Thomson Reuters names eight Keystone Law partners in its Stand-out Lawyers Guide 2026
Andrea James, Andrew Darwin & Anna McKibbin
Louise is a disputes solicitor with a distinct specialism in domestic and international civil fraud, cryptocurrency, and asset recovery. The cases she advises on often involve tracing and recovering the proceeds of fraud on behalf of claimants. She has particular experience acting on cases where there are criminal, restraint, or regulatory proceedings running in parallel.
Louise is also an expert in company shareholder disputes, corporate and financial litigation, fraudulent litigation, misrepresentation, bribery and corruption. She supports clients caught up in collective investment schemes, Ponzi and advance fee fraud schemes, employee frauds, insolvency litigation, breach of trust, and directors’ duties.
Many of the cases Louise works on are multi-jurisdictional and can be high-profile or sensitive investigations.
Louise’s clients are leading global businesses, professional bodies and international organisations, as well as ultra-high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurial businesses.
Expertise
Louise advises on civil fraud and financial disputes, acting for clients globally in complex, multi-jurisdictional cases, including scams, money laundering, investment frauds, and high-value asset recovery, often working with law enforcement and forensic experts.
Experience
- Acted for the defendant in two sets of proceedings involving an alleged boiler room fraud. Successfully discharged a worldwide freezing injunction obtained against the client in both actions which involved connected proceedings in multi-jurisdictions.
- Acted in a complex, multi-jurisdictional, high-value, multi-party fraud claim involving the reclaim of withholding tax on shares, with over 100 defendants and linked proceedings in the US, Dubai and Malaysia.
- Acted for a shareholder in a claim involving allegations that the company was utilised for personal enrichment and unlawful activities, involving allegations of money laundering, fraud, and corruption.
- Acted for the client in a claim involving a fraudulent scam with the sale of a property. Legal proceedings were issued to recover the property, and a freezing injunction was successfully obtained. The case involves legal issues of deceit, conspiracy and fraudulent misrepresentation, and breach of trust.
- Instructed to deal with a claim in the High Court for an NPO Order against Barclays relating to the proceeds paid into a Barclays Bank account in London in the sum of £3.7m relating to a fraudulent transaction, involving APP fraud.
- Instructed in many high-profile fraud investigation and corruption claims, including serious organised criminal gangs across the globe.
- Acted in a claim against the Serious Fraud Office involving confiscation proceedings and the recovery of assets seized as a result of a large-scale international financial crime.
- Acted in a large-scale investment fraud involving multi-party, multi-jurisdictional aspects in a claim worth over £100m, concerning allegations of financial crime, money laundering, deceit, forgery and corporate corruption. The claim involved the recovery of significant assets.
Louise advises on commercial disputes, shareholder disputes, defamation, and reputation management, guiding clients through high-value, cross-border conflicts, protecting financial and personal interests in complex multi-party and regulatory matters.
Experience
- Acted for an FCA-regulated money exchange company on a high-value, complex, cross-border dispute that resulted from the client’s appointment as trustee to a number of international investment schemes. The scheme did not perform and, following allegations of running a Ponzi Scheme, has seen three suits brought by US and Australian investors.
- Instructed in relation to a claim pursued under CPR Part 8 concerning the interpretation of a litigation funding agreement following the Supreme Court decision in R (on the application of PACCAR Inc & ors) (Appellants) v Competition Appeal Tribunal & ors (Respondents) [2023] UKSC 28.
- Acted in high-value bitterly fought partnership dispute concerning a firm of accountants, whose assets included complex financial structures.
- Acted in a partnership dispute concerning a law firm worth over £150m. The claim involved freezing injunctions and privacy orders with multi-cross-border complexities.
- Advising a client on a professional negligence claim against a law firm arising out of a fraudulent property transaction.
- Acting in a contractual dispute between two financial services companies. Both parties are off shore multinational organisations, but England law and jurisdiction applies.
Louise is a disputes solicitor with a distinct specialism in domestic and international civil fraud, cryptocurrency, and asset recovery. The cases she advises on often involve tracing and recovering the proceeds of fraud on behalf of claimants. She is a well-known and go-to expert in London for all things crypto.
Experience
- Leading solicitor for crypto litigation (recently voted in the top 50 City crypto professionals awards). She has acted for many clients (individuals, corporates, funds) in tracing and recovering stolen crypto assets, including securing freezing injunctions and disclosure orders against many crypto exchanges across the globe. Some of her cases are leading cases in this sector and her wider teams of experts and counsel includes the world’s most renown.
- Acted for a number of UK-based, European and global clients who have lost funds as part of the FTX collapse and is the go-to English solicitor for guidance on all aspects of crypto currency fraud. Advised investors on their legal action, reviewing which legal FTX entity their claim is against, and whether they need to file in the US bankruptcy, or whether they have a claim in fraud against the corporate entity and/or directors of the business. This case is thought to be the globe’s biggest fraud; it has been said to be more serious, and a bigger, far wider fraud than the Maddoff Ponzi Scheme case. It is the biggest financial scandal of all time and unprecedented.
- Acted for a shareholder in a cryptocurrency business dealing with cross-border disputes and allegations of large-scale fraud.
