involving 12 employees and a former director.
Successfully obtained Springboard injunction for a housebuilding firm following a team move. Allegations include misuse of confidential information and unlawful preparatory steps to compete. Now proceeding to trial in QBD.
Acted for former employee of PR and Communications firm in defending an injunction application to enforce Post Termination Restraints. 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 contested injunction controlling the Defendants’ use of Linked-In groups and connections. Successfully obtained relief including forcing the Defendants to give up password access to the account
Instructed to advise and assist a solicitors firm with 100 clients implicated in the Panama Papers scandal, including a prominent foreign statesman. Advised on injunction against publication and related privacy/confidentiality issues.
Instructed by international accountancy firm to obtain General Civil Restraint Order against vexatious litigant on interim basis, to cover all potential Defendants in the civil courts and employment tribunals. This is the widest form of civil restraint and is rarely ordered.

Lucy undertakes general commercial work with an emphasis on business protection and unlawful competition, directors’ duties and fiduciary duties. Many of her cases are resolved before proceedings are issued and/or are commercially sensitive. Recent cases include:

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 known for her comprehensive experience of all aspects of statutory employment claims, particularly high value claims, including discrimination and equal pay, and Public Interest Disclosure dismissals. Recent experience of note includes:

Acting for Nathalie Abildgaard in a s.26(2) sexual harassment claim arising from advances made by an Executive Director of hedge fund IFM. Represented at 2 week hearing which was widely reported in the national press. Settled after Respondent received Lucy’s closing submissions, for £270,000 and without a gagging clause.
Advising an accountancy firm on the defence of equal pay complaints made by a senior manager in respect of a cross-border role.
Acting for executive in an aviation firm claiming equal pay for like work.
Acting for a medical Professor accused of sexual harassment by several female colleagues. Having successfully resisted dismissal, the Professor is now arguing sex discrimination in a “reverse MeToo” claim.
Represented two former employees at 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 QC. Case settled on confidential terms on the second day of trial.
Acting for a senior executive in an engineering company, dismissed upon being diagnosed with cancer, despite 30 years’ service. Disability discrimination claim is valued at £1.6 million.
Successfully defended an international investment bank in a 2 week hearing against allegations of sex harassment and victimization arising from conduct on a trading desk.
Represented an employee at a major investment and retail bank in substantial claim for whistleblowing and victimisation. Case settled on confidential terms shortly before trial.
Acted in a substantial whistleblowing claim for senior banker dismissed after 20 years’ clean service. The disclosures concerned issues of regulatory non-compliance and white-collar crime including ‘front-running’ of trades.

Lucy acts frequently on matters concerning senior executives including remuneration and bonus claims, and allegations of breach of directors’ duties including fiduciary duties. Recent experience includes:

• Defended hedge fund against dismissal and bonus claim by former employee. Bonus claim concerned arguments on the exercise of discretion during the notice period.

• Advised a hedge fund on strategy for exiting an underperforming executive and shareholder, and defending the firm against his allegations of age discrimination.

• Conducted Internal Investigation into misconduct by LLP member of a well-known PR and consultancy firm.

• Advised a travel agents in relation to misfeasance 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’s disciplinary and regulatory practice includes acting as Investigator, as well as representing at internal hearings. Specific experience of sex harassment investigations, and Lucy is known for handling such investigations with sensitivity to all sides while ensuring a thorough investigation. She has is often involved in cases with a financial services dimension, and undertook the LSE short course on Financial Services Regulation in May 2015. Recent experience includes:

• Acting for a medical Professor accused of sexual harassment by several female colleagues. Having successfully resisted dismissal, the Professor is now arguing sex discrimination in a “reverse MeToo” claim.

• Acted as Independent Investigator in relation to alleged sex harassment and predatory behavior by the Managing Director of international City-based PR firm.

• Appointed by renowned association in the arts world as Independent Appeal Officer to hear appeals of several members expelled for bullying an employee.

• Appointed by a national TV channel as Independent Investigator to determine a grievance brought by a senior 58 year old female employee against the CEO. As well as allegations of sexual harassment and assault, there were fraud allegations including accounting irregularities, misuse of company monies and manipulation of due diligence pending a takeover.

• Acted for regulated trader (CF30), on his suspension and the Bank’s investigations in relation to c£50m trading losses.