2026 Civil Litigation Conference

Ryan Sweetnam is Director of Crypto Fraud & Financial Litigation at CEL Solicitors, specialising in complex civil fraud, cryptocurrency disputes and digital asset recovery. Ryan acts in cases involving cryptocurrency fraud, asset tracing and cross-border recovery, with particular experience in claims against Persons Unknown, freezing and proprietary injunctions, disclosure orders and litigation involving cryptocurrency exchanges and other international third parties. His work combines traditional civil litigation and asset recovery techniques with the challenges created by blockchain technology and the often international movement of digital assets. He has acted in significant cryptocurrency recovery matters, including the recent civil recovery of more than £3.3 million of Bitcoin originally purchased through one of the UK’s earliest cryptocurrency exchanges more than a decade ago. Ryan regularly speaks and provides training on cryptocurrency litigation, fraud and asset recovery, with a particular focus on making this developing area of law accessible to litigators who may not routinely deal with digital assets.

Aidan Reay is a barrister from Kings Chambers, Manchester. Aidan specialises in commercial and corporate disputes. Recent work includes appearing as sole counsel in a two-week trial in the London Circuit Commercial Court on a dispute arising from a €300million refinancing by a large Polish real estate business and as sole counsel for the successful respondent before the Court of Appeal in Pitalia v NHS England [2023] EWCA Civ 657, a case concerning service and the scope of CPR r.3.10. Aidan also has a busy commercial injunction practice and has recently been involved in contested freezing injunctions, injunctions to restrain presentation of winding up petitions and injunctions to protect confidential information and restrain breaches of restrictive covenants.

Hollie Birkett is a barrister from St John’s Buildings Chambers and has a broad civil practice. She has a strong personal injury and disease practice and has expanded her workload into complex clinical and professional negligence. Hollie also accepts instructions in credit hire and counter fraud, data protection, and police regulatory work.

David Taylor is a specialist person injury barrister at St John’s Building Chambers. He is regularly instructed in high value, high complexity and catastrophic injury cases both at interlocutory level and to trial. The values of such cases regularly exceed £1m. David also has experience of dealing with historic child abuse cases especially in the CICAP.

John Benson KC is a multi-disciplinary silk specialising in clinical negligence and personal injury work with an additional practice in complex crime from his London chambers -almost invariably involving expert evidence. Over many years (some even pre-CPR!) John has represented the interests of parties in complex and high value litigation engaging issues of breach, causation and damages across the spectrum of fatality and serious injury. Recognised in the Legal 500 as a leading expert in the field of clinical negligence.