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Litigation and dispute resolution

Clients come to us for complex, high value disputes and investigations, where strategic advice and sound judgement is essential. Our practice is particularly strong when deploying our unique skills to solving disputes across corporate, private wealth and tax.

Many disputes can be resolved without the need for court proceedings or arbitration. We are experts in all forms of alternative dispute resolution and we have the experience to advise you on when to use these methods and how best to make them work for your specific situation.

When we do litigate, our lawyers have the breadth of experience to recommend the best strategy. The disputes we handle are critically important to our clients and, therefore, to us. Our team has a strong in-house advocacy capability, due to the fact that we have an in-house QC, Guy Morpuss, enabling us to offer a full service from letter of claim through to a final hearing.

We have built a team that has expertise in key areas in relation to litigation and dispute resolution, and have highly-rated specialist practices in the following areas:

  • Construction, engineering and real estate
  • Competition litigation
  • Corporate crime and investigations
  • Corporate disputes
  • Fraud
  • International arbitration
  • Financial markets and investigations
  • Private wealth

In addition, we are experts in litigation funding, and are market leaders on the economics and structures of the various fee arrangements available, enabling us to offer clients the opportunity to manage litigation costs effectively.

We also offer our clients access to our Case Management Unit, which project manages litigation, and uses market-leading technological solutions to ensure that cases are run in a highly-streamlined and cost-effective way.

Expertise:

Recent work

A multinational commodity trading company

Advising a multinational commodity trading company on a personal injury litigation, the largest group litigation claim ever brought before the English Courts - some 30,000 claims were brought against our client. After nearly three years of litigation, the case settled shortly before trial was due to commence.

Rusal plc

Advising Rusal plc on its (high-profile) application for judicial review against the London Metal Exchange.

A head of state

Acting for a head of state in defending proceedings on the basis of sovereign immunity.

Liontrust Investment Partners LLP

Advising Liontrust Investment Partners LLP on a ground-breaking dispute in which the High Court decided, for the first time, that the doctrine of repudiatory breach does not apply to LLP agreements, a decision which will be welcomed by LLPs across the city and beyond.

Grove Developments

Advising Grove Developments to success in a Court of Appeal judgment in a periodic payments case.

Thai Airways

Successfully advising Thai Airways, in conjunction with Thai Lawyers Siam Premier, on a High Court breach of contract claim against a supplier, securing damages for our client in excess of $100m.

ARMS plc

Representing ARMS plc (formerly Bumi plc) in relation to litigation and regulatory matters arising out of an investigation concerning allegations of irregular payments. This included a substantial arbitration in Singapore, where we successfully won a $173m award for our client.

Corporate and individual clients

Advising a number of corporate and individual clients on a 12-party, international dispute.

See all

Contact

See all contacts

Iain Mackie

 Partner
+44 (0)20 7849 2299 Email Iain

What We Think

McMafia orders revisited

Neill Blundell, Max Hobbs 13 Nov 2018
Following an article by Michael Bowes QC and Oliver Powell of Outer Temple Chambers on "McMafia orders" earlier this year, here Neill Blundell and Max Hobbs of Macfarlanes have joined with Oliver and Alexandra Sidossis (also of Outer Temple Chambers) to examine how the use of Unexplained Wealth Orders has developed during 2018 and, in particular, comment on what can be learned from a recent challenge to the first UWO in the English courts.
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Pay now, but you can adjudicate later - the Court of Appeal decision in Grove v S&T

Andy Mather, Richard Rowlatt 08 Nov 2018
The Court of Appeal has upheld the High Court decision in Grove Developments Limited v S&T(UK) Limited and confirmed that employers do have the right to refer to adjudication a dispute about the 'true value' of a contractor's interim application.
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Update - African Insights: UK parent company liability

Howard Corney, Lauren Roberts 11 Jul 2018
In an article published last month (see link below), we discussed two cases (the Shell case and the Unilever case) in which claimants sought to pursue UK-domiciled parent entities in the English Courts for the acts or omissions of their overseas subsidiaries.
Read more
See related insights

What people are saying

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"Macfarlanes is 'an excellent choice for clients and foreign law firms involved in large civil fraud cases with an international dimension'."

The UK Legal 500 2017

"Clients say: 'First class. They are always my first choice for litigation. They are especially experienced in dealing with international adversaries.' and, 'the quality of the work and the personnel is very high. They are very team-oriented.'"

Chambers UK 2017

"Clients say: 'They are very solutions-focused and provide practical legal advice that can be applied' and 'They are very pragmatic. They tell me how it is, rather than what I like to hear. They have that personal touch that works well'."

Chambers UK 2016

"Macfarlanes LLP’ clients rate its ability to ‘produce astonishing results’."

The Legal 500 UK 2016

"Macfarlanes LLP understands what clients want."

The UK Legal 500 2015

"Macfarlanes LLP offers a very partner focused approach."

The UK Legal 500 2015

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