Olivia Chaffin-Laird

The Claim arose from the disposal of a hard drive said to contain the passkey to access the claimant’s Bitcoin which was, in August 2013, he says deposited in error at Docks Way landfill site, Newport operated by the Defendant. The Claimant sought (i) declaratory relief that title in the hard drive lies with the Claimant; and further (ii) the Defendant be ordered to deliver up the hard drive or alternatively grant the Claimant access to the site in order to retrieve the hard drive to access his Bitcoin; and (iii) equitable compensation in the sum of £495,314,800 for breach of constructive trust. Advised the defendant to apply strike out the claim. This was successful before HHJ Keyser KC in the High Court of Justice.

The prospective claimants entered into an agreement with Amey for the provision of waste management services. Between June 2021 and May 2022 Amey failed to provide the contractual services, seemingly due to lack of staff. Local residents consequently had their services suspended or running at a reduced service. The councils accordingly refunded council tax. A dispute arose. The councils sought to invoke the process provided for within the contract. Amey failed so to do. A claim has been issued for consequential losses arising from D’s breach of contract, misrepresentation and negligence in the sum of £1.5m Amey counterclaims in the sum of £10m.

Acting for a nationally renowned firm of solicitors following the departure of one of its partners and whether he in so doing acted contrary to his obligations to the firm.

Acting in a partnership dispute between financial advisers following the sale and transfer of their business to a third party; value £1m.

Acting for a director in dispute with a family member arising from a commercial contract regarding breach of contract, restitution and misrepresentation; value £7m.

Acting for 17 claimants who followed their financial adviser to his new firm following misrepresentations made as to the service and products available. Disputes arose concerning his duties and/or whether he was acting as agent for and on behalf of his employer.

Advising shareholders on prospective claim following a merger of the relevant company, against the directors in fraud and/or breach of their statutory and fiduciary obligations including piercing the corporate veil.

Acting for the director of a family business in a successful claim brought by members of his family with allegations of breach of fiduciary duty by the charity.

Acting for a banker in a substantial fraud claim brought by Group Seven Limited v Nasir et al heard over 9 weeks in 2017 concerning money laundering, breach of trust, dishonest assistance, professional obligations of solicitors and fiduciary duties of banks and their employees.

The Claimant seeks to enforce loans entered into with the Second Defendant following its said failure to repay the same and further asserts the First Defendant made “false” representations that prompted them to enter into the loans. An additional claim against the First Defendant arises from a personal guarantee said to have been entered into with the Claimant to secure the aforementioned lending advanced to the Second Defendant. The claim against the Third Defendant rests wholly on the assertion it is “the legal successor” to the Second Defendant.

The claimant sought a finding of unfair prejudice against his two brothers, and co-directors, with regards the management of the third defendant company. He invited the court to wind up the company on a just and equitable basis or, alternatively, that his share purchase order be made. Three brothers were the directors and shareholders. Relations deteriorated, culminating in the claimant being excluded, unlawfully, in February 2021. Over the ensuing months C sought to demonstrate his brothers could not simply remove him as director without following due process. Eventually they agreed and he was formally removed in January the following year. An unfair prejudice petition was presented.

Acting in a claim for local authorities against Amey LG following their failure to deliver contracted waste collection services during Covid; claims for breach of contract, misrepresentation and negligence in the sum of £1.5m with a counterclaim exceeding £14m.

A commercial dispute with a well known baby food brand regarding whether the contract, unsigned, was enforceable; value £2m.

Acting for directors who purchased a company as a result of fraudulent representations made by the seller. Claims of fraud, conspiracy. Mis-selling and breach of contract; value £3m.

Acting for a director arising from an investment agreement regarding hotel development in Manchester. Allegations of fraud regarding the representations they had access to the requisite funds when they did not; value £30m.

Advising a director in a claim against their co-director following their fraudulently altering company documents at Companies House and further enforcement following her return to China.

Acting for the directors of a charity, in its successful claim for breach of duty following the fraudulent diversion of funds.

Acting for the director and shareholder of an established technology company in a shareholder dispute with co-directors in a family business.

Acting for the partner in a partnership dispute in a successful dispute involving breach of a joint venture agreement with competing international interests.

The Claimant seeks to enforce loans entered into with the Second Defendant following its said failure to repay the same and further asserts the First Defendant made “false” representations that prompted them to enter into the loans. An additional claim against the First Defendant arises from a personal guarantee said to have been entered into with the Claimant to secure the aforementioned lending advanced to the Second Defendant. The claim against the Third Defendant rests wholly on the assertion it is “the legal successor” to the Second Defendant.

Howells v Newport City Council [2025] EWHC 22 (Ch) - The Claim arose from the disposal of a hard drive said to contain the passkey to access the claimant’s Bitcoin which was, in August 2013, he says deposited in error at Docks Way landfill site, Newport operated by the Defendant. The Claimant sought (i) declaratory relief that title in the hard drive lies with the Claimant; and further (ii) the Defendant be ordered to deliver up the hard drive or alternatively grant the Claimant access to the site in order to retrieve the hard drive to access his Bitcoin; and (iii) equitable compensation in the sum of £495,314,800 for breach of constructive trust. Advised the defendant to apply strike out the claim. This was successful before HHJ Keyser KC in the High Court of Justice.

Acting for Cypriot investors in response to a claim from Mars Capital seeking to enforce debts acquired from Laiki Bank and the Cypriot government following the banking crisis in 2007. Challenge was raised as to Mars’ entitlement to enforce the debt; failing to satisfy good title with challenges to the

Acting for investors in a development in Spain against their UK lawyers who encouraged them to part with funds before having satisfied themselves the seller had good, unencumbered title when it subsequently transpired there were two undischarged mortgages against the property and the vendor being unable to satisfy those liabilities.

Acting for a banker alongside his employer, a bank in Dubai and Switzerland, and solicitors, both as a firm and individually, following the claimant being duped to invest 100million euros. The claim gave rise to arguments concerning money laundering, breach of trust, dishonest assistance, professional obligations of solicitors and fiduciary duties of banks and their employees.

Acting for multiple investors [960] in property development overseas through the Harlequin Scheme following negligent advice in the UK leading to investment in property in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, the Dominican Republic and St Lucia.

Advising a group of investors following their receipt of negligent advice before investing through SGG in jatropha seeds in Thailand.

Acting for 38 investors in a scam in the UK whereby they were sold parcels of land with planning permission when in fact the owner did not have title to the land, planning permission had not been obtained and in any event the plots were landlocked with no access.

Advising multiple investors following negligent advice to invest in an unregulated collective investment scheme, namely property in Croatia, Bulgaria and Montenegro via Ready2Rent/Ready2Invest. The claim also included a claim against the company charged with managing and overseeing the investment.

Acting for a company in their claim against RBS following negligent and fraudulent advice from RBS to enter into products that were neither suitable nor appropriate as defined by COBS.

Acting for hundreds of investors in response to a claim brought against them by Alpha Bank, Cyprus following investments in property in Cyprus. The claim included allegations of professional negligence against their professional advisers in the UK, for negligence and conflict of interest against their appointed lawyers in Cyprus and allegations of fraudulent documentation.

Acting for multiple investors arising from financial advice received regarding re-mortgaging their homes in order to fund overseas developments. Following investment in the scheme the land remains undeveloped.