Richard Viegas

Collyer Bristow

User choice has become an increasing aspect of litigation over the past 12 months and Collyer Bristow’s disputes head Richard Viegas has established himself as a person clients can go to if they want to change representations. In 2020, the former Hogan Lovells lawyer took over three high-profile disputes just months before trial.

They included taking over a major fraud claim six months before the trial, replacing Howard Kennedy. Viegas acted for the founder of a network service provider in a dispute against former managers.

The judge ruled that the managers had duped Viegas’ client, holding company Vald. Nielsen, into selling a majority stake of one of its subsidiaries. Collyer Bristow successfully obtained a £6.5m damages award and Viegas’ reputation was then such that it also led to him taking over on the Mittal family’s bankruptcy.

The Everton fan is hoping to take his son to Goodison Park in 2021, but he will have to find some time in-between a massive caseload, which includes a high number of bankruptcy cases, continued representations of the Mittals and acting for the claimants in Musst Holdings v Astra Asset Management – a mandate which Viegas snagged from Bird & Bird.