Razzaq Ahmed is an associate in the Firm’s Litigation & Arbitration Practice Group and a member of the Firm’s Brand & Reputation Management group in London. Razzaq has a wide level of experience handling high-stakes disputes and contentious situations (on both the claimant and defendant side), and acts for both businesses and individuals on an international scale. Legal 500 named Razzaq a “Recommended Lawyer” for Banking Litigation: Investment & Retail. Clients describe him as “energetic”, a “rising star, one to watch” and in 2019 he was awarded the City of London Solicitors Company's annual prize for junior solicitors.
Razzaq is adept at advising institutional clients (including pension funds and trust companies) on securities fraud litigation under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). His notable recent experience includes advising over 200 institutions in a high-prove institutional securities litigation relating to international bribery allegations and breaches of international banking sanctions regulations. Razzaq’s understanding of the relevant law in this area, investment process and the technology applicable to case management has been noted by general counsel, litigation funders and class-action organizations. In particular he has been lauded for being “capable of absorbing and analysing a great deal of detail” and whose “analytical skills and judgment inspire confidence.”
He has also advised on business disputes and special contentious situations for a range of other clients, including high-net worth individuals and media/sport personalities. These include shareholder disputes arising from contentious exits, valuation disagreements, unfair prejudice (including exclusion from management and deadlock), as well as insolvency matters (bankruptcy and winding-up petitions). Recently, Razzaq has advised both corporates and charities on reputational, governance and litigation risks arising from employee and senior management conduct, as well as other ESG-related factors. Clients have noted that his “empathy and creativity in problem solving is a real skill” and that he handles highly complex issues with care and precision.
Prior to joining Brown Rudnick, Razzaq was an associate at the Financial Conduct Authority, assisting on enforcement investigations into major banks for SME failings and PPI remediation planning, and was seconded to a FTSE 100 insurance company.
Razzaq has also lent his knowledge and experience pro bono to assist charities and individuals resolve their contentious situations. Combined with his unwavering work ethic, Razzaq exhibits a relentless pursuit of excellence, ensuring that no stone is left unturned in his pursuit of justice for his clients. His pro bono clients include an international youth enterprise charity, a female journalists’ network and a national cricket charity. He is also a serving member of the Royal Air Force Reserves.
Representation
Injunction Proceedings
Experience in acting for parties bringing and responding to injunctions in the English High Court, including prohibitory injunctions and worldwide freezing orders. Recent experience includes:
- Acting for multiple corporate respondents to a worldwide freezing order in the amount of USD 2.6 billion (Privatbank v Kolomoisky and ors); and
- Acting for a company and successfully bringing prohibitory injunction proceedings against an individual and related abuse of process proceedings in the Insolvency and Companies Court.
Shareholder and Company Disputes
Advised on confidential shareholder disputes relating to shareholder exits, valuation disputes and board-level disagreements and exclusion allegations. Notable experience on unfair prejudice petitions and advising directors in response to petitions (alleging breaches of duty). Experience includes mediation of shareholder disputes and working closely with valuation and forensic accounting experts. Specific experience includes:
- Acting for three directors in relation to allegations of unfair prejudice, diversion of capital in relation to a construction management project and property.
- Acting for shareholders/directors in relation to a long-running and historic shareholder dispute and deadlock issues.
- Advising individuals and companies in relation to derivative claims against listed companies.
Media, Entertainment and Sports
Acting for individuals and companies in relation to restructuring and insolvency matters, and assisting with creditor negotiations. Advising on contractual negotiations and related media agreements. Advising companies on steps prior to and including contractual termination and relationship management. Specific experience includes:
- Advising an athlete in relation to judicial review proceedings
- Advising a retired athlete in relation to contractual negotiations with media companies
Commercial Litigation (Financial Services, Procurement, Fraud)
Experience in acting for a sub-contractor in relation to a technology dispute relating to multiple contractual breaches as part of a local authority mandate; acting for a U.K. bank in relation to the scope of privilege during regulatory investigations; and advising an international NGO in relation to cross-border contractual termination rights.
In the financial services and regulatory space, acting for a foreign state-owned organization in relation to the close-out amount of an ISDA currency swap following the collapse of a major investment bank; advising in-house legal, governance and company secretary teams on relevant regulatory regimes such as the Senior Managers and Certification Regime and risk event and redress management (civil and regulatory considerations); and advising FTSE companies in relation to various contractual disputes.
In respect of civil fraud, acting for multiple corporate defendants in relation to a worldwide freezing injunction and on points of material non-disclosure; and acting for over 200 institutional investors in relation to claims concerning historic and international sanction breaches and bribery matters.
Multiparty Disputes
Experience in advising institutions and litigation funders in relation to multiparty securities claims under FSMA; advising trade organizations in relation to COVID-19 and insurance arrangements for members and drafting regulatory submissions, managing large-scale insurance policy reviews and advice to large groups of SMEs; acting for SMEs in relation to misrepresentation claims in the regulated and unregulated spheres; and advising small businesses in relation to regulatory and contractual disputes with regulated and unregulated entities.
Education
Bar Admissions
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