Focusing on dispute resolution, litigation prevention and risk management, the Guildford team at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP handles matters with multi-jurisdictional elements for corporate clients in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with clients praising it as ‘a law firm of great calibre with excellent people’ who are ‘great, very friendly and a pleasure to work with’. The team specialises in corporate litigation, commercial matters, and product liability and supply chain disputes and is increasingly handling professional negligence claims. The team is led by Stephen Burns, who is ‘clever, with terrifically good judgment’ and is a specialist in Companies Act litigation, shareholder disputes and professional negligence issues; and ‘shrewd, experienced negotiator’ Jamie Cartwright, who has experience in technology, automotive, retail and product liability disputes. Rachel Warren is ‘excellent on financial services regulation and disciplinary matters’. The ‘highly commercial’ Gareth Mills is an expert in international arbitration and has substantial experience advising financial services and TMT clients. Head of the Guildford office Duncan Elson is also noted.

The ‘skilled and practical’ team at Cripps in Tunbridge Wells handles complex disputes for UK and international clients, companies and business individuals across several sectors including the advertising and media, technology, food and drink, and property industries. Recent work has involved litigation related to commercial contracts, insolvency and restructuring matters, professional negligence claims and post-transactional disputes. Heading up the team is Philip Youdan and the ‘fantastic, efficient, sensible and wise’ Ed Weeks, who is well-known for his expertise in shareholders’ disputes and directors’ duties issues. ‘Go-to lawyer’ Joanna Ford has a specialism in handling restructuring and insolvency matters as well as shareholder disputes concerning IT and technology contracts. Also of note is Tom Bourne, who has a particular interest in the food and drinks sector, with experience in commercial and post-transactional disputes. Hannah Proctor is well versed in misfeasance claims and breach of contract disputes, praised as a ‘successful litigator’. In early 2024, the firm merged with Horsham-based firm PDT Solicitors, which added the expertise of William Angas, Ben Ashworth and Justin McConville to the practice.

Stevens & Bolton LLP regularly advises on international corporate, shareholder and commercial contract disputes across growth areas including the life sciences, energy and fraud spaces. Led by commercial disputes expert Sarah Murray in Guildford, who regularly acts for retail, insurance and healthcare clients and also heads up the firm’s international group, the team has recently handled breach of contract and negligence claims and has a client roster featuring the likes of Allianz Insurance and Phillips. Michael Frisby provides risk management advice and handles litigation, international arbitration and adjudication work. Catherine Penny has substantial experience in contract and earn out disputes, while Andrew Quick specialises in disputes arising out of corporate transactions and franchising arrangements, as well as professional negligence claims.

Acting in contractual, financial and shareholder disputes in the aviation, finance and manufacturing industries, concerning claims of breach of contract, corporate fraud and professional negligence, the team at DMH Stallard LLP in Surrey and Sussex displays ‘great attention to detail and the willingness to go the extra mile’. Leading the team is the Gatwick-based Simon Elcock, who offers expertise in the professional services, insurance and banking sectors. James Colvin advises on all areas of commercial and banking dispute resolution. Qualified as a barrister and solicitor, Jonathan Compton in Guildford often advises individuals and commercial organisations on competition, banking and regulatory disputes, while the ‘unflappable’ Tim Ashdown is an IP and technology disputes expert. The team has expanded with the arrival of Nicola Billen from Knights plc in April 2022, who has experience in contractual, corporate and shareholder disputes, and Frank Bouette from Shakespeare Martineau LLP in February 2022.

Operating out of Kent, the ‘commercially-minded’ and ‘excellent and friendly team’ at Thomson Snell & Passmore specialises in contract, trade and commodities disputes, insurance litigation, shareholder disputes, fraud matters and insolvency claims, particularly across the food and drink, transport and manufacturing industries. The trio of lawyers heading up the practice include Kamal Aggarwal, who has ‘extensive commercial litigation experience’ and handles high-value commercial disputes concerning UK and overseas clients; the ‘intelligent, strategic and very personable’ Douglas Skilton, who specialises in partnership, brand protection and IP disputes; and ‘experienced shipping and commercial litigator’ James Cradick, who manages ‘top flight’ litigation and arbitration in the commodities, trade and insurance sectors. ‘Rising star’ Rico Dexiades is another key lawyer.

TWM Solicitors LLP has a broad commercial disputes offering with ‘very experienced and careful litigators’ which have considerable experience in shareholder and business disputes, fraud and recovery matters, professional negligence claims and finance disputes. The practice is headed up by the Guildford-based David Hitchcock, who has significant experience in acting for businesses, SMEs and property developers in commercial and IP disputes, and Simon Brew who has handled High Court litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution work involving finance, negligence and contractual claims and whose ‘advice is always measured’. In Wimbledon, Eileen Barry is a specialist in shareholder and partnership, insolvency and commercial property disputes. Laurie Heizler, who joined the team in October 2022, offers contentious IP experience.

