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Tracey Dovaston

Partner

Tracey is an experienced solicitor whose practice focuses on regulatory and internal investigations, regulatory compliance and complex banking, finance and commercial litigation. As a leading practitioner, she has successfully represented corporate clients including major financial institutions in some of the most significant investigations brought by the FCA, PRA and global authorities. She has been on the front-line handling disputes arising out of the 2008 financial crisis, in addition to leading investigations relating to financial crime, market abuse, cyber and data, tax and whistleblowing.

Tracey has an impressive record of successfully representing senior executives in both high-profile investigations and in board and shareholder disputes and is adept at guiding financial institutions and corporates through the challenges arising out of complex litigation and investigations, including navigating sensitive reputational issues and all areas of crisis management. Tracey has led and favourably concluded high- value and high-profile litigation through dismissals, mediation, settlement and, where necessary, through trial.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given her previous roles as Head of Litigation Investigations & Enforcement for UK and EME for Barclays, and similar roles prior at GE Capital, she is described by clients as “incredibly impressive at leading investigations – smart, very commercial and tough when necessary while appreciating the concerns of the board and senior management, etc. Her ability to bring a sense of order and calm to situations really helped at a time where internal discussions really needed some focus.” Clients also note that “as well as being a thoroughly decent and lovely person to work with, Tracey exemplifies why Pallas is so good. Her specialist knowledge and hands-on experience in banking disputes makes her a go-to for that work. Judgement you can trust from someone who has ‘been there, done that’ is what brought us to her” (Legal 500). Similarly, she is described as “an industry leader” who has “a deep and nuanced understanding of the cases she handles” (GIR 100 2021), expertly finding solutions to complex situations. Tracey was named in Best Lawyers UK’s 2024 and 2025 editions and featured in GIR Women in Investigations 2021. She is named as a recommended lawyer in Lexology Index’s 2025 Investigations Report.

Further accolades recognising her achievements in promoting inclusion and diversity within the legal community include being shortlisted for her collaborative leadership style in the 2023 Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards for the second consecutive year and shortlisted for ‘Regulatory Lawyer of the Year’ in the Women in Business Law Awards 2023. Tracey was also named in the HERoes 100 Women Executives Role Model List 2021, honoured in the ‘Class of 2021’ at the Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards, and awarded ‘Solicitor of the Year’ at the Inspirational Women in Law Awards 2020.

For the fifth year, Tracey is co-Chair of the Forum on European Banking Enforcement, for specialists working on regulatory enforcement matters for financial institutions. As an accomplished speaker, she regularly moderates and presents at Legal and Compliance conferences on investigations, disputes, innovation and diversity and she is an active member and advocate of multiple organisations that bring together thought leaders and innovators in the field of inclusion and diversity.

Credit Suisse AT1 Holders

Acting for holders in correspondence and proceedings against the Swiss authorities, Credit Suisse and UBS in respect of the AT1 write-downs.

 

FCA, PRA and related Investigations

Advising global investment bank in relation to allegations of non-financial misconduct concerning FCA regulated persons.

Advising a senior executive of a financial institution in relation to an FCA and PRA investigation into anti money laundering and sanctions.

 

Smile Telecom

Acting for Smile’s majority shareholder and senior lender in respect of two Restructuring Plans, breaking new ground before the English Courts.

 

Insolvency-related investigations and litigation

Acting for the administrators on the investigation into the collapse of a leading international distribution company.

College of Law, London, Legal Practice Course

University of Leeds, LL.B. (Hons)

Bars

Solicitor of England & Wales

Legal 500, Banking Litigation (2024)

Legal 500, Risk Advisory – Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime (2024)

Best Lawyers UK, Banking and Finance (2024 and 2025)

Lexology Index: Investigations (2025)

Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers Guide (2024 and 2025)

Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators Guide (2023 and 2024)

Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards, Collaborative Leadership Finalist (2022-2023)

HERoes 100 Women Executives Role Model List (2021)

Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards ‘Class of 2021’ (2021)

Winner: Solicitor of the Year, Inspirational Women in Law Awards (2020)

tracey.dovaston@pallasllp.com

+44 20 4574 1007

“Tracey has a sophisticated understanding of her corporate clients’ commercial imperatives, and within those parameters she is immensely effective at helping those clients to mitigate risk arising from regulatory issues.”
Legal 500 UK 2024

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    Matt Getz and Tracey Dovaston Recognised in 2025 Lexology Index Investigations Report

    We are delighted that our partners Matt Getz and Tracey Dovaston have been recommended as leaders in their field in the 2025 Lexology Index Investigations Report.

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