Vanessa Wilkinson

I specialise in advising on international sanctions, dealing with both advisory and contentious work. I have helped clients navigate the sanctions landscape for over 10 years, whether representing designated persons before the EU and UK Courts with a number of successful EU designation challenges, advising commercial clients on the complexities of sanctions compliance or assisting clients with investigating potential sanctions breaches. I help clients manage the risks raised by sanctions and trade restrictions and advise on putting in place policies and procedures to address these risks.

Aside from my sanctions practice I also have experience acting for domestic and international clients in professional negligence matters, shareholder disputes, financial disputes, defamation cases and claims involving fraud. I work to deliver pragmatic solutions for my clients, including settling cases before trial through alternative dispute resolution, where desirable and appropriate. My clients are often drawn from the financial services, retail and energy and natural resources sectors, in addition to acting for high-net-worth individuals.

Current and recent work includes:

• Acting for a number of entities/individuals before the EU and UK courts and authorities in challenges to their sanctions designations;
• Providing sanctions advice in the context of acquisitions, mergers, disposals and new business opportunities in the financial services, retail and energy and natural resources sectors;
• Acting for a client in the technology sector on a sanctions warranty dispute;
• Advising clients in the energy, technology, retail, telecommunications and travel sectors on potential breaches of financial and trade sanctions;
• Advising a client on defamation and reputation management issues arising from a historic sanctions designation;
• Acting for a private company on a complex and high value professional negligence claim against a leading law firm;
• Conducting a high value financial dispute involving cross-border issues;
• Acting for one of the defendants in a bribery and corruption case, in one of the largest ever disputes to be heard in the Commercial Court;
• Advising administrators and liquidators on navigating sanctions issues arising from the ownership or control of companies by designated persons;
• Advising a technology client on a contractual dispute and force majeure issues arising from the introduction of new sanctions restrictions.

In my spare time I enjoy travelling, art and theatre and playing hockey. I am also a keen rugby fan.