Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation

We understand that disputes can adversely effect your business and can have a financial impact moving forward. We can assist with negotiations to avoid any further disruption to the work place.

It can be easy to get into lengthy arguments and disputes with insurance companies regarding the terms of insurance policies and we can look at the terms and try to reach an agreement which will benefit you and your company.

Most of us will need to take professional advice on something throughout our lives and when that advice is wrong, it can have devastating consequences. We recognise that not only individuals receive advice, but also companies. Our specialist team can access your claim and advise you of your next steps.

Disputes can arise between third party suppliers, agents, purchasers, customers and advisers and we can try and resolve these disputes with the company’s best interests at the heart of negotiations.

Debts can adversely affect your cash flow and cause business uncertainty. If you have disputes relating to payment, our team can assist you.

We can assist with disputes relating to Commercial premises and Residential properties.

As litigation solicitors, we always aim to take a commercially focused and driven approach in order to resolve a dispute in a peaceful and pragmatic manner.  We consider appropriate methods of alternative dispute resolution where appropriate with the aim to keep litigation costs to a minimum.

At this stage, we’ll provide an estimate of the likely costs and discuss any appropriate funding options that might be available, such as ‘after the event’ (ATE) insurance cover.

In cases where litigation appears to be the only way moving forwards, our team of litigation solicitors are experienced in issuing and defending cases in the courts, including the High Courts.

We provide recommendations in the early steps of your matter on a fixed-fee basis and guide you throughout the litigation process from the outset to the end.

With civil claims there are fixed periods of time during which formal civil proceedings must be started.  This is known as a limitation period.  The limitation period depends on the type of the claim you are making:-

• Claims in relation to a contract: 6 years
• Claims in relation to debt arising under statute: 6 years
• Claims in relation to negligence: 6 years
• Claims in relation to tort: 6 years

These limitation periods are subject to some exceptions and will start to run at the time that the cause of action arises, i.e. from the earliest time that the legal proceedings could first have been brought.

Prior to making a civil claim, a claimant should contact the defendant beforehand outlining their claim in the aim to reach an agreement with both parties before going to court.

If you are unable to reach a settlement then the alternative is to issue a claim with the courts.  Once the court has been instructed with the civil claim and litigation has begun, the court will provide a timetable of events that need to be followed.  The timeline to progress the case will depend on the type of civil claim you are making.

However, as the overriding objective is to minimise costs, each party is required to act as quick as they can in order for a trial to take place as soon as possible.

It is important to note that in order to reduce time and costs for all parties involved, a settlement can be reached any time before the trial.