Simon Bushell
Senior Partner
DDI +44 (0)20 4526 9306
M +44 (0) 7785 254891
simon.bushell@seladorelegal.com
Simon acts for a broad range of clients, including large corporates, private equity houses, financial institutions, banks and ultra-high net worth individuals, in addition to foreign government agencies and state-owned companies.
He has undertaken investigations into complex, worldwide frauds, conspiracies and insolvencies, and has wide experience in coordinating parallel cross border disputes and proceedings before a number of courts and tribunals.
Simon regularly advises on high value complex commercial disputes, including investment banking disputes, breaches of trust and fiduciary duty, professional negligence, money laundering, bribery and corruption, shareholder disputes, as well as a wide range of general commercial disputes.
Simon has a strong reputation for his commercial awareness, and strategic thinking which is coupled with his team leadership skills in managing large, complex cross border issues.
- Representing Bluewaters Communications in relation to its High Court claims against Bernie Ecclestone, Bayerische Landesbank, Bambino Holdings Limited, and others arising from the sale of a controlling stake in Formula One to CVC Capital Partners, which resulted in the conviction of BLB’s senior executive, Gerhard Gribkowsky. The Lawyer has recognised this case as one of the Top 20 cases of 2018.
- Representing the administrators of a collapsed US investment bank in claims worth €100 million relating to the close out of an €5 billion portfolio of government bonds.
- Representing a US mining company in the recovery of promissory notes with a face value of £10 billion issued as a result of fraudulent inducements.
- Representing a London mini-cab trade body in judicial review proceedings regarding Transport for London’s regulation of a leading “disruptive” mini-cab platform.
- Representing a global professional services firm in High Court proceedings relating to a market-defining team move in the restructuring and insolvency sector.
- Leading an employee fraud investigation on behalf of an Eastern European subsidiary of a large pharmaceutical company.
- Advising a Middle Eastern private wealth fund in relation to a multi-billion-dollar fraud involving large scale bribery, embezzlement and mismanagement across the EMEA region.
- Advising a global chemicals company in relation to conspiracy claims arising from the theft of confidential information and the unlawful setting up of a rival business.
- Representing a private equity backed transport company in relation to a judicial review of HMRC.
- Acting for a major Russian bank in a LCIA arbitration relating to loans in the power sector.
- Acting for a global shopping centre owner and developer in relation to a joint venture dispute.
- Advising the supervisory and management boards of a Baltic bank in relation to fraud claims, and related asset tracing and enforcement issues.
- Advising the sellers of an iconic work of art in relation to an alleged conspiracy.
- Advising the seller of a valuable work of contemporary art in relation to secret commissions received by his agent, and the subsequent recovery of the piece, including freezing injunctions, and parallel proceedings in New York.
- Advising a major auction house in relation to the alleged negligent attribution of a work claimed to be by John Constable.
- Representing a contemporary art dealer in a dispute with his business partner.
- Representing a state-owned aluminium processing plant in relation to one of the largest fraud claims ever brought in the English High Court, including obtaining search orders and worldwide freezing injunctions, and parallel LCIA proceedings, Swiss arbitration proceedings, and claims in the BVI.
- Representing a German manufacturing company in relation to an internal fraud diverting payments into a fraudulently operated UK bank account, including obtaining Norwich Pharmacal and related freezing injunctions.
- WWL Recommended (Asset Recovery)
WHO’S WHO LEGAL 2024 - Simon Bushell is a “huge force…he knows where the bodies are buried and he digs them up ruthlessly”
THE LEGAL 500 2024 - Simon is “an incredibly experienced litigator who provides strategic advice and has a tenacious approach to cases”
CHAMBERS UK 2024 - “A very good commander and tactician who galvanises the whole team to execute the strategy and pull it off”
CHAMBERS UK 2024 - Simon is “a heavyweight litigator whose strategic thinking is very effective”
CHAMBERS UK 2023 - “Tactical, experienced and thorough”
CHAMBERS UK 2023 - “Simon Bushell has all the experience you could hope for, and more. His judgement is excellent, and he is an encyclopaedia on fraud claims.”
THE LEGAL 500 UK 2022 - Contributing Editor, International Fraud & Asset Tracing Global Practice Guide.
CHAMBERS 2021 - Simon “is an imaginative, creative and focused fraud lawyer who is very knowledgeable and experienced about all facets of this area”
CHAMBERS UK 2021 - “A smart, tactical litigator”
CHAMBERS UK 2021 - “He has fulsome knowledge of litigation and is very commercial”
CHAMBERS UK 2021 - Hall of Fame for Civil Fraud. Leading Individual for Premium Commercial Litigation.
THE LEGAL 500 UK 2021 - Simon is described as “a very strong and forceful litigator”
CHAMBERS UK 2020 - Simon has “notable expertise handling high-value fraud matters, particularly in relation to the commodities and banking sectors”
CHAMBERS UK 2020 - “Highly rated for high-stakes Russian and CIS-related disputes”
THE LEGAL 500 UK 2020 - “A force-field of drive and determination”
THE LEGAL 500 UK 2020 - Top Recommended in Corporate Law and Litigation Funding
SPEAR’S 500 2020 - A “highly rated litigator“
THE LEGAL 500 UK 2019 - Simon is “an excellent litigator, constantly striving for ways to improve a case or undermine his opponents“.
THE LEGAL 500 UK 2019 - “Simon Bushell has an impressive civil fraud practice, regularly advising clients on international disputes involving highly sophisticated frauds.“
CHAMBERS UK 2019 - Simon is very clear-sighted and capable of identifying clear strategies for his clients to pursue.
CHAMBERS UK 2017 - Clients say that Simon is a go-to lawyer when the stakes are exceptionally high because his judgment is crystal clear.
CHAMBERS UK 2016 - Simon is hailed by clients as a ‘very pragmatic, commercial and sensible fraud practitioner.’
CHAMBERS UK 2015 - Sources describe Simon as “a very determined and forceful litigator.“
THE LEGAL 500 UK 2014 - Simon is noted for his intuitive flair for handling disputes arising from the CIS and his ability to leverage his understanding of the region to achieve commercial objectives on behalf of his clients.
CHAMBERS UK 2014 - Simon is described as a hard-hitting litigator.
CHAMBERS UK 2012 - Simon combines an outstanding legal mind with a commercial, strategic and straight-talking approach.
CHAMBERS UK 2011
News & Media
Investigations into Corporate Wrongdoing: the Case for Independence
Seladore partners Simon Bushell, Dan Hudson and Kevin Kilgour reflect on the Serious Fraud Office’s recent decision to charge five former Glencore employees accused of conspiracy…
Dan Hudson featured in Law 360
Dan Hudson, partner and head of Seladore Legal’s white collar and regulatory disputes practice, recently commented in Law360 on the settlement reached by the National Crime…
Simon Bushell featured in City AM
City AM features Managing Partner, Simon Bushell, as it examines Seladore Legal’s internal investigations offering this week. The piece comes amidst several recent scandals, and growing…