Practice Areas
Dispute Resolution
Our dispute resolution team handles problems and disputes, including those arising in relation to our core energy and shipping practice areas, over a range of commercial matters. Partners and associates of the Firm have worked on some of the largest and most complex arbitrations and litigation proceedings in the maritime and offshore sectors, including the recent concluded "SOLITAIRE" pipelay barge dispute, which generated what is believed to be the largest and - with eleven substantial awards being issued over a ten year period - the longest-running maritime arbitration ever conducted in the United Kingdom.
Our approach to handling disputes is always to seek to ensure that the clients' interests in reaching a cost-efficient and speedy resolution are achieved, whilst properly protecting their position against the possibility that an amicable resolution cannot be reached. We believe that it is vital in this context to agree with the client at the outset of the dispute a strategy for its resolution and that, without this approach, legal costs can frequently be wasted in pursuing or defending claims which are without sufficient merit or of immaterial value. This is particularly important where the client is in dispute with a company or individual with whom they have an ongoing commercial relationship which might be harmed by the commencement or prosecution of a particular claim or defence.
We are strong believers in the benefits of commercial negotiation and our partners and associates are very experienced in conducting formal and informal mediation and other ADR procedures to seek to achieve an early commercial settlement - we have resolved a substantial number of disputes in this manner.
If the matter cannot be resolved by negotiation, our dispute resolution team has extensive experience in handling both arbitration and litigation proceedings. In relation to arbitration we are very familiar and accustomed to working with the rules of the London Maritime Arbitrators' Association, of the International Chamber of Commerce and of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). We also have extensive litigation experience in handling large and smaller disputes before the High Court in London, both before the Commercial Court and the Technology and Construction Court, and the UK appeal courts system.
To allow us to achieve the objective of providing the very highest standards of service in dispute resolution, we have established strong relationships with leading chambers of London barristers, technical consultancy firms and other experts and a global network of experienced lawyers who are available to assist in handling local issues arising in the context of international disputes. We have also invested in the latest document management, information and communication systems to ensure a fast, efficient and cost-effective service to clients.
Finally, in addition to handling disputes when these arise, our contentious team regularly assists clients in carrying out legal risk assessments after contract signing and in drawing up practical administration and claims management procedures to ensure that contracts are administered and performed as the parties originally intended.