- Won a claim against a Cypriot company for fraudulent cryptocurrency trading. The company purported to have licence with the FSA to conduct brokerage services in the UK. In actual fact, the money was fraudulently invested onto the blockchain.
- Acted as a negotiator between the client and crypto exchange to secure client funds. This was due to a breach of their duties as a trustee.
- Advised a new crypto business on the sale of its token and whether they are exposing themselves to a litigation risk, through whether the company needs to be FCA-regulated and what this means, whether the business model and tokens fall within the regulatory regime, whether the tokens offered constitute unregulated tokens or e-money tokens, and whether the offering and issuing of coins/tokens falls within the recent White Paper review.
- Shared her expertise on crypto fraud and the legal process to recovery of crypto assets through TV news pieces and documentaries including BBC, CoinDesk, Sky News, Fox News, Fox News and CNBC. In addition, Louise has written pieces for The Financial Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, Metro and legal publications such as The Verdict. Further to this, Louise has delivered training sessions for British police forces to detail the process of civil recovery of crypto assets. She has also worked on Panorama and Rip off Britain, and numerous other TV appearances and radio broadcasts (both here in the UK and across the globe) showcasing her crypto expertise.
- Instructed to investigate and pursue a claim for £1,350,000 in stolen crypto funds for a client based in the USA, and successfully recovered a significant proportion of the stolen funds, working with US law enforcement to recover the balance.
- Instructed by a client to recover stolen crypto funds with a total value of £6.5m. Judgment has been obtained through court, now working with overseas law enforcement in both UAE and Hong Kong and China to enforce these.
- Acted in a full contested cryptocurrency recovery claim, with a number of fraudsters located and pursued. Freezing injunctions are being pursued, and the case is scheduled for trial in 2026. The case involves the tracking and recovery of over £5m in cryptocurrency across a multitude of jurisdictions.
- Acting in multiple cryptocurrency recovery cases for clients across the globe, seeking the tracing and recovery of the crypto funds.
- Acting in cases for victims of crypto frauds in direct claims against banks, and/or the exchanges concerning issues of deceit, theft and dishonest assistance.
- Working closely with law enforcement both in the UK and overseas to ensure the recovery of stolen crypto funds.
- Successfully obtained anonymity orders to protect the identify of high-profile or vulnerable victims in crypto scam-related cases.
- Experienced in cross-border enforcement in cryptocurrency recovery cases.
- Advised in bankruptcy cases concerning cryptocurrency matters.
- Regularly obtains freezing injunctions, disclosure orders, delivery up orders, and privacy orders concerning these complex cryptocurrency cases.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Fraud: Civil 2026
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Fintech: Corporate and Commercial 2025-2026
Recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Individual for Commercial Litigation 2026
Recognised by Chambers for Fintech: Crypto Asset Disputes 2025-2026
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Fraud: Civil 2023–2025
Recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Individual for Commercial Litigation 2023-2026
Recognised by Who’s Who Legal for Commercial Litigation 2024
Recognised in Citywealth’s Top 50 Crypto Professionals 2024
Recommended by The Legal 500 for Commercial Litigation 2020
Member of the Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association
Founder of the LB Business Network
“Louise knows how to navigate the tricky terrain while sticking within legal frameworks.”
Chambers Fintech 2026
“Louise Abbott, a Partner in Keystone Law, took charge of my case, which involved serious internet fraud. She works with a very experienced technology expert and a barrister who has had many years of dealing with the courts. They work together as a team. I have had very sound advice all along from Keystone Law as to which avenues are worth pursuing and which the team believes are not.”
The Legal 500 2026
“Louise Abbott has taken time to explain all the procedures and to make sure that I completely understand what my commitment to the case entails. She has been caring and easy to speak to when I have been somewhat overwhelmed and upset by the knowledge of the lengths that the fraudsters have gone to.”
The Legal 500 2026
“Louise makes it look effortless because she has the expertise. She is a thought leader in the space and is also very efficient at handling matters and getting things done.”
Chambers Fintech 2025
“Louise Abbott is dynamic and flexible to adjust to the ever-changing situation on each case.”
Chambers Fintech 2025
“Louise Abbott delivers niche expertise in cryptocurrency fraud claims and the recovery of blockchain assets.”
The Legal 500 2024
“Louise Abbott is a highly professional practitioner, who brings a realism and practical approach to her cases. Her client care is exceptional.”
The Legal 500 2023
“Louise Abbott is a superb practitioner in the fields of commercial litigation and civil fraud. She is knowledgeable and bright, hardworking and highly effective. She is also very good to work with and a good member of a team.”
The Legal 500 2023
“Louise Abbott – exceptional hands-on commitment to the case in hand and round-the-clock availability. Support where needed and excellent value for money.”
The Legal 500 2023
“Louise Abbott – an effective litigator who is able to manage difficult clients well and can get to grips with complex litigation speedily.”
The Legal 500 2023
“In my experience, Louise Abbott is a superb practitioner in the fields of commercial litigation and civil fraud. She is knowledgeable and bright, hard-working and highly effective. She is also very good to work with and a good member of a team.”
The Legal 500 2023
Louise qualified as a solicitor in 2003. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2020, she was Head of Commercial Litigation at Howard Kennedy, and prior to that worked at Cumberland Ellis.