Professional practice

Lorraine has a broad practice in commercial (both litigation and arbitration) and international law. Her commercial practice encompasses civil fraud, contractual disputes, shipping, and general commercial matters. Examples of recent matters include a breach of contract and unlawful means conspiracy claim in respect of a large contract involving a foreign state, litigation relating to trusts and asset recovery following a major fraud, a marine insurance dispute following the seizure of a vessel in territorial waters, disputes arising under s 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986, and Letters of Request under the 1970 Hague Convention provisions.

Her commercial arbitration experience includes proceedings under the ICC, LCIA and LMAA Rules, involving oil and gas, telecommunications and ship building disputes, as well as share purchase agreements. Lorraine has also been instructed in high value commercial employment claims in the High Court, both for Claimant and Defendant companies.

Lorraine was a member of the legal team which represented the Republic of Chile before the International Court of Justice in the Dispute over the Status and the Use of the Waters of the Silala (Chile v Bolivia). She was previously seconded to the Legal Directorate of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (“FCDO”) where she advised on a range of public international law issues, involving foreign nationals and foreign governments and has continued to advise the FCDO on the designation of persons under the Sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA). She also advises non-governmental organisations and private parties on public international law matters and has been involved in proceedings in the European Court of Human Rights.

Before coming to the Bar, Lorraine studied European Legal Studies at the University of Southampton, where she graduated ranked second in her year. As part of her degree, she studied French Law at the Université de Nantes. She then completed an LLM in International Law at University College London, followed by the BPTC at City Law School, as a Major Scholar of the Inner Temple.

 

