Bethany Histed

• Currently acting for a Governmental client in pursuit of claims under Maltese and/or Swedish law for civil fraud in excess of €115m and obtaining interim freezing and proprietary injunctive relief against the First to Third Defendants. Also enforced the worldwide freezing injunction and proprietary injunction in Sweden. Obtained permission to apply for summary judgment against the main Defendants.
• Represented the first and main defendant in one of The Lawyer’s top 20 cases for 2020, and one of the largest disputes ever before the Commercial Court (worth in excess of $800m), involving alleged secret commissions in the Middle East and Europe. The case raises important issues of jurisdiction, applicable law, and Swiss banking secrecy.
• Acting for Crane Bank (one of Uganda’s largest commercial banks until 2016) and its shareholders in relation to a claim for corruption worth in excess of $200m. Succeeded in defending a jurisdiction challenge in the Court of Appeal.
• Advised individual and corporate clients on the impact of and compliance with the UK’s sanctions regimes with respect to a range of activities, transactions and exports, and drafted voluntary self-reports to OFSI
• Made an urgent application for judicial review in relation to a determination to tax by HMRC in the sum of £1.4m.
• Acted for Governmental client in challenging a €10 billion arbitral award on the basis that the underlying contract and award itself were procured through fraud and corruption.°
• Acted for the liquidator of an insolvent company in bringing a claim for a substantial property development fraud, defending an application for security for costs against the client.°
• Acted for a Swiss lawyer who was appointed the executor of an English estate in defending a claim seeking his removal under section 50 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985 by the sole beneficiary of the estate. The matter included allegations of fraud and theft and was part of a worldwide series of criminal and civil claims in various territories including the Cayman Islands, BVI, Delaware, Israel, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Successfully applied for summary judgment on behalf of client on his counterclaim.°
• Acted for a creditor of a high-net-worth individual in the challenge of an individual voluntary arrangement on the grounds of unfair prejudice and material irregularity. The challenge was successful at first instance and in the Court of Appeal, with permission to appeal being refused by the Supreme Court.°
• Acted for an ultra-high-net-worth individual in the defence of civil fraud proceedings worth $380m, resulting in a strike-out of the claim and discharge of a worldwide freezing order.°
• Advised a high-net-worth individual in relation to expedited Court of Protection proceedings regarding the capacity of a family member.°
• Assisted in acting for an employer to secure and serve an order for the delivery-up of confidential information taken by a former employee and computer imaging of that employee's electronic devices.°
• Acted for a minority shareholder of a family business in pursuing unfair prejudice proceedings against his majority shareholder brother.°

°The above representations were handled by Ms. Histed prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

• Student Mentor, Oasis Waterloo, 2021-Present
• Member, Female Fraud Forum
• Member, Young Fraud Lawyers Association
• Member, Fraud Women's Network
• Member, Junior London Solicitor Litigation Association
• Member, London Solicitor Litigation Association
• Volunteer, Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre - Pink Law Programme, 2015