The Legal 500

United Kingdom > North West > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Manchester

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has ‘very good bench strength’. The team worked with colleagues in London in representing a number of defendants in the BTA Bank v Ablyazov litigation. Department head Susan Garrett is ‘of the highest calibre, and the best pensions litigator in the North of England’, and is currently acting for ITN on Part 8 proceedings. The ‘very able’ Mark Molyneux handles fraud matters, while John Gosling represents corporates in professional negligence claims.

DLA Piper UK LLP provides ‘a strong commercial outlook, offering good value and sophisticated advice’. Its experience includes advising international clients in high-value cases. Stewart Plant is ‘a lateral thinker and looks for solutions’, and Andrew Harris is ‘a standout choice for shareholder disputes’. Also recommended are Tim Buckingham, who acts for institutional clients; national head of litigation and regulatory David Gray; and Jonathan Eatough, whose practice includes white-collar crime matters.

Eversheds LLP is noted for its strength and depth in complex commercial disputes, including cross-border matters. It represented the defendant in Qioptic Limited v Teledyne Scientific & Imaging at the High Court; and acted for the Daisy Group CEO in a defamation claim against the BBC. Other clients include TNT, European Metal Recycling and Essar. The well-regarded Michael Clavell-Bate leads the team.

Cobbetts LLP’s Jon Hainey is ‘an excellent leader, who has instilled a commercial, pragmatic approach in his team’. The firm defended Salford City Council in judicial review proceedings, and regularly acts for mortgage lenders in defective security cases. Mark Whittell handles professional partnership disputes, and is ‘committed and develops great depth of knowledge of a case’.

DWF LLP acts for clients in sectors including retail, insurance and utilities; representative names include JJB Sports, Makro and First Title. Steve Morris acted for Mitras Automotive in defending a £4m contract claim.

Hill Dickinson LLP ‘always considers the commerciality aspect of any potential litigation’, and has specialist expertise in sports disputes, fraud and public inquiries. Practice head Geraldine Ryan has ‘an excellent grasp of issues at hand, and is tenacious in her pursuit of the right results for clients’. She continued to act for Wayne and Coleen Rooney and their companies in a claim brought by former agents. Julian Diaz-Rainey is defending an £8m claim brought by Anglo Irish Asset Finance.

Pannone LLP acted for DRL in a £5m-plus damages claim, which was settled following a favourable Appeal hearing, and advised a minority shareholder in the High Court case Williams v Williams & others. It also handled claims related to the Arch Cru investment fund scandal. Paul Jonson leads the team, which includes Simon Pedley and Kit Sorrell.

At Brabners Chaffe Street LLP, ‘hard, seasoned litigator’ Jeff Lewis is ‘calm and seemingly unruffled when facing the other side. His professionalism and commitment are impeccable’. Lewis’ expertise includes contract and warranty disputes, and he recently successfully defended a £20m claim regarding a joint venture agreement for a development site.

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s three-partner team is led by Jan Levinson, and offers expertise in areas such as healthcare, technology, pensions and fraud, with experience in high-profile, large-scale claims. Representative clients include DB Schenker, Aviva, Pirelli and Balfour Beatty. The ‘calm, precise’ Sydney Fulda is experienced in contractual and shareholder disputes, and associate Harald Loeffler is also recommended.

Gateley continues to build a strong reputation, with a team of ‘strong associates in the wings’. Sarah Sabin heads the team and focuses on corporate and contractual disputes as well as surety claims. Representative clients include Nuvia, Chartis, the British Medical Association, and Manchester City FC.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s team is now led by Kevin Bridges, who moved from the Bristol office and has experience in regulatory matters. Emma Flower has expertise in export controls. Clients include IKEA, Delphi Group and Royal & Sun Alliance.

Squire Sanders LLP’s practice is broadening in scope, and includes fraud, shareholder and, increasingly, pensions disputes. The ‘sympathetic, candid, and realistic’ Lucci Dammone defended a former director against a £2m breach of fiduciary duty claim brought by a financial services company. Victoria Leigh leads the team, and senior associate Mike Caird is also recommended.

Berg Legal’s expertise includes shareholder disputes, and financial claims for corporates and directors. Damian Carter handles corporate disputes. Lee Dunnill is now with Hewlett Swanson LLP.

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP is noted for its specialist expertise in areas related to the insurance sector, including cases with a cross-border element. It predominantly acts for insurance companies, but is increasingly acting for insured corporates. Mark Benson heads the practice, and Angus Crawford ‘takes a commercial approach to situations’.

At George Davies Solicitors LLP, associate Sandra Morrison leads on cross-border cases for German clients. ‘Highly skilled litigator’ Richard Dawson Gerrard joined from Stephensons Solicitors LLP to co-head the department.

Irwin Mitchell focuses on the utilities, leisure and finance sectors, recently defending E.ON in contractual disputes. Other clients include Aviva, RBS, Inbev and HSBC. Practice head John Lord is ‘tenacious as well as practical. He provides a common-sense, pragmatic approach and has exemplary judgment’.

JMW Solicitors LLP provides ‘good legal advice balanced with commercial considerations’, to a mainly SME client base. Practice head Andrew Farrell leads on a range of matters including shareholder and corporate disputes. Nigel Hyder is ‘knowledgeable, realistic, and supportive’.

Kennedys’ Anne Kershaw is ‘a very good lateral thinker, totally committed and a tough negotiator’. Her focus includes shareholder and professional partnership disputes.

Kuit Steinart Levy LLP’s expertise includes insolvency, product liability, contractual and professional negligence disputes. Andrew Weinberg heads the practice, and associate Daniel Fitzgerald is also recommended.

Laytons’ Stuart Farr specialises in commercial litigation and professional negligence, as well as handling product liability disputes.

Headed by Chris Pugh, Nexus Solicitors continues to handle professional negligence and commercial fraud cases. Clients include high street retailers and property management companies.

Weightmans LLP’s ‘very commercially minded and extremely knowledgeable’ department head Robert Jones has expertise in contractual, partnership, defamation and professional indemnity disputes.

Goodman Harvey’s key contact is Mark Jones.

Mason Hayes’ Marcus Hayes advises a range of public and private companies, including major telecoms operators.

At Stripes Solicitors, practice head Andrew Stripe is appreciated for his ‘hands-on involvement in cases’. Tony Winterburn moved to Ward Hadaway.

Search News and Articles

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in North West for Commercial litigation: Manchester

  • Supreme Court provides guidance 
on forum conveniens and piercing the corporate veil


    Macfarlanes LLP currently authors the Litigation & Dispute Resolution section of The In-House Lawyer magazine. For more information and articles from this author click here . This article considers the Supreme Court decision in VTB Capital plc v Nutritek International Corp & or s [2013]. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the case is that it casts doubt on the notion that the Court has the power to pierce the corporate veil. The Supreme Court also held that, even if the power to pierce the corporate veil does exist, it does not enable a claimant to hold parties that control a company jointly and severally liable under contracts entered into by that company. 

    - Macfarlanes

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to
© 2013 www.legal500.com