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Jack Francklin

Posted on: June 20th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

I am a paralegal in the Dispute Resolution team, having joined the firm in June 2025.

Prior to this role, I worked as a journalist and in the media before completing the MA Law (SQE1) course at the University of Law.

During the course I worked at the Intervene Project, where I helped bring civil claims for clients, and shadowed a barrister and a judge in separate cases in the High Court.

Away from work, I enjoy playing football and speaking Spanish, having spent a year living in Argentina and Bolivia during my undergraduate degree.

Dominic Holden

Posted on: November 12th, 2024 by Natasha Cox

I am a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team, having joined Lawrence Stephens in November 2024. My practice covers a broad range of commercial disputes for businesses and high-net-worth individuals. My cases are frequently complex, document heavy and involve multiple parties as well as a cross-border element and the need for emergency relief (e.g. freezing orders).

I specialise in substantial civil fraud claims (notably data/computer hacking claims) and complicated multi-national, enforcement and asset tracing work. I also advise on breach of trust, professional negligence, contentious insolvency and director, shareholder and/or partnership disputes.

I have also developed a niche practice in art and collectibles disputes. 

Experience highlights

  • Farhad Azima -v- Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), Neil Gerrard, Dechert LLP and James Buchanan. Acted for Mr Azima in his long-running dispute against the Ras-Al Khaimah sovereign wealth fund (and other alleged co-conspirators). The case involves allegations of computer hacking by RAKIA of Mr Azima’s confidential and privileged data. Further information on the case can be found here: https://www.brickcourt.co.uk/news/detail/judgments-in-favour-of-emirati-sovereign-wealth-fund-set-aside-on-grounds-of-fraud-by-the-fund and https://www.solicitorsjournal.com/sjarticle/uk-high-court-voids-judgments-amid-allegations-of-hacking-and-fraud
  • Advised a well-known catering company in relation to their rights, remedies and reporting obligations following a malicious breach of their email system whereby the malicious entity circulated confidential information and disparaging comments to members of staff which (in part) led to threatened trade union action.
  • Advised a wealthy businessman on his rights and remedies following the alleged hacking of his personal data and forging of documents by a firm of private investigators to support a substantial claim against him (and others) in the English High Court.
  • Acting for a fintech client in relation to their claims against a payment aggregator. Obtaining an emergency worldwide freezing order, proprietary injunction and disclosure orders concerning the misappropriation of a substantial sum.
  • Substantial fraud claim against a rogue builder following his gross over-charging of an elderly client. An emergency freezing order, proprietary injunction, third party disclosure order and an order for the delivery up of a number of high value vehicles obtained. Further assisted the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to bring a successful criminal prosecution against the rogue builder.
  • Successfully defended a fraudulent attempt to obtain adverse possession of land and obtained judgment that the documents later relied on in enforcement proceedings were a sham.

Matt Green

Posted on: June 13th, 2024 by Natasha Cox

I am a leading figure and highly experienced specialist litigator in complex and multi‑jurisdictional disputes involving blockchain technology and digital assets. My practice includes crypto asset recovery for individuals and businesses following a hack, scam or misappropriation, including matters where wrongdoers are unknown or outside the jurisdiction, as well as contractual disputes with digital assets at their core.

I have extensive experience obtaining urgent, bespoke injunctions, including worldwide freezing orders, search orders (such as Anton Piller orders) and specific disclosure orders, and I have advised in some of the leading cases in this sector. By developing clear legal strategies informed by the underlying technology, I have recovered millions of pounds’ worth of digital assets for clients.

My expertise has been recognised in the leading legal directories, most recently in the Crypto‑Asset Disputes section of Chambers and Partners’ FinTech Guide 2026.

My practice also includes commercial litigation and disputes concerning technology and intellectual property matters, including trade mark and copyright infringement relating to digital, artistic and technology‑focused works.

My active involvement in the industry includes a number of high‑profile external appointments:

  • I am currently Chair of techUK’s Digital Asset Working Group, which represents members involved in blockchain technology. I led techUK’s “2030 Vision: A Roadmap for Building a Digital Assets Economy” and continue to work with Parliamentarians on implementation across the private and public sectors.
  • I was selected to give in‑person expert evidence to the House of Lords Special Public Bill Committee on the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Bill as both a legal practitioner and industry leader.
  • I am also a non‑executive director, leading legal strategy at M2 Recovery, a post‑incident legal expenses insurance provider for the recovery of cryptoassets and their proceeds.
  • As founder and host of the In Early podcast, I speak with leading figures in the blockchain and technology sectors. Episodes are available via YouTube, Apple, and Spotify.

