Eleanor Ruiz

Eleanor’s practice encompasses advising corporates, financial institutions, and professional services firms on their most complex disputes, with a particular emphasis on high stakes commercial litigation and strategic insurance recoveries for policyholders.

Eleanor has a wide range of experience, regularly acting in high-value, large-scale, multi-jurisdictional disputes in the English High Court for a broad spectrum of clients, including financial institutions and other large corporates. She has a strong track record in the strategic pursuit of remedies and enforcement opportunities. In addition, she regularly advises large professional services firms on significant professional negligence matters.

Experience

Representative matters

Advising a lessor in relation to a claim under all risks and war risks insurance in the loss of an aircraft located in Russia and unable to leave, after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and representing them in pursuing claims under both lessor and operator policies, including in the High Court in England.

Advising a large corporate group in respect of maximising available cover under professional indemnity/liability insurance for a settlement of a significant FCA investigation into a subsidiary.

Advising a custodian in relation to a claim for a cryptocurrency loss following an unauthorised digital currency transfer under both a crime policy and a specie vault risk policy.

Representative Insurance Recovery Matters

Advising a large corporate group in respect of maximising available cover under professional indemnity/liability insurance for a settlement of a significant FCA investigation into a subsidiary.

Advising a custodian in relation to a claim for a cryptocurrency loss following an unauthorised digital currency transfer under both a crime policy and a specie vault risk policy.

Advising a corporate group in respect of available D&O cover in the context of certain notified losses, as well as anticipated restructuring.

Representing an American bank in Bermuda Form arbitrations with regard to a claim under multiple excess blended management liability policies for claims expenses incurred by and damages awarded in underlying litigation.

Advising a major music company regarding D&O coverage, potential litigation risk and potential liabilities relating to termination of advisory agreements.

Advising a multinational financial consultancy firm acting as administrators for a major sports team in liquidation for a claim against D&O insurers for defense costs relating to criminal prosecutions of individuals at the firm and a subsequent dispute with respect to clawback provisions.

Representing a large multinational company in connection with a claim under a media protector insurance policy in a claim brought by the EPA.

Advising on a trade credit policy for a receivables financing, including aggregated debtor limits across two policies for the purchaser SPV and the seller.

Advising on a claim under trade credit insurance in the context of an accelerated loan.

Advising a financial institution as to policy claims from an unsuccessful gold mining project in South America and a related assignment of loan facilities.

Advising an international commodity trading company in a claim under a marine cargo and storage insurance policy in connection with the loss of a quantity of rapeseed oil in China.

Representing a Turkish bank in a claim under mortgagees interest insurance following nonpayment under marine hull insurance for the loss of a vessel.

Advising an asset-holding company in a claim brought under an industrial all-risks policy following a fire at an alumina refinery.

Advising a large multinational company in connection with claims against events cancellation insurance for events in the UAE that were delayed or cancelled as a result of COVID-19.

Working on claims by the mortgage departments of a major retail bank under their crime policies in relation to losses stemming from fraud by intermediaries

Advising a major UK retail bank in relation to potential insurance coverage for settlement of payment protection insurance (PPI) claims.

Representative Commercial Litigation Matters

Acting for a retail bank in a commercial dispute defending a claim brought by an insurance company regarding allocation of liability for PPI mis-selling complaints.

Advising a leading music company in respect of the prospects of successfully defending a significant claim against a target company as part of a takeover bid and the related termination of the fund manager.

Advising in respect of the termination of a fund manager.

Advising an international remittance administration business in a potential dispute with a Chinese bank for breach of contract, including obtaining Chinese law advice.

Advising a commodities client in a GAFTA arbitration.

Assisting the Civil Aviation Authority in relation to the collapse of the Thomas Cook Group, including advice regarding various licensing issues and relevant insurance policies.

Defending a company against a claim brought in the High Court for alleged breach of contract under a parent company guarantee, where the underlying dispute involved a construction project in India.

Acting for a media corporation in a judicial review claim against Ofcom for determinations finding breaches of the requirement of due impartiality.

Representative Professional Negligence Litigation Matters

Advising a law firm in respect of professional negligence allegations relating to succession planning advice given to a very high-net-worth family.

Advising in respect of notification issues in respect of professional negligence claims made against English law barristers.

Representing the Hong Kong and Cayman Island liquidators of a NASDAQ-listed medical technology company, investigating an alleged fraud by the company’s directors and bringing professional negligence claims against auditors, law firms, and valuers, in connection with their roles in failing to uncover the fraud.