Handling a commercial dispute claim
Hilary Messer, a senior associate and specialist in dispute resolution, discusses ways to prevent a commercial dispute claim from going to court.
Hilary Messer, a senior associate and specialist in dispute resolution, discusses ways to prevent a commercial dispute claim from going to court.
Litigation funding is going from strength to strength in the UK, after Augusta unveiled a ?150 million war chest. However, there is an increasing trend for law firms to float, which gives the company the option of tapping its shareholders to fund litigation cases.
A proposal launched by MPs in parliament for a brand new tribunal should solve the problems that have beset both SMEs and banks involved in retail banking disputes.
On 5 June Shawbrook Group received a revised takeover bid of ?868m from Marlin Bidco, a company owned by private equity firms BC Partners and Pollen Street Capital Limited. This joint takeover bid was “final and not to be increased”.
One month in, and you’d be forgiven for already feeling a little Brexit-fatigued; the rolling news, political uncertainty and long-term time frames can seem overwhelming and prompts feelings of apathy.
Business owners have to navigate a number of obstacles: the recent court fee increase, for example, imposes upfront costs of £10,000 on a claim of £200,000. Professional negligence claims are particularly difficult to pursue, however, because your opponent – who, as an individual, should theoretically be easier to take on than an organisation – has a habit of changing mid-bout.
Many Simpsons fans are lamenting the potential departure of Harry Shearer, which took the media by full force. This news comes hand-in-hand with litigation figures, suggesting that contract disputes are on the rise.
The government has now followed through with its proposal to introduce significant increases in court fees first mooted in January, with the new regime coming into force on 9 March. Fees for claims of between £1 and £10,000 will remain at their present levels with a £455 ceiling, though the cost of issuing cases worth between £10,000 and £200,000 will rise significantly to five per cent of the value of a claim.
Does your business have a legitimate grievance against another company that you need to take to court? If you have £10,000 available to spend on upfront fees and fairly deep pockets, you’re in luck. If not, however, I have some bad news.
With court fees increasing in April by as much as a staggering 600 per cent, it will now be even more expensive for businesses to settle a dispute in court. Yet Louis Young, managing director of Augusta Ventures, says that businesses can still get justice without breaking the bank.
Large banks have made up the largest share of all UK High Court FTSE 100 cases this year.
In the run up to Christmas, stores are busier than usual. For retailers, this means they need to be extra vigilant that customers do not slip or trip on their premises. Here is how to protect yourself.