Resolve Disputes With Clarity and Purpose
When conflicts arise, you need honest assessment and practical guidance focused on achieving sensible outcomes rather than prolonging disagreement. We help you navigate disputes with your objectives clearly in view.
Return to HomeWhat Dispute Resolution Guidance Offers
Working with us on disputes means you receive candid assessment of your position and practical advice on achieving outcomes that serve your interests.
Honest Assessment
You receive frank evaluation of your position's strengths and weaknesses. We explain what outcomes are realistic given the circumstances and evidence, helping you make informed decisions about how to proceed.
Strategic Approach
We develop approaches tailored to your objectives and resources. Whether pursuing resolution through discussion, mediation, or litigation, your strategy considers costs, timelines, and likelihood of success.
Efficient Resolution Focus
Our aim is achieving sensible outcomes efficiently rather than prolonging conflict unnecessarily. We explore settlement possibilities whilst maintaining readiness to pursue litigation if reasonable resolution proves unattainable.
The Difficulty of Disputes
We understand that facing disagreements creates uncertainty and stress, particularly when significant interests or relationships are at stake.
Uncertainty About Your Position
When disputes arise, you may feel unsure whether your position has legal merit or what outcome you can reasonably expect. The gap between what you believe is fair and what the law provides can create confusion about how to proceed effectively.
Emotional Investment in Outcomes
Disputes often involve matters you care about deeply, whether business relationships, financial interests, or principles you value. This emotional involvement can make objective assessment difficult and decisions about compromise or escalation particularly challenging to navigate.
Concerns About Costs and Duration
You recognise that pursuing disputes through formal processes involves expense and time. The uncertainty about how much resolution will cost and how long it might take makes it difficult to assess whether proceeding represents a sensible use of your resources.
Risk of Making Matters Worse
Taking the wrong approach or escalating inappropriately might damage important relationships, increase costs, or weaken your position. You want guidance on how to address the dispute effectively without creating additional problems that could have been avoided.
Our Approach to Dispute Resolution
We assess disputes candidly and develop approaches that balance your objectives with practical realities of resolution processes.
Thorough Position Analysis
We begin by examining the facts of your dispute carefully, reviewing relevant documents, and identifying applicable legal principles. This analysis helps us understand your position's strengths and potential vulnerabilities. We then discuss our assessment with you frankly, explaining what outcomes appear realistic given the circumstances and evidence available.
Options Discussion and Strategy
After assessing your position, we discuss available approaches including negotiation, mediation, and litigation. Each option involves different costs, timelines, and prospects for success. We explain these factors clearly so you can make informed choices about how to proceed based on your objectives and resources rather than emotional reactions to the dispute.
Settlement Exploration Before Litigation
Where appropriate, we explore resolution through discussion or mediation before pursuing formal proceedings. Many disputes settle when parties receive clear information about their positions and likely litigation outcomes. We engage in settlement discussions constructively whilst protecting your interests and ensuring proposals reflect reasonable assessment of each party's position.
Litigation When Necessary
If reasonable settlement proves unattainable, we pursue litigation with careful attention to procedure and evidence requirements. We prepare your case thoroughly, comply with court directions, and represent your interests effectively. Throughout litigation, we remain open to sensible settlement whilst maintaining readiness to proceed to trial if required.
Working Together on Your Dispute
Our process keeps you informed and involved whilst we handle the legal complexities of dispute resolution.
Initial Consultation and Assessment
You describe your dispute and what you hope to achieve. We ask questions to understand the situation clearly, review any documents you provide, and explain preliminary thoughts on your position. This initial discussion typically takes sixty to ninety minutes and helps determine whether engaging our services makes sense for your circumstances.
Detailed Review and Advice
If you instruct us to proceed, we conduct thorough review of all relevant materials, research applicable law, and prepare detailed advice on your position. This advice addresses strengths and weaknesses honestly, discusses likely outcomes, and recommends approaches for resolution. We meet to discuss this advice and answer your questions fully.
Resolution Attempts
Following your instructions, we engage with the other party to explore settlement. This might involve correspondence, without prejudice discussions, or formal mediation. We keep you informed of developments and discuss any proposals before responding. You make final decisions about accepting settlements after receiving our advice on whether terms represent reasonable outcomes.
Litigation if Required
If proceedings become necessary, we handle claim preparation, evidence gathering, disclosure, and court appearances. You receive regular updates on progress and copies of all significant correspondence and documents. We continue exploring settlement throughout litigation whilst advancing your case diligently. The process concludes either through settlement or judgment following trial.
Investment in Dispute Resolution Services
Transparent hourly pricing based on time required to serve your dispute resolution needs properly.
What This Investment Includes
Comprehensive review and analysis of your dispute position by experienced civil and commercial solicitors
Detailed written advice explaining your position's strengths and weaknesses candidly
Strategic guidance on approaches to resolution including settlement negotiation and mediation
Correspondence with opposing parties and their legal representatives on your behalf
Preparation of legal documents including letters before action, particulars of claim, and defence as required
Attendance at mediation sessions, settlement discussions, or court hearings as your matter requires
Regular communication keeping you informed of progress and discussing developments promptly
Typical Time Requirements
The time required varies considerably depending on your dispute's complexity and the approach taken:
- • Initial consultation and preliminary advice: 2-4 hours
- • Detailed position assessment and written advice: 4-8 hours
- • Settlement negotiation process: 5-15 hours depending on complexity
- • Preparation of court proceedings: 8-20 hours for initial claim or defence
- • Full litigation through to trial: typically 40-100+ hours spread over many months
We provide estimates based on your specific circumstances and keep you informed if matters become more complex than initially anticipated.
