The Legal 500

United Kingdom > Wales > Dispute resolution

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Commercial litigation

Eversheds LLP represents public authorities, higher education institutions and finance groups. Practice head Nicola Williams focuses on public law, advising Cornwall and Brent Councils on disputes and recently leading a cross-office team advising National Grid on an investigation. Peter Watkin Jones is leading an NHS trust inquiry. Mark Rhys Jones handles commercial and contractual disputes.

Geldards LLP receives instructions from within and outside the region. Clients include Welsh Water, the Assembly Government, Bayer CropScience and ABP. 
Paul Hopkins led a successful defence in English proceedings in an ongoing international alleged fraud and bribery case. Jonathan Griffiths is experienced in public sector disputes, while Richard Moore focuses on contentious IP.

The ‘formidable team’ at Hugh James recently led on a successful defamation case against the Mirror Group. It also advised on proceedings against Celtic Manor Resort and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Clients include high-net-worth individuals and public authorities such as Finance Wales and the Environment Agency. Richard Locke leads the team, and Gareth Williams is ‘extremely perceptive and provides practical advice’.

Morgan Cole’s specialist strengths include IP, procurement and public sector disputes. Allan Wilson led for Milford Haven Port Authority in the high-profile multi-defendant Pilots’ pension scheme litigation. The team, which includes ‘technically good, astute’ IP litigation specialist Lee Fisher, was also instructed by PHS and The Wandsworth Group on high-value disputes. Associate David Hudson, who was based in Swansea, has moved to Eversheds LLP.

Berry Smith acts for local SMEs, including Julian Hodge Bank, GSM (trading as Billabong) and Opus International Consultants. Practice head Nick Parker acts as an independent mediator and is experienced in high-value, technical disputes, recently defending a £2m dispute at the High Court. Iwan Doull is leading on a breach of warranty claim in a trial involving concurrent evidence.

The ‘excellent’ team at Capital Law LLP is ‘very thorough and commercially minded’ on high-value disputes, and is led by senior partner Christopher Nott. Andrew Brown has a ‘common-sense approach’, and recently acted for Gocompare.com, ABP, Julian Hodge Bank, and Apollo Cinemas. Philip Jones represented a leisure business in £15m-plus litigation, which involved alleged fraud.

Darwin Gray has ‘an ability to relate to clients’ needs’. The four-partner team includes Stephen Thompson, who is experienced in professional partnership disputes, and recently led on a successful arbitration and appeal relating to a construction contract claim. Clients include Navitas, Barratt Homes and GD Environment Services.

Dolmans Solicitors is recommended for its professionalism, client care and comprehensive advice. Practice head Alison Henders-Green advises lending institutions and local authorities, and Philip Bradley is recommended. Recent work includes shareholder disputes and professional negligence cases.

Led by Hugh Hitchcock, Douglas-Jones Mercer continues to represent Alberto-Culver, Action for Children and Grant Thornton. Philip Graham focuses on construction litigation, while other recent work includes high-value professional negligence claims.

Harding Evans LLP is ‘pragmatic and clear in its advice and tenacious in the pursuit of solutions’. Led by Zep Bellavia, it defended a £5m-plus construction claim brought by Corus, and settled a high-value contract claim for Bristol-based software company RMS Services against The Redstone Group. Helen Tudball is ‘invaluable in her advice and guidance over difficult 
disputes’.

JCP Solicitors’ Christian Edwards focuses on construction, health and safety, and regulatory issues. Clients include the management group behind the Liberty Stadium, a UAE-based company, local SMEs and national groups. The team also advised a rugby club on an IP infringement allegation.

MLM Cartwright’s Alex Pay is experienced in finance and insolvency issues, and has represented public and private sector clients.

‘Shrewd and business focused’, Morgan LaRoche Limited’s practice head Jason Williams has ‘good 
business acumen and is a pleasure to work with’. Recent cases include high-value breach of contract disputes. Andrew Manners has expertise in regulatory and fraud matters.

Hutton’s’ Clare Strowbridge focuses on insurance, contract and professional negligence cases.

At Leo Abse & Cohen, solicitor advocate James Rudall advises on contract and other commercial disputes.

Senior partner Michael Culley at Loosemores handles commercial litigation and dispute resolution.

M & A Solicitors LLP advised Cardiff City FC on high-profile litigation with HMRC, and handled a shareholder dispute over million-pound assets. Practice head John Morris advised Neath Port Talbot Council and Peacocks.

Newlaw Solicitors LLP continues to develop a commercial focus. Geraint Fowler joined from Morgan Cole to head the dispute resolution practice. Charles Parry offers experience in debt recovery matters.

Red Kite Law draws clients from the locality and over the border. Managing partner Luke Smith handles construction disputes, recently advising a firm of architects in relation to a multimillion-pound development.

Debt recovery

Eversheds LLP’s Graham Richardson specialises in recoveries and has wide-ranging experience acting for leading UK financial institutions.

Morgan Cole’s well-regarded practice head Amanda Wooding leads a Swansea team whose focus includes the insurance and utilities sectors. New clients include Brit Insurance, Santia Ltd and Thrifty Rental, and it continues to advise AXA, PHS and various local authorities in England and Wales.

Focused on business-to-business debts, the team at Berry Smith is led by Jane Rees, and advises clients such as GSM (trading as Billabong), Grant Thornton and Atradius.

Hugh Hitchcock leads the debt collection team at Douglas-Jones Mercer, which recently acted in a claim against a local authority regarding a six-figure backdated rates liability.

Geldards LLP operates a high-volume debt recovery division under the name Hollis Briggs, led by managing partner Bill Gill.

Zep Bellavia at Harding Evans LLP acts for local and national businesses, insolvency practitioners and debt collection agencies; clients include National Express, Deloitte and Transnational Corporation.

Hugh James’ Melanie Watkins specialises in debt recovery matters.

Gareth Llewellyn Williams leads the commercial lending recovery practice at JCP Solicitors, which acts for local and national businesses. It is appointed to Lloyds’ recoveries panel, and Coventry Building Society is a new client.

M & A Solicitors LLP’s John Morris advises businesses and other creditors on high-value recoveries, and also acts for debtors. Recent clients include St John’s College and the Sports Council for Wales.

Aaron & Partners LLP continues to act for Welsh Water on debt recovery matters.

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 the UK

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

  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW

  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW

  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW

  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW

  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW

  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

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
© 2012 www.legal500.com