Our disputes team at WRJ is led by Grant Smith and is committed to achieving the best possible outcome for our clients.
Whenever we take a case on we quickly establish the issues and provide guidance and advice about the strengths and weaknesses of our clients’ legal position. However, we recognise that our clients’ needs are frequently broader than simply receiving advice on their strict legal position.
Almost invariably our focus is on keeping our clients out of the Courts and resolving their disputes at the pre-action stage. We actively discourage our clients, and their opponents, from choosing to engage in what are often protracted, expensive and uncertain court battles in favour of more pragmatic, cost-effective, and commercially focused forms of dispute resolution, such as lawyer-led settlement conferences, mediation and expert determination.
However, we recognise that in certain cases litigation in the Courts may be unavoidable, particularly where an urgent court remedy is required to protect our client’s interests (e.g. an interim injunction) or if our client’s opponent is of a difficult disposition or does not have previous experience of the expense and uncertainty associated with investing in a litigious outcome.
If litigation is unavoidable, our disputes team works tirelessly to ensure our clients have the best possible chance of obtaining a positive outcome, whether that be by settling the case on favourable terms after proceedings have commenced, or by ensuring any Court or Tribunal hearing our client’s case at trial has been provided the best possible version of it.
Below are some examples of the types of claims our disputes team would be pleased to help you resolve:-
CIVIL DISPUTES
- Disputes concerning the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA Claims)
- Disputes relating to the possession of residential premises, including urgent interim possession claims involving trespassers and the eviction of squatters.
- Private and public nuisance claims
- Probate disputes, acting on behalf of the estate’s personal representatives or executors, or alternatively on behalf of its beneficiaries.
- All manner of disputes arising from the Landlord and Tenant relationship.
COMMERCIAL DISPUTES
Corporate Governance and Ownership Disputes
- Shareholder Disputes
- Partnership Disputes
- Director/Board Disputes
Financial Services Disputes
- including the defence of regulatory claims brought by the Financial Conduct Authority
Disputes involving the performance Commercial Contracts & Contracts of Guarantee
Disputes concerning the sale and supply of goods and services
Disputes engaging the Economic Torts
Professional Negligence Claims
Corporate Defamation Claims
Corporate Insolvency disputes
Personal Bankruptcy disputes
Claims concerning Intellectual Property infringement and Passing off
Franchising and Licencing disputes
Construction and Engineering Disputes
Bringing and opposing interim injunctions to further or preserve a wide range of commercial interests.
Employment Tribunal litigation (acting for both employees and employers).
Commercial Landlord and Tenant disputes
PREVIOUS NOTABLE CASES
Our Grant Smith has advised on, acted in, or otherwise been involved in the conduct of, the following notable cases :-
Defending a £17m claim made by the Financial Conduct Authority for breaches of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, concerning the operation of ‘collective investment schemes’ by unregulated companies and individuals.
Advising a City Finance House on a £30m ‘dishonest assistance’ claim brought against it by the liquidators of 30 insolvent companies in connection with securities fraud.
Acting for 68 Cypriot claimants in a class action brought against the UK Ministry of Defence for alleged tortures and abuses committed by British military personnel during the occupation of Cyprus in the 1950s.
Acting for a litigation funder to recover a seven-figure sum from a defendant who had defaulted on the terms of his funding facility arrangement.
Successfully acting for a claimant in the High Court & Court of Appeal in connection with a disputed seven-figure lottery ticket.
Securing the successful pre-action settlement of shareholder/franchising dispute on behalf of a majority shareholder, involving an international fast-food brand.
Acting for the one of the UK’s leading business data providers in enforcing their
Contact Us
To find out more about how our lawyers can help, call us on 01926 258182 or contact us online to set up a free initial consultation.