Ward Hadaway LLP fields a team of ‘undisputed titans of commercial litigation’ in Stockton-on-Tees, with a strong foothold in the wind, oil and gas, and marine sectors. The team is recommended for property-related contractual claim litigation and construction disputes, and also regularly instructed to handle product liability matters and professional negligence claims. Ged Flanagan leads the team and specialises in fraud cases, shareholder disputes, and a variety of contractual disputes, while James Craddock is the key contact for clients in the automotive sector. ’Excellent’ property litigator Alex Smith heads up the firm’s contentious real estate offering and handles portfolio management and construction disputes. Sophie Ryan demonstrates proficiency in insolvency disputes.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
'Sophie Ryan has already proved that she has a good understanding of insolvency and litigation, working well with solving issues provided by our team.’
‘The team is capable of dealing with high value and complex matters.’
‘Ged Flanagan is very commercial, has good attention to detail, and is always keen to balance the cost-effectiveness of any action. Alex Smith is an excellent property litigator with a high level of technical knowledge but a pragmatic approach.'
‘A firm dedicated solely to protecting businesses as if their own. They do commercial law personally. They are, in every sense, specialists in commercial law. They have been able to attract (and evolve) incisive, razor-sharp legal and business minds such as Ged Flanagan, James Craddock, and Alex Smith. They are undisputed titans of the commercial litigations sector in the region. ’
‘Ged Flanagan is, without question, a colossus of the sector. He has a practice spanning the country. He is a man of influence that wears his unparalleled experience lightly. He has a personable, approachable style with clients. He works expeditiously and is always on hand. He is tough when needed, and collaborative when required.'
- 'James Craddock has proven himself to belong among the most-respected lawyers in this sector. He has been on precedent setting cases. He has a ludic quality that works extremely well with clients in gaining and holding their trust, leaving them always returning to more work.'
‘Alex Smith - approachable, hands on solicitor - committed to ensuring the best results for clients in civil litigation. Ged Flanagan - calm, measured practitioner.’
Key clients
- Taylor Goodchild Limited
- JM Construction (SW) Limited
- The Mandale Group
Work highlights
Acted for JM Construction (SW) Limited in a rare example of an application for summary judgment to enforce an adjudicator’s award being successfully opposed and the claim dismissed.
Advised on a long running dispute between a law firm and its former director and partner.
Acted for a wind turbine installation and repair company in respect of a contractual dispute with another entity in the renewable energy sector.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Ged Flanagan
Other key lawyers
Alex Smith; Sophie Ryan; James Craddock