Melanie Ryan joined the London office of Fulbright & Jaworski International L.L.P. as a partner in February 2008. She has a wide range of litigation experience, particularly in the financial services, insurance and energy sectors. She advises and represents financial institutions, corporations, professionals and insurers in connection with all forms of commercial and international dispute resolution, regulatory enforcement proceedings and corporate investigations.

Melanie has been involved in some of the largest financial services and insurance issues over recent years and has substantial experience of international dispute resolution in many jurisdictions. In addition to the U.K. and Australia, she has handled matters in the Bahamas, Canada, the Channel Islands, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Madagascar, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S.

• Representing and advising European financial institutions in connection with claims and potential claims arising from investments in CDOs linked to the subprime and prime sectors
• Acting for London Market insurers in connection with multi-million pound losses in Switzerland arising out of the Madoff fraud
• Acting for London Market reinsurers in connection with various claims in the Far East, including one of the largest civil cases ever brought in the Republic of Korea (USD 5 billion)
• Acting for a global investment bank in multi-million dollar proceedings in the Bahamas arising out of the collapse of the Oracle Fund
• Acting in multi-party, cross-jurisdictional litigation in the UK, Hong Kong and the Middle East involving the alleged mis-selling of investments in various geared with-profit schemes
• Acting for a global energy producer and its subsidiaries in a wide range of issues and disputes arising from its down-stream operations
• Advising in connection with UK and US regulatory investigations into bribery and corruption issues in various countries
• Acting for a large UK investment manager in connection with an investigation brought by the Financial Services Authority Enforcement Division arising out of the Pensions Review
• Acting for a large independent stockbroking firm in defending multiple claims arising out of alleged mis-selling of portfolios of geared second-hand traded endowment policies
• Advising a national firm of Independent Financial Advisers in connection with an investigation brought by the Financial Services Authority Enforcement Division arising out of alleged widespread mis-selling of life policies
• Acting for insurers in connection with a USD 300 million bankers blanket bond claim brought by a European bank
• Acting in DIS arbitration proceedings seated in Frankfurt arising out of a European Commission investigation into breaches of anti-trust laws
• Acting for Lloyds of London in ICC arbitration proceedings seated in Paris brought by a large French bank
• Representing and advising insurers in connection with the issues arising from Mortgage Exit Administration Fees in the UK banking sector

• Legal 500 UK (2009)
  • Banking Litigation
  • Financial Services (Contentious)
  • International Arbitration
• Legal 500 UK (2008) 
  •  Insurance - Professional Negligence

Melanie regularly contributes to various publications. Recent examples include:

• "When Privacy Gives Way to Expediency - Are Insurance Arrangements Private?" New Law Journal, September 2009 
• "The State of Play for Insurers and Insureds in the Credit Crunch and Post-Madoff Era," Complinet, September 2009
• "US Investigations: Compliance with Privacy Regulations," Data Protection Law & Policy, February 2009
• "Legal Analysis - Springwell - Are the English Courts the Venue of Last Resort for Complex Investor Claims?" Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation, January 2009

Melanie is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars. Recent topics include:

• Subprime – the claims so far and possible future exposure
• Risks and liabilities in the private equity industry
• Insurance coverage issues and claims handling
• Developments in financial institutions claims
• An introduction to offshore company administration and trusts

1996 - Bachelor of Laws and Jurisprudence (with Honours)
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours), Macquarie University

Melanie is admitted to practice law in the Federal and High Courts of Australia, the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the Courts of England and Wales.