A partner and a solicitor advocate in the European Litigation Group, Leo Kitchen represents clients in a wide variety of complex commercial and financial disputes, with particular focus on competition-related collective proceedings and follow-on damages claims. Leo also has notable experience dealing with contentious restructuring issues and bondholder / securities litigation, as well as disputes involving public law and complex regulatory issues. He is adept at guiding clients in litigation spanning multiple jurisdictions, and in coordinating strategy in the most complex, high stakes, cross- border disputes.

Leo has acted for both claimants and defendants in a wide variety of courts and tribunals, including numerous appearances before the English High Court, most frequently the Commercial Court; appellate courts up to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; and the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the Administrative Court and the first-tier and upper tax tribunals. Leo’s representations have included some of the largest competition-related disputes currently before the English courts, such as high-stakes foreign exchange litigation in which he represented a group of (mostly) asset managers and pension funds against a number of large investment banks, and the Merricks litigation, which is the leading English authority in relation to the certification of collective proceedings.

Leo’s restructuring and distressed debt practice encompasses bondholder disputes—most notably litigation arising out of the collapse of Banco Popular in 2017 and Credit Suisse in 2023—and contentious restructuring matters on both the creditor and debtor side, spanning various insolvency processes in the UK and abroad. In the public law space, Leo recently advised Jane Street in its judicial review claim against the London Metal Exchange relating to the latter’s cancellation of various nickel trades in March 2022. He also represented Motorola in a significant dispute adverse to the UK government.

Leo advises clients across a diverse range of industries, including most prominently those in the financial and payment services, transport, aerospace, luxury goods and energy sectors, as well as in emerging sectors such as cryptocurrency. Through his experience in collective actions, he is well versed in litigation involving the assistance of litigation funding. Leo has also advised clients in a variety of insurance-related matters, both from a regulatory and contentious perspective.

In addition to his significant and varied experience before the English courts, Leo has also taken key roles coordinating litigation in a number of foreign jurisdictions, including, most recently, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the United States, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands.

Leo has been recognized by Legal 500 UK in both their competition and banking litigation rankings, with the publication naming him a “Rising Star” for Banking Litigation: Investment & Retail for three consecutive years and a “Next Generation Partner” in 2024.

Leo’s recent representative experience includes:

Swan Bitcoin in multi-jurisdictional litigation arising out of its Bitcoin mining joint venture with Tether, 2040 Energy Ltd
An ad hoc group of holders of junior debt in Thames Water, in the context of the latter’s contested restructuring
A large hedge fund in relation to its rights and remedies concerning potential breaches of contract arising out of a securitized loan structure sponsored by a major high street bank
Defending proceedings brought against Westlake in relation to alleged anti-competitive conduct in the ethylene market
An ad hoc group of holders of Credit Suisse’s AT1 bonds in relation to litigation arising out of the write-down of those bonds as part of the merger between Credit Suisse and UBS
Jane Street in its claim for judicial review and associated remedies against the London Metal Exchange, arising from the latter’s decision to cancel various nickel trades in March 2022
Cimolai in relation to various claims brought against it involving exotic foreign exchange derivatives, and subsequent proceedings to restructure its financial affairs in light of those claims
A group of bondholders in litigation in various jurisdictions, arising out of the collapse of Spanish bank Banco Popular in June 2017
Two partners of BDO LLP, as receivers and managers of various assets of the Libyan Investment Authority
A major European truck manufacturer in relation to various follow-on damages claims arising out of its involvement in a Europe-wide cartel relating to the fixing of prices for trucks
A major aerospace manufacturer regarding a multi-million dollar insurance claim
Part of the team which defended Mercuria in relation to allegations of dishonest assistance and fraudulent trading linked to VAT carousel fraud in the carbon emissions market in 2009. The case reached trial in June 2018, for a period of six weeks