Best Financial Services Law Firm 2024 - UK & Financial Services Litigator of the Year 2024 (UK): Jenny Morrissey Founded in 2019, commercial litigation and dispute resolution law firm Harcus Parker Limited has quickly ascended the ranks to become one of the UK’s premier group claim and class-action specialists. Representing clients in some of the country’s largest and most complex cases, this is a firm so confident in its abilities that it works entirely at its own risk when it believes the case is right. Aiding the firm across these endeavours are the tenured links shared with funding and insurance markets, something secured through relationships which have been continuously strengthened over the years. At its core, London’s Harcus Parker is a social impact law firm specialising in commercial litigation and enabling access to justice. Ushering in widespread social change whilst also boosting awareness of the legal rights of those who have been wronged, the majority of cases taken on by Harcus Parker address critical failings in such areas as regulatory oversight and corporate governance, tackle wider societal injustice like the gender pay gap and major financial scandals, or explore conflicts of interest, fraud, and even greenwashing. Harcus Parker secures positive outcomes for these impacted individuals by bringing together those with similar claims, people whose sole concerns would otherwise be dismissed as a result of the hurdles involved in one person going up against a wellresourced opposition. Through this process of collective action, those seeking a claim are afforded endless benefits, from reduced costs through to the sharing of the best strategies, as well as access to the funding and insurance markets thanks to the firm’s partnerships, as mentioned above. The result, quite simply, is that litigation can be carried out on an even playing field, giving claimants a much greater chance of success. Additionally, further aiding clients in their cause is the proactive approach employed by the firm when it comes to the investigation of misconduct allegations, as it seeks to unearth those which directly impact a larger group, again offering a claimant the best possible opportunity to assert their rights, cement their information, and have a greater chance of righting the wrong committed against them. Just some of the cases being worked on at present include the Tesco Equal Pay Action campaign, which is seeking to rectify the wage disparity for female shopfloor and warehouse workers in roles usually dominated by men; the Mortgage Prisoner Litigation, which is pursuing justice for those homeowners trapped in high-interest mortgages; as well as the Energy Litigation, which is challenging the undisclosed commissions that several energy companies have paid to brokers, inflating a number of energy bills in the process. Ultimately, this is but a taste of the work carried out by Harcus Parker, but it highlights that the cases it takes on – and puts its neck on the line for – are important issues which reverberate across wider society. It is thus an important mission that the firm is on, and the potential to change discourses around certain topics and nurture a better future for us all is something that the firm keeps in the back of its mind whenever it assesses a new case, which it always does openly, honestly, and in highly responsive fashion. Although the firm may technically only have five years of experience to its name, Harcus Parker is far from a plucky upstart trying to find its feet in a dynamic landscape. This is because the firm was established by renowned legal professional Damon Parker, whose reputation was already solidified as a result of the highly successful group and commercial litigation practice he had helped to build – Harcus Sinclair LLP. The lasting impact of Harcus Sinclair cannot be overstated, with the firm acting in many high-profile UK group actions. Harcus Sinclair’s crowning moment would come in the form of it securing the first ever group litigation order (GLO) in the financial services realm, this on the back of the rollout of the GLO regime for managing large claimant groups back in the early 2000s, which allowed for the use of litigation funding so that claimants may finally pursue their claims. Bringing in the UK’s first and one of its biggest securities group actions, this firm’s dedication opened the door for other like-minded actions which have been rigorously pursued in the years since. In search of a refresh, Damon, along with a team of 12 equally dedicated founding partners, created Harcus Parker more than five years ago, in the spring of 2019. One such member was Jenny Morrissey, who had been at Harcus Sinclair for more than five years before joining Damon and co. on the next step of their adventure. As reflected in the specific award she has had bestowed upon her, Jenny is an instrumental piece of this puzzle and has allowed both of these firms to reach new heights and uphold the highest standards. Beginning her career as a researcher in Toronto, Canada, Jenny entered the legal profession through a string of opportunities, winding up as a trainee solicitor at Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP in 2012. Joining Harcus Sinclar two years later, she has not looked back since, climbing the ladder to become a senior associate at the former firm before joining the group of founding partners responsible for setting the wheels in motion of Harcus Parker. Today, Jenny’s focus lies in financial services litigation, insolvency disputes, and securities actions. Representing private and corporate clients alike, Jenny’s experience in the field is extensive and has seen her work with both domestic and international investment managers and advisors. A purveyor of justice, one particular highlight for Jenny saw her serve with Damon as a key member of the legal team overseeing the Lloyds-HBOS litigation. Essentially, this claim saw some 6,000 previous Lloyds TSB shareholders challenge the directors of the organisation for breaching duties relating Harcus Parker Limited
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