Anthony Riem - PCB Byrne

Our People — Biographies

Anthony Riem

Partner

ariem@pcb-byrne.com

07887732522

Languages:

English

Named as one of the Hot 100 Lawyers for 2021 by The Lawyer and recognised as a leading lawyer in fraud investigation and litigation, asset recovery, banking litigation and commercial litigation, Anthony has deep expertise in handling complex cross-border disputes.

Strategically-minded and a source of astute, commercially-focused advice, Anthony has an established practice acting for banks in multi-million-dollar litigation, often involving freezing orders in several jurisdictions. He has also been instructed in many leading commercial litigation cases over the years, at both first instance and appellate levels.

The directories say:

Anthony is a ‘stellar practitioner’, ranked in the top tier of civil fraud lawyers by both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.

Chambers and Partners UK

In 2020, Chambers and Partners said Anthony ‘possesses deep expertise in handling complex cross-border disputes relating to claims of fraud and conspiracy, including relevant asset tracing and enforcement proceedings’.

Sources say he is ‘an outstanding litigator who gives excellent, commercial advice’.

In the 2021 edition, Chambers again mentions his ‘notable expertise in marshalling complex matters involving multiple parties and jurisdictions’. Plaudits include: ‘He has a top-rate mind’ and ‘is strategically focused, a great team leader and excellent with clients’.

Legal 500

In the 2020 edition, Anthony is identified as a Leading Individual for fraud, and described as a ‘master strategist’. He is also recommended for banking litigation and commercial litigation and is praised for ‘his clear advice; he is also commercial and prepared to engage with all stakeholders, not just clients and other lawyers’.

The 2021 edition notes his ‘remarkable expertise in litigation’ and describes him as an ‘excellent strategist’ who ‘sits on top of the pyramid, overseeing cases, and adding a sprinkling of tactical gold dust where necessary’.

He is also described by market sources as ‘tremendous’, ‘a master of detail’ who has a ‘marvellous rapport with clients’, ‘excellent strategic vision and client skills’ and ‘navigates complex structures and transactions with ease’. He is recognised for being ‘great for complicated cases’, providing ‘pragmatic, creative’ and ‘clear advice’.

Who’s Who Legal

For a number of years, Anthony has been named as a Global Elite Thought Leader in Asset Recovery. In the 2020 edition, he is described as ‘a highly distinguished name in the legal market’, ‘a fighter for his clients’, ‘a specialist asset tracer’, ‘who is always seeking to innovate’.

Notable experience

Enforcing the UK's largest-ever divorce award of £453 million across nine jurisdictions.
Acting on a US$200 million dispute between Russia's two largest banks involving the double selling of oil.
Representing a businessman in a series of claims brought by the Libyan Investment Authority alleging hundreds of millions of dollars of investments were procured through bribery.
Establishing the jurisdiction of the Cayman Court to grant freezing orders in support of foreign proceedings, so as to be able to freeze effectively substantial assets held through Cayman vehicles.
Obtaining freezing orders in multiple jurisdictions for various banks including VTB and Bank of Moscow, freezing many hundreds of millions of dollars and in one case obtaining a judgment in excess of US$180 million for deceit where the case against the defendant was almost entirely built on inference.
Enforcing overseas judgments in England where the defendants challenged they could receive fair trials in their home countries.
Obtaining password cracking orders to break passwords on encrypted electronic devices and a disclosure order against Google in respect of Gmail accounts to obtain evidence about assets.
Acted for a claimant company in claims to recover dividends with a value of US$800 million.
Acted on the leading case challenging the jurisdiction of the English Court to grant freezing orders where the defendants were not resident in England and had no assets here.
Acted for a former senior employee of a state-owned aluminium company accused of corruption which is one of the leading cases of when legal privilege can be waived.

Background

Anthony is the English member of Fraudnet, the International Chamber of Commerce’s global network of asset recovery specialists, and a founding member and former Chairman of the Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association. Anthony was both the Managing Partner and Senior Partner at PCB Litigation and is now the Senior Partner at PCB Byrne. In 2021, he was named as one of the 100 Hot Lawyers by the Lawyer Magazine for the deal by which Burford Capital became an equity stakeholder in the firm and provided financing for cases.