DWF handles a broad range of dispute resolution matters, with a specialism in the retail, food and drink, energy, telecommunications, and financial services sectors. The practice is co-headed by Paul Maddock and Matthew Stoll, with Maddock representing clients in commercial contract disputes, company and director claims, professional negligence cases, and claims for injunctive relief, and Stoll managing all aspects of civil and commercial litigation, including professional negligence, contract and boundary disputes, and cases involving Legal Expense Insurance. Sam Pringle is a key contact for contentious trust and probate disputes, and Chris King left the practice to join Brabners in September 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- Paul Maddock (Partner). Paul is very down-to-earth and builds firm relationships with clients. He is good in minority shareholder disputes.
- DWF runs commercial litigation excellently. They are particularly good at efficient resourcing - putting the right level of person onto appropriate tasks and working well as a team. Excellent in all aspects - the substantive law, commercial judgment, and slick administration.
- Paul Maddock stands out to me. He is very pragmatic and has excellent judgment. At the associate level, Alex Falco and Grant Parkes are very good communicators and on the ball.
- Sam Pringle is a great commercial litigator. She has a deep understanding of our business and its needs, and is consistently pragmatic, responsive, and efficient in addressing instructions.
- In my experience, they are an excellent team to work with. What stands out is that they combine strong litigation instincts with a practical and disciplined approach to case handling. They are well-organized, they understand the statutory framework and the evidential issues that tend to matter in these appeals, and they are consistently focused on the points that will actually affect the outcome. They compare very well with competitors because they are both technically capable and pragmatic. They do not overcomplicate matters, and they understand how to run appeals efficiently while keeping a clear eye on the client’s objectives. That practical approach is entirely consistent with DWF Liverpool’s broader reputation in commercial litigation for pragmatism and clear advice.
- I have worked with Sam Pringle, Shaun Johnson, Charlotte Jones, Alex Falco, and Melena Wilkinson, and they are all impressive in different ways. Sam Pringle stands out for her judgment and commercial sense. She has broad disputes experience across commercial and contractual disputes, including professional negligence, shareholder disputes, contentious probate, and public procurement, and that breadth shows in the way she approaches litigation problems: she is measured, practical, and very clear on the issues that matter. Shaun Johnson is very good to work with - responsive, capable, and straightforward in his approach. Melena Wilkinson is also excellent. What comes through in practice is that she is experienced, dependable, and very effective at keeping matters progressing. Charlotte Jones is thoughtful, efficient, and easy to work with, and Alex Falco is commercially aware, responsive, and good at getting to the heart of the matter quickly. Both are the sort of lawyers who make cases easier to run rather than harder.
Key clients
- Esken Renewables
- Amazon
- Nominet UK
- BT Group plc
- Liverpool Airport Ltd
- Lloyds Bank Plc
- adidas
- ACC Liverpool Group Ltd
- Allianz Insurance
- Department of Work and Pensions
- Home Office
- Stateside Foods Ltd
Work highlights
Acting for a global retail brand client to claim against provider of financial services for multi-million loss stemming from a stock purchase plan.
Acting on behalf of a fuel supplier in respect of an alleged unlawful termination of a business critical multi-year fuel supply agreement.
Acting for an employment agency for alleged historic failure to make statutory payments on government worker contracts.
Lawyers
Next generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Sam Pringle
Practice head
Paul Maddock; Matthew Stoll
Other key lawyers
Sam Pringle