Ashurst grows Disputes and Investigations practice with senior commercial litigation hire

Global law firm Ashurst has hired senior commercial litigation partner Angela Pearsall as part of an ongoing investment into the firm’s Disputes & Investigations offering.

An expert in large-scale commercial litigation and class actions as well as contentious regulatory investigations, Angela will play a key role in Ashurst’s plans to grow the firm’s global Disputes & Investigations practice.

With more than 25 years’ experience managing complex litigation, Angela has led major cases arising out of corporate collapses, IPOs, capital raisings and complex financial instruments. She is specialised in handling complex financial reporting litigation, having acted for global accounting and auditing firms for more than a decade. Her client base includes banks, large corporates, professional services firms and directors.

Angela has spent a significant part of her career at Ashurst, including as a partner. She rejoins the firm from Clifford Chance, where she held a number of leadership roles including co-chair of the International Commercial Litigation Group.

Angela’s hire is the latest investment in Ashurst’s Disputes & Investigations practice globally following Judith Seddon in London.

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

“We are delighted to welcome Angela back to Ashurst. Angela is a an expert litigator in Australia with an excellent market reputation, developed through her involvement in a number of significant and large scale commercial disputes. Her experience on complex commercial matters and class actions will add bench strength to our existing practice while her global outlook aligns with our ambitions to expand the practice across multiple jurisdictions. Angela will play an important role in our plans to expand our Disputes & Investigations offering globally.”

Ashurst’s global CEO Paul Jenkins added:

"Disputes & Investigations is a strategic focus for Ashurst globally. Angela’s calibre as a commercial litigator and her breadth of experience make her a valuable addition to our Disputes & Investigations team. She will support both our global and local plans for growth in the practice. Angela is the 16th new partner we have appointed to this team globally in the past two years.”

Angela said:

“I am excited by the opportunity to return to Ashurst at a time of significant growth for the firm. Ashurst has always had strong credentials in commercial dispute resolution. The firm's deep, full-service offering will become even more attractive to clients as litigation and regulatory landscapes evolve in line with emerging global risks such as ESG and technology. I look forward to working with Ashurst's Disputes & Investigations team to further expand the practice."