Clifford Chance, Travers Smith and Simmons & Simmons advise on the biggest case of 2022: Hewlett-Packard’s fraud claims over Autonomy
Read about the recent multibillion-dollar case won by HP against former Autonomy chiefs and the leading UK solicitors representing both sides in this legal matter.
The High Court's decision for the Hewlett-Packard case
Hewlett-Packard has come out on top after a decision was reached in its long-running case against former Autonomy executives, Mike Lynch and Sushovan Hussain.
On 28th January 2022 Mr Justice Hildyard found in favour of HP in the Commercial Court, concluding that Lynch and Hussain contributed to an artificially high valuation of Autonomy in the run up to HP's £11 billion acquisition of the tech giant in 2011.
Who were the solicitors representing Hewlett-Packard in the legal case?
Travers Smith represented HP, in a team headed by Toby Robinson and Andrew King. Promoted to Band 2 of Litigation in London in Chambers UK 2022, the practice is described as boasting very capable lawyers who are experienced in dealing with disputes and are easy to work with.
The firm has a strong contentious offering. Notably, it rose to the second tier of Commercial and Corporate Litigation in the most recent UK guide, having climbed into Band 3 just two years previously. Travers Smith can also count ranked departments in Fraud: Civil and Banking Litigation among its accolades.
Which solicitors were acting for Lynch and Hussain in the legal case against Hewlett-Packard?
Lynch, whose extradition to the US was approved by the Home Secretary, was represented by the law firm Clifford Chance. The magic circle firm is frequently encountered on major cases across a range of industries.
It enjoys numerous rankings in the Chambers UK 2023 guides contentious areas, including top-tier positions in Banking Litigation, Commercial and Corporate Litigation and Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory (Corporates). It is lauded for its provision of practical, real-world solutions and its deep knowledge of subject areas.
Hussain was represented by Simmons & Simmons, a law firm that has seen several positive movements among its contentious rankings of late. Easy to get along with and user-friendly, according to one client, it rose to the top tier of Litigation in London this year, and also climbed into Band 2 of Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory (Corporates).
Elsewhere, it has seen four consecutive improvements to its position in Commercial and Corporate Litigation in as many years. Clients are particularly impressed by its habit of keeping teams lean and efficient.
Related articles
The Chambers UK Bar team have also analysed the case and provide details on the barristers working the case. This article can be read here.
