Joanna Ford > Cripps > Tunbridge Wells, England > Lawyer Profile

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.

In Tunbridge Wells, Cripps houses a ‘highly technical‘ team, which regularly assists clients with pre-insolvency matters in addition to pre-sale restructurings, solvent schemes of arrangements, and voluntary arrangements of companies. The practice advises a diverse client roster, which includes waste management, fintech, and manufacturing companies. Praised for her ‘attention to detail‘, Joanna Ford leads the team, often acting in claims of misfeasance and wrongful trading against directors, in addition to assisting companies in financial difficulty. With ‘considerable experience and knowledge‘, John Kirkwood focuses on the corporate elements of the insolvency process, and has a great deal of knowledge surrounding the selling and acquisition of insolvent businesses, while senior associate Hannah Proctor primarily focuses on contentious insolvency matters, often appearing before the High Court. In early 2024, the firm merged with Horsham-based firm PDT Solicitors, which added the expertise of William Angas, Dawn Shadwell, Ian Lindley and Craig Burton.

Leveraging support from the firm’s Kent and London offices, Cripps caters to commercial, corporate, and real estate issues for an assortment of grant making charities. Kate Arnold leads the team, while Joanna Ford is noted for her thorough expertise of insolvency. All of the individuals that have been mentioned are based in Tunbridge Wells.