Dispute Resolution
We advise and represent clients in civil, commercial, corporate and property disputes. We work with you to understand what the dispute is really about, weigh the options, and settle on a strategy that protects your interests and resolves the matter efficiently.
Businesses and individuals owed money, parties to a contract that has broken down, landowners facing a competing claim, employers and employees in dispute, and anyone who has been served with court papers or a demand letter.
What we do
- Civil and commercial litigation: Suits and defences in the High Court and appeals above it, prepared thoroughly and argued plainly.
- Contractual and business disputes: Claims about performance, payment, termination and breach, read first against what the agreement actually says.
- Property and land disputes: Competing claims to ownership or possession, contested boundaries, and transactions that have gone wrong.
- Debt recovery: A staged route from demand to judgment, so you know at each step whether the next one is worth the amount at stake.
- Negotiation and settlement: Demand letters and without-prejudice negotiation that close a matter before the costs mount.
- Mediation and arbitration: Representation in mediation and in arbitrations under a contract clause or an agreed reference, from notice to award.
- Enforcement of judgments and orders: The steps after you win: execution, garnishee proceedings and the follow-through that turns an order into payment.
How a matter usually runs
- Tell us what has happened: The facts as you know them, the documents you have, and what you want at the end. We say early whether the matter is worth pursuing.
- An assessment in writing: Our view of the strengths and weaknesses, the routes available, and the likely cost of each, before you commit.
- Demand, negotiation or proceedings: We start with the least costly route that can work, and escalate only when it does not.
- Resolution and enforcement: A signed settlement, or an award or judgment, followed through to payment or performance.
What to bring
- The contract or agreement in dispute
- Letters, emails and messages exchanged with the other side
- Invoices, receipts or payment records
- Any court papers or demand letters you have received
- Names of witnesses, if there are any
Common questions
How do I know if my case is worth pursuing?
That is the first question we answer, in writing, before you spend more. Some matters are better settled quickly for less than the full amount.
What does it cost to go to court?
It depends on the court, the complexity and how far the matter goes. Our written assessment sets out the likely stages and the cost of each.
Should I reply to a demand letter myself?
Send it to us first. A reply written in haste can concede a point that matters later.
Is arbitration faster than court?
Often, and it is private. Whether it is open to you depends on the contract: arbitration applies where the parties have agreed to it, before or after the dispute arose.
Can a dispute be settled after a case has started?
Yes, and many are. We keep the door to settlement open at every stage.