Martin Davies

Martin’s experience includes advising:

Class Actions 

• Acting as settlement counsel in one of the largest class action before the UK courts, instructed due to our unique market position, having ex-claimant class action litigators as well as seasoned defence class action litigators giving us a unparalleled insight in to the different dynamics of class and mass actions
• A leading investment bank against class actions brought by various claimant groups against our client, and several other banks, stemming from the FX manipulation controversy. This includes claims both before the High Court as well as ongoing before the CAT
• Legal & General, Standard Life, The Prudential, Aviva, and USS in their claims against RBS arising out of a 2008 £12 billion rights issue, resulting in the seminal s.90 FSMA case, one of the largest claims ever to go before the English Courts, setting precedent for dealing with the liability of issuers of securities*
• A global social media company in regulatory proceedings in numerous jurisdictions in relation to competition and consumer regulator investigations as to the collation and use of data

Corporate and Commercial Litigation 

• A high-net-worth individual, the claimant in litigation worth over £500 million. The claim concerned an alleged conspiracy by the defendants to deprive the claimant of the ownership of shares in, and assets related to, one of the largest construction groups in the Middle East
• The insolvency administrator of an international airline in a widely-watched dispute regarding an action for damages (€2 billion) against former parent company following its decision to withdraw funding it had committed to provide in a letter of support
• An asset management firm on a ground-breaking international matter in relation to the disputed acquisition of a hotel resort in the Canary Islands

Financial and Banking Litigation

• A majority of the senior secured noteholders of a £465 million notes issuance in relation to a potentially contentious restructuring of a high-profile restaurant
• A global investment bank on litigation aspects of renegotiation of a long-term technology contract covering all of the bank’s technology implementation and support
• A FTSE 100 company in the contentious restructuring of its loan and debt agreements*
• A European national railway company adverse to its bankers over a credit defeasance agreement*

Entertainment, Sports, and Media

• An automotive sporting team on commercial and reputational risk, and potential litigation adverse to its sporting regulator, arising out of financial regulations
• Sponsors in contractual claims against the FA in relation to the FA Cup
• Wimbledon Football Club in its successful ground from Wimbledon in South London to Milton Keynes; the Club’s initial application to the Football League was rejected and Martin acted in the subsequent FA arbitration to overturn the refusal and then in the FA constituted FA Commission of Inquiry resulting in permission being granted, a decision many say will never be repeated*
• An independent inquiry into phone voting irregularities at the British Comedy Awards (including presenting those findings to OFCOM) at the appointment of ITV*
• ITV and various Group companies for more than 20 years in relation to a number of different contractual and regulatory issues*

Public Law

• Acting both for and against Sports and other regulators, including the likes of The Football League, the RFU, and OFGEM, on a variety of disputes
• A leading internet service provider (ISP) in relation to potential challenges to certain tax treatments of that, and other, ISPs
• Affected parties to new legislation introduced in Guernsey and Sark and the potential avenues of challenge, as well as making such successful challenges
• The Post Office in relation to numerous matters arising from the decision to close post offices across the UK*

*Matter handled prior to joining the firm