Contract & Commercial Disputes

What this covers

We act in disputes over supply and distribution agreements, service contracts, agency and joint ventures, construction and works contracts, and commercial arrangements generally: breach, termination, non-payment, and claims for performance or damages.

Reading the deal as it really is

The written contract governs, but conduct matters: variations agreed informally, invoices accepted without objection, and long-standing practice between the parties. We build the case on the documents and the course of dealing together.

Remedies and forum

Depending on the contract and the loss, the remedy may be payment, damages, specific performance, or termination and recovery. Where an arbitration clause governs, the dispute belongs in arbitration rather than court, and we deal with it there.

What helps

• The contract and any variations, purchase orders or side letters
• Invoices, delivery records and payment history
• The correspondence, particularly around the breach
• A clear note of what was promised and what actually happened

Where it is heard, and how long it takes

Commercial claims go to the civil courts with jurisdiction, or to arbitration where the contract so provides. A contested commercial suit commonly runs a year or more; arbitration is often, though not always, faster. Interim relief to preserve the position can be sought early in either forum.