The ‘professional’ team at Boddy Matthews Limited in Surrey offers a ‘wealth of knowledge’ and ‘differing areas of expertise and sound advice’. The team is increasingly advising on contractual commercial claims relating to breaches, tort commercial claims for high-net-worth individuals, aviation logistics claims and tax warranty disputes. The ‘exceptionally dedicated’ Kate Matthews is ‘reliable and efficient with excellent problem-solving abilities’ and offers significant experience acting for international and domestic clients.

Based in Maidstone, Brachers is well versed in debt recovery and insolvency litigation, acting for multi-national corporations, public sector organisations, private businesses and utility suppliers. The team also represents clients in the healthcare, transport, logistics and motor retail industries. Team leader Michael Oatham is an expert in commercial and chancery disputes, covering commercial contract, shareholder and debt recovery litigation.

Advising household names, national and international companies and financial services institutions, the Gatwick-based commercial litigation team at Irwin Mitchell continues to be instructed in tax, insolvency, directors’ duties and shareholder-related disputes. Specialising in commercial contract, liability and professional negligence disputes is team head Katie Byrne, who often assists insurance companies and financial institutions. Recently promoted partner Thomas Barnard, who also leads the firm’s sports department, focuses on commercial disputes and risk advisory work in the sports, media and entertainment industries. Robert Parks offers experience in dealing with contractual, partnership and shareholder disputes, as well as knowledge of professional negligence issues, acting for private and corporate clients.

The ‘highly respected litigation department’ at Moore Barlow has notable specialist knowledge of financial services, intellectual property and debt recovery litigation, as well as advising on litigation funding arrangements, particularly for SMEs. Practice heads include judicial review specialist David Foster in Guildford, who is a ‘brilliant litigator and an excellent strategist’, and Claire Haverfield in Southampton. Esther Millard leads on disputes for independent schools.

The commercial litigation team at Coole Bevis LLP, operating out of Worthing and Hove, acts for SMEs, professional services companies and individuals in disputes concerning bankruptcy and insolvency, procurement litigation, directors’ and shareholders’ duties claims, and contract breaches. Team leader Kelly Mills acts for clients across the public and private sectors on commercial and contractual disputes relating to sale of goods and defamation claims. The ‘fantastic’ Nigel Targett has ‘excellent client care’ and handles employment, property and commercial disputes.

Dispute resolution boutique Griffin Law, which operates out of West Malling in Kent, fields ‘extremely knowledgeable and sophisticated litigators who focus on the best possible commercial outcomes’ with knowledge of partnership and shareholder disputes, trade mark and copyright infringement claims, and breaches of commercial contracts. The team is co-headed by the ‘unflappable’ Neil Kelley, who demonstrates ‘a real commitment to cases and clients’; Mark Edmonds, who is ‘commercially aware’ and offers a breadth of litigation experience spanning property, insolvency and debt recovery matters; and CMC registered mediator Andrew Macleod.

In Brighton, Healys regularly represent small to medium-sized commercial clients in litigation, particularly breach of contract, duties and finance-related disputes. Practice head and accredited CEDR mediator David Bailey ‘combines being clever with being very practical’, acting as a ‘shrewd operator with a lot of nous’, and offering significant experience in fraud, professional negligence and financial services litigation. Nicholas Taylor is also noted for his expertise in media law and public figure disputes.

The commercial litigation team at Judge & Priestley LLP in Bromley acts for high-net-worth individuals and corporations in disputes relating to high-value contracts, the supply of gas and electricity, and consumer credit issues. Leading the credit solutions litigation team is Uday Patel, who often acts in utility supply disputes relating to fraudulent supply agreements, and insolvency matters.

Morr & Co LLP fields a ‘very organised and helpful’ team that is ‘robust and commercial’ when handling contractual, partnership, professional negligence and tax disputes. Practice head Catherine Fisher, who also sits as Deputy District Judge on the South Eastern Circuit, is ‘excellent with clients’, which include corporates, entrepreneurs and insolvency practitioners. The ‘dedicated’ Sally Hutchings is a tax disputes specialist and has significant experience in judicial review proceedings, while Chris Darvill, who joined from Moore Barlow in November 2022, has commercial and IP dispute experience and is ‘very experienced and smooth in litigation’. Kristine Ng joined the team from DMH Stallard LLP in August 2022.

Operating out of the firm's Sussex and Kent offices, the team at Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP has expertise in commercial, restructuring, insolvency and construction disputes. The team’s client roster features SME businesses and professional services companies, particularly in the accountancy space. Heading up the team is commercial disputes and restructuring and insolvency expert Richard Ludlow. Dan Sherlock specialises in construction disputes, while Alistair Rustemeyer has built the firm’s contentious probate practice, acting for high-net-worth individuals.