Ashurst grows commercial disputes team with senior partner hire

Global law firm Ashurst announces the hire of commercial litigation partner Felicity Healy, in another significant step in the growth of the firm’s Disputes and Investigations practice. 

Felicity is an expert in contentious financial services regulatory enforcement and investigations, with close to two decades of experience advising banks and other financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, trustees and secured creditors on complex litigation.

As well as managing high profile litigation, she advises clients on a broad range of regulatory enforcement action, fraud investigations, AML/CTF, directors duties, greenwashing and insolvency. With a practice spanning Australia, New Zealand and the UK, Felicity has significant experience in major cross-border insolvency disputes and other multi-jurisdictional contentious financial services matters.

Felicity completed a Bachelor of Civil Law (Masters of Law) at Oxford University and was the recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship in 2004. She joins Ashurst from Corrs Chambers Westgarth, where she was a litigation partner and head of gender equality. 

Ashurst’s Head of Region, Australia, and global head of the Disputes, Investigations & Advisory practice, Lea Constantine, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Felicity to Ashurst. She is a respected and experienced litigator who will play an important role in the growth of our Disputes and Investigations team globally. Felicity’s hire underscores our determination to continue to build this practice into the top choice for clients in Australia. It is the firm's ambition to be the leading law firm in Australia by 2027, and Disputes and Investigations forms a key component of our offering to clients. Felicity's arrival at Ashurst comes after other significant hires – including Nicholas Mavrakis in Sydney – and we are planning further strategic investments for the practice.”

Ashurst’s global CEO Paul Jenkins added: 

“Felicity is an impressive commercial litigator and will be a great addition to Ashurst. Her expertise in financial services regulatory enforcement and investigations makes her a natural fit for our firm as we continue to invest in our global contentious financial services practice. Disputes and Investigations is a priority practice area for Ashurst and Felicity will be the 17th new partner we have appointed in this team globally in the past two years.”

Felicity said: 

“I am excited by the opportunity to join Ashurst, particularly at a time when the firm is clearly investing in its commercial disputes and investigations practice. Ashurst’s global reach, commercial focus and commitment to excellence provides a great platform to help me grow my practice. The firm’s ability to act across multiple jurisdictions and to provide integrated legal and risk advice will offer a compelling proposition to my clients. I am also impressed by the firm’s commitment to gender equity and look forward to supporting this work.”