Services

For most businesses, finding themselves at the beginning of a dispute is an unwanted source of stress, distraction and worry. Unfortunately, in reality, they inevitably do happen, and in such cases you need clear and proactive advice from the outset.
 

We work together with our clients to investigate all avenues of dispute resolution available and will advise you on selecting the method most appropriate to you. Our priority is to resolve disputes quickly and effectively with as little disruption to our clients’ business as possible.
 

We have a team of highly experienced lawyers with a reputation for resolving complex matters effectively and skillfully, including handling multiparty cases with both national and international elements.
 

Where litigation cannot be avoided, we drive our client’s case with determination and commercial purpose.

We also understand the need for cost efficiency and commerciality. Litigation can be expensive, but costs can be controlled through strategic planning, risk-assessment, selective use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques and careful cost budgeting as appropriate.

We add value to our clients by using our knowledge of how disputes occur to advise clients on how to avoid potential liability and exposure before problems arise. We advise our clients on a wide range of matters, including:
 

• Contractual disputes

• Shareholder disputes

• Property litigation

• Construction

• Professional negligence

• Tax enquiries

• Insolvency litigation

• Commercial Agents Regulations

• Debt recovery

• Mortgage enforcement

• SHAREHOLDER DISPUTES

 

They say that you should take greater care choosing your business partner than your spouse.

Despite the best intentions, the interests of business partners and fellow shareholders can diverge over time, leading to disputes and disagreements about money and control of companies.

If you are involved in a shareholder dispute, you need proactive advice on the risks and rewards of your next move. While emotions often run understandably high in these disputes, we advise our clients on making the right commercial and tactical moves at the right time.

Whether you are looking for control of the company or a fair price for your shares, we can advise you on the best action to take.

Our expertise includes:
 

• Breach of duty

• Unfair prejudice claims

• Derivative claims

• Partnership duties and liabilities

• Removal of directors and partners

• Director disqualification

   •   Directors’ duties and liabilities


• CONSTRUCTION DISPUTES


Construction projects are often complex and have many parties involved. This means that they are frequently the subjects of disputes and disagreements. Prompt, specialist and commercial advice is therefore key to a successful outcome.

Our construction team offers clients involved in engineering and construction projects a track record of providing commercially astute advice across a range of industries and legal issues. The practice includes contentious and non-contentious work carried out by our team of highly experienced solicitors.
 

Construction Disputes

Our contentious expertise encompasses a broad mix of complex, medium and high-value disputes, which we resolve using a variety of techniques including:
 

• Mediation

• Arbitration

• Adjudication

• Early neutral evaluation

• Litigation in the High Court
   

We act for a wide range of clients, including multinational corporates, international and domestic developers, contractors and subcontractors – as well as construction professionals such as consulting engineers and architects – and advise on all types of construction claims and matters, including:
 

• Extensions of time

• Loss and expense/delay and disruption claims

• Liquidated damages

• Performance-related disputes

• Defects claims

• Variations/final account claims
   

Ongoing commercial advice

Our experience in dispute resolution means that we know how to help our clients avoid contentious action. Whether you are a developer, contractor, sub-contractor, funder, purchaser or tenant, we can review your construction contracts and associated documents and offer robust advice to get the best outcome for your business.
 

We support project teams on a wide range of developments from tender stage to contract completion, including:
 

• Drafting, negotiation and distribution of construction documentation

• Building contract amendments

• Appointment and novations

• Warranties

• Bonds and guarantees

   •  Due diligence on the commercial and construction aspects of acquisitions and takeovers

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• PROPERTY DISPUTES

 

With so much value attached to property, disputes and disagreements are unfortunately part and parcel of owning or occupying property.

Whether it involves commercial or residential property, resolving these disputes should be approached in a sensible and commercially-savvy way: analysing the risks, weighing up the rewards, and pushing hard for a result that makes commercial sense.
 

Our specialist property litigators regularly advise national and international clients on the full range of property disputes, including:
 

• Matters relating to commercial, residential and mixed-use schemes

• Landlord and tenant issues, including rent arrears, break notices forfeiture and lease renewals

• Service charge disputes

• Dilapidations claims

• Insolvencies

• Breaches of contract

• Professional negligence

• Possession of land claims

• Trespass and unlawful occupation

• Party wall disputes

• Overage and coverage disputes

• Repossessions