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.

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:

Corporate disputes
Construction, engineering and real estate disputes
Competition law litigation
Financial services and markets disputes and investigations
Fraud including corporate crime and investigations
International arbitration
Private client disputes
Tax investigations and disputes

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.

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

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.

Grove Developments

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

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.

A head of state

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

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.

Corporate and individual clients

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

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.

Rusal plc

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

See all

See all contacts

Matt McCahearty

Partner

+44 (0)20 7849 2659 Email Matt

What we think

Force majeure and frustration in the context of Covid-19

Lois Horne, Dan Lavender, Jonathan Pratt 23 Mar 2020

It is likely that some businesses will find it difficult or impossible to perform contracts entered into before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A restrictive covenant for “employee shareholders” was still binding on a shareholder after they ceased to be an employee

Lois Horne, Iain Mackie 12 Feb 2020

In the case of Guest Services Worldwide Limited v David Shelmerdine [2020] EWCA Civ 85 the Court of Appeal considered whether restrictive covenants in a shareholders’ agreement...

Parties to joint venture did not owe each other duties of good faith

Lois Horne, Iain Mackie 04 Feb 2020

The High Court has held that the parties to a joint venture did not owe each other a general obligation to act in good faith, either express or implied.

What people are saying

"One source describes the firm's work as "exemplary" and adds: "The lawyers are smart, efficient, practical and creative, and they have a very co-operative culture, with strong teamwork and excellent relations with clients and counsel.""

Chambers UK 2020