Former Leeds United owners switch legal teams in ongoing case against ex-chief

THE law firm for Gulf Finance House Capital, the former majority stakeholders in Leeds United Football Club has been replaced.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, a Los Angeles-headquartered firm has been replaced by Bryan Cave.

Robert Dougans, partner at Bryan Cave will take over from Gibson Dunn partner Philip Rocher.

GFH is currently involved in a number of disputes with David Haigh, former managing director at Leeds United who spent two years in a Dubai prison following accusations from the finance house that he falsified £3m of invoices.

Gibson Dunn were also involved in disputes over the freezing of Mr Haigh’s assets, according to The Lawyer. This meant that Mr Haigh could not pay any legal fees, leading to his lawyers Stephenson Harwood Dubai managing partner Rovine Chandrasekera and Olswang partner Bernard O’Sullivan coming off the record.

Now, Mr Dougans of Bryan Cave will represent GFH in a judicial review brought by Mr Haigh challenging a £230,000 costs order.

The decision comes just weeks after Haigh was released from prison in Dubai and returned to the UK. He was facing allegations, also brought by GFH, over cyber slander. Mr Haigh avoided another two-year prison sentence when he was found innocent last month.