Sophie Eyre

I am a partner and co-head of Bird & Bird’s International Dispute Resolution Group, as well as the London team. I specialise in complex disputes, often of a cross border nature, and have particular expertise in the aviation & defence sector, commercial life science, and in matters involving fraud.

Heading-up Bird & Bird's fraud team, I have considerable experience in obtaining urgent remedies both in the UK and overseas to trace and preserve assets, asset recovery and in the recovery and protection of trade secrets. Fraud is not sector-focused and can hit businesses when and where they least expect.

My passion for the aviation sector comes from having been raised on the smell of aircraft fuel in a family of pilots. The team is involved across the sector acting for airlines in redelivery disputes and in disputes with OEMs, engine manufacturers, suppliers, financiers and lessors. For airports, we advise on a variety of issues including obtaining statutory fleet liens.

Commercial life science disputes are all too common - we at Bird & Bird have both the technical, scientific knowledge and the commercial disputes knowledge to ensure that disputes do not subsume the business and that the client achieves the best result.

I conduct proceedings at all levels of the English Court, in major arbitration, and in Courts in the BVI, Gibraltar, and the Isle of Man. I also have extensive experience of ADR techniques including mediation.