Daniel Hayward

I have a reputation for providing sensible, timely, strategic advice and identifying legal solutions that get results as quickly as possible for my clients. I have particular experience acting in major disputes linked with Eurasia (particularly CIS) and Sub-Saharan Africa.  I advise governments, large international companies and HNW individuals on a variety of critical issues including contractual, shareholder, fraud, negligence, regulatory and whistle blower disputes around the world. 

I act for clients in international arbitrations (including those administered under LCIA, ICC, SCC rules and ad hoc arbitrations), in complex litigation in the English High Court, and in support of legal proceedings in other jurisdictions. I am also co-Head of the firm's International Arbitration Group – a group that is now globally ranked as one of the world's leading arbitration practices Fieldfisher in the GAR 100 2022 | Fieldfisher.

I am consistently ranked as a key individual for commercial litigation, international arbitration and civil fraud in the leading legal directories and have been described by clients and peers as: "a fighter through and through", "an excellent tactician", "a stand-out performer, who delivers robust, commercially-focused and tactically astute advice in a client-friendly format", " remarkable for his dispute resolution capabilities...", "a rising star" and possessing an " easy charm, robust litigation style, and strategic and commercial nous.". I am also ranked as an "up and coming partner" for my Civil Fraud experience.

Recent work highlights include:

* successfully representing a Claimant trustee in bankruptcy in recovering undisclosed assets pursuant to one of the largest private bankruptcies in Israeli court history Benkel v East-West German Real Estate Holding & Ors [2021] EWHC 777 (Ch) (30 March 2021)

* acting for a sovereign state in its defence of a circa USD 3bn Telecoms licence claim administered under ICC Rules with a Geneva seat 
 
* successfully defending two of the five western banker defendants in one of the Lawyer magazine's "Top 20 Cases of 2019" in Yukos Finance BV & others v. Stephen Lynch & others [2019] EWHC 2621 (Comm). The Defendant team was also shortlisted for a Legal Business - International Disputes Team of the Year 2020 award.

* successfully serving proceedings in person and having that service confirmed in relation to a £1bn claim in the English High Court against an UHNW non-resident defendant in the jurisdiction in Alexander Gorbachev v Andrey Grigoryevich Guriev [2019] EWHC 2684 (Comm).

* Successfully challenging and amending a deficient LCIA arbitral award on serious procedural irregularity grounds under s.68 of the Arbitration Act 1996 P v D, X and Y.pdf (ffwuk.local)

* Tracing and recovering almost USD 1m (over 90%) of funds stolen and moved overseas in a complex invoice fraud perpetrated against a major international client. Funds were held and returned to client in less than six months of the fraud being identified.

I am a regular speaker at Russian and CIS Arbitration Network (RCAN) events around the world, where I am also a founder and Executive Committee member. I am a member of the LCIA's Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG) and the London Solicitors Litigation Association (LSLA). I am a Russian speaker. In my spare time I enjoy cycling, cricket, rugby and watching my children get better than me at all of the above.

• Fieldfisher successfully defends clients from Yukos claims in high profile Commercial Court proceedings | Fieldfisher
• Fieldfisher shortlisted for International Disputes Team of the Year | Fieldfisher
• Fieldfisher and One Essex Court secure significant trial win for Israeli trustee in bankruptcy in High Court | Fieldfisher