Kate Allass

Partner

A highly experienced commercial litigator and head of Commercial Litigation at Farrer & Co, Kate is recognised as a leading individual by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. She is a trusted adviser to corporates, entrepreneurs, senior executives, private capital investors and family offices, guiding them through complex, high-stakes court cases and international arbitrations.

Kate's practice spans the full spectrum of commercial litigation and international arbitration. She is frequently instructed on matters that are business-critical, of significant value, and often international in scope.

Her work encompasses high-value commercial contract disputes, fraud and misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty and tortious interference, professional negligence and judicial review. Her experience in these and other complex disputes spans numerous sectors including private capital, banking and financial services, manufacturing, retail, technology and engineering, private individuals, unions and charities.

Kate is particularly renowned for her expertise in shareholder disputes and corporate litigation. She regularly deals with unfair prejudice petitions, boardroom fallouts, breaches of SPAs, shareholder and joint venture agreements, partnership disputes and complex post-M&A valuation, earn-out, warranty and indemnity disputes.

She represents senior executives in commercial disputes arising in relation to their incentive schemes and work-related shareholdings, including challenges to ‘bad leaver’ designations, vesting mechanics and clawbacks, and deferred bonus issues. Kate also handles claims relating to breaches of directors' duties (both company claims and derivative actions) and misfeasance, including claims asserted in an insolvency context.

Combining clear strategic direction and decisive execution, Kate helps clients take control of contentious situations and achieve outcomes aligned to commercial objectives. She is known for her ability to navigate sensitive and high-profile disputes, blending rigorous legal analysis with tact, nuance and proactivity to protect enterprise value, reputation and stakeholder relationships.

Private Businesses

Kate’s work for private business clients covers a multitude of issues, reflecting the breadth of her practice. Recent examples include advising an insurance company in connection with the $3bn Russian aviation litigation; representing a software company in an international arbitration over the wrongful termination of a services agreement; acting for a nationwide heating solutions provider on a business-critical contractual dispute with its major supplier; and advising a hotel chain in connection with high profile group litigation over payment processing fees.

Entrepreneurs

Kate regularly acts for entrepreneurs on shareholder disputes and boardroom fallouts, including contentious exits, claims of unfair prejudice by minority shareholders, claims relating to governance issues and breaches of directors' duties. Recent examples include acting for the co-founder of a pharmaceutical company in a £38m unfair prejudice claim following a boardroom dispute; advising the majority shareholder in a sensitive dispute over a family business worth £80m; defending a company and its founders against multi-million-pound claims by a co-founder for fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duty; and acting for an entrepreneur in litigation over breaches of an earn-out agreement.

Senior Executives

Kate advises C-suite executives in disputes arising in connection with their shareholdings and incentive schemes. Recent examples include a claim by an executive who was wrongly designated as a ‘bad leaver’, resulting in his multi-million-pound shareholding being acquired at par value; and advising a director and minority shareholder in connection with claims that drag-along provisions had been wrongfully exercised so as to allow the sale of the company at an estimated undervalue of £150m.

Family Offices

Kate advises high-net-worth and family office clients on both commercial disputes and those relating to their companies and investments. Recent work includes advising a family office on a dispute arising from the alleged mismanagement of a portfolio company and the depletion of cash reserves of over £100m; and representing another family office client on cross-border litigation worth over £30m concerning the breach of a call option agreement.

Charities

Kate advises charities, philanthropists and foundations on critical commercial litigation, judicial reviews and contentious regulatory issues. Recent examples include representing a high-profile charitable trust in a contentious appeal against a Charity Commission decision; acting for a household-name charity in relation to group claims for historic abuse worth hundreds of millions; and advising a philanthropist on a ground-breaking private action against a fundraiser for breaches of fundraising rules.