Francesca Ruddy

Practice Areas

Francesca specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration, with expertise in civil fraud, commercial contracts, banking and financial services, energy, competition, and offshore disputes. She has considerable experience of heavy-duty High Court litigation, acting in several of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases (2018, 2019 and 2022). She is also called to the BVI Bar.

Career

Before transferring to the Bar, Francesca was a Solicitor Advocate and Associate at Herbert Smith Freehills in London, acting in commercial disputes at all stages of litigation and arbitration.

For the legal year 2019-2020, she served as the judicial assistant to the Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, working on the most complex and high-profile cases in the UK and across the Commonwealth.

Personal

University of Glasgow – LLB (Hons) Scots Law with French Language (First Class Honours with a Distinction in spoken French; first in year in both Law and French; various subject prizes).

Sciences Po, Paris – Certificat du Programme d’Echange (Summa Cum Laude; Dean’s List).

BPP University – Accelerated Legal Practice Course (Distinction).

Solicitors Regulation Authority/Herbert Smith Freehills – Higher Rights of Audience (top of cohort).

Speaks French and Spanish.