Additional Costs
Beyond our fees, dispute resolution may involve disbursements including court fees (typically £50-10,000 depending on claim value), barrister fees if counsel representation is required (variable based on experience and hearing length), expert witness fees if technical evidence is needed, and mediation fees if that approach is pursued.
If you succeed in litigation, you may recover a portion of your costs from the losing party, though rarely all expenses. We discuss cost recovery prospects when advising on your position.
Value of Proper Guidance
Disputes involve uncertainty and stress. Proper legal guidance helps you understand your position realistically, avoid costly mistakes in approach, and make informed decisions about settlement or litigation. The investment in early advice often prevents larger expenses later and helps achieve sensible outcomes more efficiently.
Our Approach to Effective Dispute Resolution
We combine practical experience with honest assessment to serve clients facing civil and commercial disputes.
Experience Across Dispute Types
Our solicitors have handled various civil and commercial disputes including contract disagreements, partnership disputes, property boundary conflicts, debt recovery matters, and professional negligence claims. This breadth of experience helps us recognise patterns and assess positions realistically.
We understand how different dispute types typically progress through negotiation, mediation, or litigation, which informs our strategic advice to clients.
Focus on Practical Outcomes
Whilst understanding legal principles is essential, our primary focus remains achieving sensible outcomes for clients. We assess whether pursuing claims represents worthwhile use of resources and whether settlement proposals reflect reasonable evaluation of positions.
This practical orientation helps clients avoid spending disproportionate sums pursuing matters unlikely to yield satisfactory outcomes or rejecting reasonable settlements in favour of uncertain litigation.
Timeline and Expectations
Resolution Timelines
Settlement through negotiation might occur within weeks or months depending on parties' willingness to engage constructively. Mediation typically occurs two to four months after initial contact if both parties agree to participate. Litigation from claim issue through to trial usually takes twelve to twenty-four months, though timelines vary by court and case complexity.
Realistic Outcome Assessment
We provide honest evaluation of likely outcomes rather than encouraging unrealistic expectations. Most disputes involve some uncertainty about how courts might decide contested issues. Settlement often represents a sensible middle ground that provides certainty without the cost and risk of trial.
What We Cannot Promise
We cannot guarantee particular outcomes in disputes. Success depends on facts, applicable law, quality of evidence, and how courts interpret matters. We also cannot control opposing parties' behaviour or willingness to settle reasonably. What we provide is experienced guidance, diligent work on your behalf, and honest advice about your position and options.
Our Commitment to Your Dispute Matter
We want you to feel confident about engaging our dispute resolution services.
Honest Evaluation
We assess your position candidly, explaining both strengths and weaknesses. If we believe pursuing your matter is unlikely to achieve worthwhile outcomes, we tell you directly rather than encouraging unnecessary expense. Our advice serves your interests, not our fee income.
Cost Transparency
We provide estimates of likely costs at the outset and keep you informed as matters progress. If your dispute becomes more complex or time-consuming than anticipated, we discuss this with you before incurring additional expense. You receive regular billing statements showing work completed.
Professional Standards
We're regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and maintain professional indemnity insurance. Our work meets established professional standards for dispute resolution. You have access to the Legal Ombudsman if concerns arise about our service.
Initial Consultation Without Commitment
We offer an initial consultation to discuss your dispute and provide preliminary thoughts on your position. This meeting helps you understand your options and allows us both to assess whether working together makes sense. You're under no obligation to engage our services after this consultation.
Many clients find that even an initial discussion provides valuable clarity about their situation and potential approaches to resolution, regardless of whether they subsequently instruct us.
Taking the First Step With Your Dispute
Beginning work on your dispute matter is straightforward. Here's what the initial process involves.
Contact Our Offices
Use the contact form below or telephone us to describe your dispute briefly. We arrange a suitable time for an initial consultation, either at our offices, by video call, or by telephone depending on your preference and the urgency of your matter.
Initial Consultation
During this meeting, you explain your dispute situation in detail. We ask questions to understand the circumstances clearly and review any relevant documents you provide. We then offer preliminary thoughts on your position, discuss possible approaches to resolution, and explain how we might assist if you decide to instruct us.
Your Decision
After our consultation, you can take time to consider whether to proceed. If you decide to engage our services, we send you our client care letter and terms of engagement. Once we receive your confirmation and necessary documents, we begin detailed work on your matter.
Detailed Analysis and Advice
We conduct thorough review of your dispute, prepare detailed written advice, and meet with you to discuss our findings and recommendations. From this point forward, we work according to your instructions whilst keeping you informed of progress and developments requiring your input or decision.
The time from initial contact to receiving detailed advice typically ranges from one to three weeks depending on matter complexity and your availability for meetings.
Explore Our Other Legal Services
We also provide support for contract matters and property transactions.
Contract Review & Drafting
Careful examination and preparation of commercial agreements to protect your interests. We review proposed contracts with attention to risk allocation, liability provisions, and practical enforceability.
Property Transactions
Comprehensive legal support for residential and commercial property matters including purchases, sales, leases, and licences. We handle due diligence and manage completion processes with meticulous attention.