I am a well-known commercial disputes lawyer with over 30 years’ experience in national and international dispute resolution, ranked Tier 1 in Chambers and Legal 500 for many years.
In my career I have worked in 4 law firms ranging in size from 1 lawyer to 12,000 lawyers. I have successfully resolved disputes in over 40 countries.
I have a broad and adaptable commercial disputes practice, both domestic and international. I have litigated in every type of English Court up to the Court of Appeal and arbitrated in many different institutions including LCIA, ICC, Gafta, LMAA and ad hoc.
I specialise in mediation advocacy, having conducted nearly 200 mediations since the 1990s with a 90%+ success rate.
I am qualified to practice in England, & Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
I have years of experience in all types of commercial dispute, particularly, contractual and professional indemnity claims, supply chain, corporate and franchising disputes and contentious inheritance. I also have lengthy experience of most parts of the CPR and arbitration procedure including numerous injunctions.
Contractual
A number of cases devoted to interpretation, causation and quantum. Examples of reported cases:
- Acting for the defendant bank in the interpretation of a company pension contract. Tahmassebi v Persia International Bank Plc (2007 High Court)
- Representing Capita in its successful summary judgment claim against an employer for an unpaid director’s loan account, which involved a detailed consideration of company accounts. Capita Trust Company Ltd v Optical Service (2014 High Court)
- Acting for the company in defending a claim for unjust enrichment, determining the current value of an historic investment. Kowalishin v Roberts & Tech21 UK Ltd (2015 High Court).
Professional negligence claims
I act exclusively for claimants (mostly banks) against lawyers, surveyors, architects and accountants. For ten years, I led one of only two firms on the Barclays specialist panel. I enjoy a UK-wide reputation for this type of work. Reported cases include Barclays Bank v Christie Owen and Davies (2016 High Court) valuer negligence, Santander v RA Legal (2014 CofA) breach of trust, and Abbey National v Key Surveyors (1997 CofA) which was the judicial forerunner to the Woolf reforms on single joint experts.
Corporate
Acting for companies and shareholders in most permutations of corporate fall-out. For example, acting for the company in defending a shareholder unfair prejudice claim, including seminal judgment by the High Court on the extent of director rights to see company information, Dilato Holdings Pty Ltd v (1) Learning Possibilities Ltd (2) GVM Holdings Ltd (3) Sunil Antani (2015 High Court)
Injunctions
I have experience acting for both sides in freezing, search and seizure, mandatory and anti-suit injunctions.
Commercial Agency Regulations
Specialist expertise since the 1990s acting for principals and agents.
Contentious inheritance
Historic experience of many types of claim over disputed Wills. Includes acting for the successful claimant in a want of knowledge claim. Shah v Joshi (2008 High Court).
International disputes
I have conducted disputes in or involving GC level or above, for clients in the US, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, British Virgin Islands, UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Iran, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Russia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, India, China, Singapore, South Korea, Egypt, Liberia, Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Mozambique, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, Australia, and the Marshall Islands.
Supply chain disputes
I specialise in the efficient resolution of manufacture, logistics, wholesale, distribution, agency and franchise disputes. Profoundly experienced in solving national and international disputes in all of these sectors, on time and on budget.
International fraud and tracing
I acted for a BVI based corporate services group in a highly litigated fraud claim against a former director. The claim involved disputes in BVI, Luxembourg, France, Morocco and England where one of the many injunction hearings was reported: Circumference Investments (Europe) Ltd v Martin (Rev 1) (2021) High Court
Product liability
I acted for the largest dairy supplier in Poland in a seven figure dispute with a household name US chocolate maker over a strongly disputed allegation of Salmonella contamination.
Franchising
I advised a luxury shoe manufacturer in the termination of its 30 year old US franchise. Settlement achieved after a prolonged negotiation in the UK and New York.
Commercial disputes
I have worked on a number of cases over the years, most recently for a well-known US based supplier of smart-phone cases in dispute over the purchase of a competitor.
EU commercial agency regulations
I have many years’ experience in advising US and other clients on the significant issues presented by these regulations, most recently for a large US toy manufacturer.
Mediation
I have acted as a mediation advocate in 100-200 mediations over 20 years with over a 90% successs rate.
Arbitration
I have 30 years’ experience in Arbitration acting for both claimant and respondent, both national and international – LCIA, ICC and ad hoc, also Gafta and LMAA.