Bellevue Law expands commercial disputes team

Bellevue Law is making significant strides in its Commercial Disputes team with the recent appointment of Catherine McBride, a distinguished senior disputes practitioner boasting over 25 years' experience in advising on complex, high-value, and cross-border disputes. This strategic move not only fortifies Bellevue Law's standing in the realm of commercial litigation, regulatory investigations, and financial services disputes but also signals ambitious plans for further expansion of the team in the upcoming months.

Catherine McBride comes with a depth of experience that includes a comprehensive portfolio in litigation, investigations, and regulatory matters. Her practice spans a range of sectors, encompassing financial institutions, corporates, private equity firms, professional services firms, and individual clients. McBride's wealth of knowledge covers intricate and cross-border litigation, addressing issues such as contract disputes, shareholder conflicts, mis-selling of financial instruments, misrepresentation, negligence, and fraud, as well as employment-related matters that demand close scrutiny.

Previously, Catherine held senior roles at prominent firms such as Linklaters and Latham & Watkins, serving as a partner in their Litigation & Trial departments in both Hong Kong and London. At these firms, she was also an active member of the White-Collar Defence & Investigations Practice and Financial Institutions Group. Furthermore, her impressive in-house experience includes significant roles at EY, KPMG, and Swiss Re, as well as serving as Head of Litigation for APAC at Deutsche Bank and interim General Counsel and Head of Litigation at the Royal Bank of Canada.

Catherine's accolades speak to her proficient handling of complex cross-border disputes and contentious regulatory matters, with recognition including the “Best in Practice – Litigation” award from the Women In Business Awards Asia. She has also received appreciation for her commitment to advocating for female talent within the legal profession.

Reflecting on Catherine's appointment, Bellevue Law’s founder Florence Brocklesby remarked that “Catherine is an outstanding disputes lawyer whose depth of experience, strategic judgment and commercially focused approach align perfectly with Bellevue’s values.” The addition of McBride is set to amplify the firm's capabilities in assisting clients through intricate and high-stakes disputes, both within the UK and on an international scale.

In her own words, Catherine expressed enthusiasm about joining Bellevue Law, stating “I’m genuinely delighted to be joining Bellevue Law. From my first conversations with the team, it was clear that the firm combines exceptional technical expertise with a thoughtful, collaborative approach that really resonates with me.” She looks forward to contributing to the growth of the Commercial Disputes practice and effectively supporting clients as they face complex challenges in their business operations.

As a B Corp-certified boutique law firm, Bellevue Law prides itself on a strong track record of delivering pragmatic, commercially focused advice. With a team composed of partner-level specialists drawn from leading City and international law firms, the firm is poised for continued success in navigating the complexities of commercial disputes.