A case brought by mining company Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation against Dechert and one of its ex-partners is the “stuff of conspiracy theories”, cooked up after the law firm’s investigation threatened the interests of the “Kazakhstan-based oligarchs” who controlled the company, a court heard.

ENRC has taken Dechert and one of its former lawyers Neil Gerrard to court, accusing them of ramping up Dechert’s investigation into ENRC via secret contact with the Serious Fraud Office and leaking confidential information to the media.