Arbitration & related court applications
  • Instructed (led by Ricky Diwan KC) in an ICC arbitration claim for damages for breaches of contract and tortious conduct, worth over £100 million.
  • Instructed (led by James Willan KC) in an LCIA arbitration involving sanctions issues, in a claim for c.$200 million.
  • Instructed (led by Philippa Hopkins KC) in an LCIA arbitration claim arising out of breaches of a Sale and Purchase Agreement.
  • Acted (led by John Robb) in an LMAA arbitration claim for damages arising out of a ship building dispute.
  • Assisted in defending a challenge brought under s. 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996 in respect of an arbitration award.
  • Assisted in resisting an application to set aside a Part 71 Order in relation to the enforcement of an arbitration award.
  • Instructed (with Richard Hoyle) in an LCIA Arbitration on claims arising from an oil and gas joint venture.
  • Instructed in an LMAA arbitration claim for demurrage and damages for detention of a vessel.
  • Assisted with an application to set aside an Order granted ex parte to enforce a foreign arbitration award.
Banking & financial services
  • Instructed as sole counsel on behalf of a financial services company in a dispute arising out of a credit agreement.
  • Assisted with a claim arising out of a Deed of Guarantee concluded between a foreign state bank and the buyer in a Sale and Purchase Agreement.
Civil fraud & asset recovery
  • Acting (led by David Peters) in a claim under section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986, including a successful application for a freezing injunction and its continuation, and various enforcement related applications.
  • Instructed (led) in a dispute arising out of a joint venture agreement, in a claim for US$350 million.
  • Assisted with various enforcement proceedings to recover assets following a substantial award.
Commercial chancery disputes
  • Acting as junior counsel in In re Gerald Martin Smith / the SFO & Anr v LCL & 45 Ors (the Orb Litigation) (led by Elizabeth Jones KC, Daniel Saoul KC and Richard Hoyle) on behalf of the SFO, Enforcement Receivers, the Viscount of the Royal Court of Jersey, Stewarts Law, Harbour and Joint Liquidators of several BVI companies, in various disputes following the judgment of Mr Justice Foxton in [2021] EWHC 1272 (Comm), which determined the equitable rights in a variety of assets following a major fraud.
Commercial dispute resolution
  • Instructed (led by Philippa Hopkins KC and David Walsh) in a marine insurance claim for over $30 million.
  • Instructed as junior counsel on behalf of a major international media group, in relation to a professional negligence claim against its former auditors, worth over $10 million.
  • Instructed on behalf of the Government of Belize in an application on the admissibility of evidence following judgment on liability, led by Ben Juratowitch KC.
  • Instructed as sole counsel in the High Court for the Claimant in claims arising out of a breach of an oral agreement.
  • Acted (led by David Peters) in a contractual dispute in the Commercial Court involving two major telecommunications companies.
  • Instructed in successful applications for Letters of Requests under Chapters 1 and 2 of the 1970 Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters in relation to the taking of evidence in Switzerland for proceedings in the Commercial Court.
  • Acted as sole counsel in the County Court for the successful party in resisting an application to set aside default judgment and in relation to an application for specific performance of a contract for the sale of property.
  • Instructed as sole counsel for the Claimant on an application for summary judgment in the County Court and in relation to a commercial rent dispute. The case settled in favour of the Claimant.
Company & Insolvency Law
  • Instructed as sole counsel for a claim under sections 1096 and 1097 of the Companies Act 2005.
  • Acted as sole counsel in an application to set aside a statutory demand.
  • Instructed as sole counsel opposing a winding-up petition.
Employment
  • Instructed as junior counsel (with Dan Oudkerk KC) for the Claimant in a high value employment claim in the High Court, involving claims of unlawful means conspiracy, and breaches of employee contractual and equitable duties.
  • Instructed (led by Peter Webster) for the Defendant in a High Court employment claim of alleged breaches of fiduciary, contractual and equitable obligations.
  • Acting as sole counsel in an Employment Tribunal hearing on behalf of a respondent company in a claim for discrimination arising out of something connected with a disability, failure to make reasonable adjustments, direct sex discrimination and victimisation.
  • Acted as sole counsel in an Employment Tribunal hearing on behalf of a respondent company in a claim for unfair and wrongful dismissal.
Insurance & reinsurance
  • Assisted with advice on whether a business could make a claim on their insurance policies, relying on difficulties stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Assisted with injunction proceedings brought by an insurance provider against Defendants to whom it paid a ransom in Bitcoin, following a cyber-attack on one of its customers, and the persons to whom the Bitcoin was then transferred to.
Public international law
  • Instructed in an application before the European Court of Human Rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
  • Instructed by the Republic of Chile in the case concerning the Dispute over the Status and Use of the Waters of the Silala (Chile v. Bolivia) before the International Court of Justice, led by Samuel Wordsworth KC.
  • Advised the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on matters relating to the designations of persons under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA).
  • Previously seconded to the Legal Directorate at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, advising on a range of international law issues including sanctions related matters and matters involving foreign nationals and foreign governments.
  • Instructed as junior counsel by a group of NGOs to advise on the appropriate characterisation of crimes under international criminal law.
  • Assisted with proceedings which involved questions of justiciability, recognition of a foreign government and the “one voice” doctrine.

 

Shipping & admiralty
  • Acted (led by John Robb) in an LMAA arbitration claim for damages arising out of a ship building dispute.
  • Instructed in an LMAA arbitration claim for demurrage and damages for detention of a vessel.
Career

2020 Tenant at Essex Court Chambers

2019-2020 Pupil at Essex Court Chambers (with James Willan KC)

2018 Called to the Bar (Inner Temple)

Education

2017-2018 BPTC, City Law School (Very Competent)

2016-2017 LLM in International Law, University College London (Distinction)

2013-2014 Erasmus in French Law, Université de Nantes

2011-2015 LLB in European Legal Studies, University of Southampton (First Class; graduated second in year)

Awards

2017 Major Scholarship, Inner Temple

2017 Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Scholarship, Inner Temple

2017 Best Oralist in Final Round, Philip C. Jessup International Moot Competition (UK National Rounds)

2017 Top 25 Best Oralists, Philip C. Jessup International Moot Competition (International Rounds, Washington DC)

2016 Hilda Martindale Educational Trust Award  

2015 Law School Prize, Second Top Student in Final Year, University of Southampton

Publications

L Aboagye and G Vega Barbosa, ‘A Commentary on the Advisory Opinion of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the Environment and Human Rights’ (2018) 34(1) DPCE 291

Lorraine is currently an editor of the European Human Rights Reports. She has previously served as Editor of the UCL Journal of Law and Jurisprudence.