Experience highlights

  • AA v Persons Unknown [2019] EWHC 3556 (Comm)  (Comm) (13 December 2019) where, following a ransomware attack, an insurer paid Bitcoin in return for a Canadian hospital’s access to its customers’ data. This case confirmed that Bitcoin and crypto assets broadly were ‘property’ at common law and helped shape much of the law surrounding the status and strategies in freezing and recovering crypto assets around the world. It is highly cited in academic papers and judgments globally.
  • Advising a London hedge fund following the loss of  c.2 million USDC, obtaining a worldwide freezing injunction and an Anton Piller order, and recovering funds in nine working days (Matt Green on Recovering $1.5M in USDC in Under Two Weeks: Legal “Nuclear Options” and Peer-to-Peer Strategy – Lawrence Stephens).
  • In a contractual dispute, settling a claim within a month of instruction, relating to 211,666,666 World Liberty Financial tokens, for c.10,600,000 USDC.   
  • Acting for a cryptocurrency brokerage whose business functionality was blocked by their service and liquidity provider following court orders obtained by the Secret Service, resulting in the recovery of approximately US$1 million in Tether.
  • Obtaining reliefs against North Korean hackers following an exploit of an established crypto address provider and serving documents via Ether-based NFTs.
  • Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Craig Steven Wright [2024] EWHC 1198 (Ch) (20 May 2024), joint proceedings concerning copyright and database claims, focusing on the identity of the Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto and whether he can exercise intellectual property rights over “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”.
  • Tulip Trading Limited (A Seychelles Company) v Bitcoin Association For BSV & Ors: Devising a new strategy for the recovery of (i) private keys, preventing access to billions of pounds’ worth of Bitcoin, and (ii) other crypto assets worth millions as part of a wider hack. 
  • Securing private Court Orders against and working with major cryptocurrency exchanges to freeze funds and comply with enforcement provisions following sophisticated investment platform and romance scams. 

Publications

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Andrew Conway

Posted on: February 10th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

Having qualified in 1995, I joined Lawrence Stephens in April 1999 and have been a Partner since July 2003.

I advise extensively in relation to contractual disputes, breach of warranty claims, employment disputes, debt recovery and enforcement, insolvency-related matters (both personal and corporate), partnership and shareholders’ disputes, professional negligence claims and all manner of property-related litigation. I am also a member of the Property Litigation Association (PLA), and the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA).

My clients include businesses, real estate investment funds, asset managers, lenders and individuals.

I am married with two sons and live in North West London. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, walking our two dogs, Buster and Hugo, playing golf and supporting Watford FC.

Experience highlights 

  • Advising a Premier League footballer in relation to High Court proceedings arising from a contractual dispute with his former agent
  • Obtaining injunctions against the former directors of a software development business in relation to both the theft of confidential information and the establishment of a competing business in breach of post-termination restrictive covenants
  • Advising property developers in connection with a claim for damages against their building contractors for defective works and breach of contract
  • Acting for a property trading company in relation to a disputed claim for substantial dilapidations on expiry of a lease of commercial premises
  • Advising a client in connection with claims (in both the Employment Tribunal and the High Court) against her former employer for unfair dismissal and sex and race discrimination

Eddie Johns

Posted on: February 10th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I’ve worked for solicitors in the City of London for over 40 years.  Described by my clients as “the least lawyer-like lawyer” they’ve seen, my refreshing preference for plain-speaking and down-to-earth manner inspire trust.

My particular strength is in resolving problems in an efficient, speedy and economical way. I have extensive experience in business crime, commercial litigation, Revenue matters and extradition work.

I’m a member of BASL and represent several sports people, primarily in football; both playing and management staff.  I’ve acted on matters before the FA disciplinary panel and its appeal panel as well as extensive FA investigations.

Recently, I successfully concluded major extradition case after a 21-year battle arising from one of the largest civil litigation matters ever heard by the English Court, involving multi-jurisdictional claims.

I have obtained a multi-million-pound judgment for a major business figure establishing fraud and forgery by the defendant within the civil court.  I’ve also brought to the firm an excellent network of contacts together with a loyal client following, some of whom I have acted for in excess of 40 years.

When time allows for outside interests, I enjoy watching football (this is in spite of being a Crystal Palace season ticket holder), motor sport and travel.  I’ve been married for over 40 years and have 2 grown up children and 2 wonderful grandchildren.

Experience highlights 

  • DW v TJ – Successful prosecution of claim for return of £500,000
  • SA v MA – Successful application for husband dismissing wife’s continuing maintenance claim
  • FKJ v Gov’t Spain – Undecided full application to European Court of Human Rights
  • FKJ v SSHD – Contested Extradition 2000 – 2021
  • JC v DW – Successful strike out of claim against client for £500,000
  • MA v TJ £5m judgment secured having overcome jurisdictional challenge
  • FA v X Successful dismissal of FA suspension after 2.5 years

Rosalin Gautam

Posted on: February 10th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I joined Lawrence Stephens as a Dispute Resolution solicitor in September 2021 and am now a Senior Associate in the team.

I have diverse experience within civil and commercial litigation and act on matters relating to breach of contract, partnership and joint venture disputes, shareholders disputes, professional negligence and individual and corporate insolvency.  

My practice also extends to matters of regulatory law, criminal investigations (including a Crown Court trial) and civil fraud, including a focus in the blockchain technology and digital asset sector where I assist my clients with cryptoasset recovery following a hack, scam or misappropriation of their crypto assets.  

I am a native Swede and am fluent in Swedish.  As a Swede, I am very interested in ice hockey, a sport which I have both played and watched for many years.

Alex Ronan

Posted on: February 10th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I joined Lawrence Stephens in January 2023 as a paralegal within the Private Wealth and Succession Planning Team, before starting my training contract in September that year.  I completed seats within the Dispute Resolution, Commercial Real Estate, Employment and Sports & Entertainment teams, before qualifying into the Real Estate Disputes team within the Dispute Resolution department in September 2025.

I work on a range of contentious commercial and property matters including possession claims, breaches of contract and covenants, construction and development disputes, forfeiture matters, insolvency and much more.

Outside of the office, I’m often found out for a run, exploring new places (be that in London or further afield) and trying new restaurants with family and friends.