Rachel is a Partner and solicitor advocate in the firm's dispute resolution division in London.
She advises on a wide range of commercial disputes, with a particular focus on clients in the TMT, energy and consumer sectors. She has extensive experience of High Court litigation, international arbitration, expert determination and mediation, as well as class actions in both the High Court and Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Rachel is ranked as a 'Leading Partner' in Legal 500 UK 2025 for Commercial Litigation: Premium. Commentary includes: "Rachel Lidgate has a fantastic eye for detail, and is incredibly calm and measured, even in challenging circumstances". Rachel is also noted as 'key lawyer' in Competition Litigation and IT and telecoms respectively.
Rachel has a first class degree from Exeter College, Oxford
Background
Rachel has nearly 20 years' experience advising clients across various sectors on contractual and other disputes. Rachel has significant experience of defending fraud claims, multi-party litigation including class actions and disputes involving public bodies (including procurement disputes).
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- Google in relation to two applications for collective proceedings orders in the CAT on behalf of an online publisher class alleging that Google has abused a dominant position in Adtech tools.
- A major global OEM in relation to a class action in the High Court concerning diesel NOx emissions in respect of thousands of vehicles
- A global technology company in connection with a class action brought in the High Court involving at least 4,000 claimants alleging unlawful means conspiracy
- Bernie Ecclestone in relation to a claim for unlawful means conspiracy brought by former Formula One driver Felipe Massa in relation to the 2008 Formula One World Championship and "Crashgate"
- Apache North Sea Limited v Euroil Exploration Limited and Edison S.p.A. – successfully defending Euroil and Edison in proceedings in the High Court and the Court of Appeal relating to the interpretation of a Farm Out Agreement for the sale of an interest in two production licences and a related Joint Operating Agreement
- Direct Line Insurance Services v IBM – defending IBM against claims relating to a major business transformation project including the design and build of an enterprise data warehouse and related software
- Advising a climate change-focused fund in relation to an earn out dispute concerning smart metering technology
- Advising an international media company in relation to the impact of Covid-19 on its contractual rights and related reputational issues
- Advising a European power company in relation to a Joint Operating Agreement linked to a Production Sharing Contract for an Algerian gas field and related arbitration proceedings
- Advising Tesco in relation to thousands of claims under the equal pay provisions of the Equality Act (including expedited High Court proceedings)
- Advising an international technology company in relation to contentious issues in the context of a software development and data migration project in the retail sector
- Advising various Site Licence Company and Parent Body Organisations in relation to nuclear decommissioning contracts with the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
- Constantin Medien AG v Bernard Ecclestone and Others – successfully defending Bernie Ecclestone in substantial, high profile High Court litigation brought by a number of claimants in successive proceedings regarding allegations of unlawful means conspiracy and other economic torts
- Alstom Transport Limited v London Underground Limited and Transport for London – acting for LUL and TfL in defending a claim from an unsuccessful bidder relating to the procurement of new AC traction engines for the Central Line
- Crestar Integrated Natural Resources Limited v Newton Energy Limited – acting for Newton Energy Limited (a subsidiary of Seplat Petroleum Development Company plc) in High Court proceedings in relation to a dispute concerning an offshore Nigerian Oil Mining Licence advising Cavendish Fluor Partnership as the successful bidder in relation to EnergySolutions EU Limited v the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; also
- Advising Cavendish Fluor Partnership and Magnox Limited in relation to a further claim brought by Bechtel in respect of the same procurement process
- Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited v Baker Hughes Limited – acting for Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited in relation to a substantial claim relating to defective electrical submersible pumps
- Transocean Drilling UK Limited v Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited – defending Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited in relation to a claim for unpaid invoices in the context of alleged breaches of contracts for the supply of drilling units due to technical failures
- Acting for various major European energy companies on price review arbitrations under long-term gas and LNG sale and purchase agreements, involving claims in connection with oil price trends, developments in world gas markets and economic instability
- Acting for an African power company in an UNCITRAL arbitration relating to the supply of power to the mining industry
Sectors
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