Spring Law specialises in dispute avoidance, dispute resolution, investigations and intelligence acquisition. Our clients are UK and foreign companies, and domestic and International high net worth individuals.
UK Supreme Court
- Hotel Portfolio UK II Limited v Stevens – represented appellants (insolvent company and its liquidator) on whether dishonest assistant can be found liable to pay equitable compensation. Decision will likely have significant impact on law of dishonest assistance, equitable compensation, proprietary rights and constructive trusts. Currently awaiting judgment.
Court of Appeal
- Topalsson Gmbh v Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited – successfully represented appellant (foreign company) on interpretation of contractual liability cap which had effect of reducing judgment debt quantum: [2024] EWCA Civ 1330.
High Court
- Topalsson Gmbh v CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang – successfully represented claimant (foreign company) in obtaining order under s.70 Solicitors Act 1974 for detailed assessment of bills. Court held bills constituted “Chamberlain” bills, being series of on account bills due to absence of right to render interim bills. This meant claimant did not need to demonstrate special circumstances for detailed assessment. Notwithstanding this, Court found claimant had proven existence of special circumstances, in that bills required explanation when considering significant difference between original estimate and bills rendered: [2025] EWHC 118 (SCCO).
- Topalsson Gmbh v Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited – successfully represented applicant (foreign company) in application under Evidence (Proceedings in Other Jurisdictions) Act 1975 and CPR 34.17 for order to give effect to Letter of Request pursuant to Hague Convention on Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters to obtain evidence for use in foreign proceedings.
- Hotel Portfolio UK II Limited v Marlborough Developments Limited & Ors – successfully represented claimant (insolvent company) in claim under s.423 Insolvency Act 1986 that defendants’ scheme amounted to transaction defrauding creditors. Claimant was also successful under Marex Tort proving certain defendants knowingly assisted another party to breach claimant’s judgment rights. Court set aside default judgment of £850 million and found it to be an abuse of process: [2024] EWHC 3075 (Comm).
- Hotel Portfolio UK II Limited v Ruhan and Stevens – successfully represented claimants (insolvent company and its liquidator) in £100m+ multi-national commercial fraud claim against former director and his dishonest assistant: [2022] EWHC 383 (Comm), [2022] EWHC 1695 (Comm).
- S&B Consultancy Services Ltd v Bourn and Banks – represented general partners in defending claim by company seeking fee for introducing financier to third party: [2022] EWHC 2359 (Comm).
- Contract Utility Services (CUS) Limited v Lloyd & Ors – successfully represented applicants (insolvent company and its liquidator) in £1m+ claim against former directors: [2019] EWHC 1657 (Ch).
- Kersewell Developments Limited v Henry, Cheetham, Young & Ors – successfully represented applicants (insolvent company and its liquidators) in £1.5m claim against former directors for having transferred company property for no consideration: [2018] 4 WLUK 539.
- Chesterton v Emson and Pilbrow – successfully represented applicant (liquidator) in contested application seeking documents under s.236 Insolvency Act 1986 for purpose of investigating potential claims against former directors and connected parties: [2017] EWHC 3226 (Ch).
- Euromex Ventures Ltd v BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory and Property Management UK Ltd & Ors – successfully represented defendants (liquidator and his insolvency firm) in defending £17m claim in conversion brought by directors of insolvent company: [2013] EWHC 3007 (Ch).
- Olafsson v Gissurarson – defamation and service out of jurisdiction: [2006] EWHC 3214 (QB).
- Canmoor Developments Limited v Blackrock (breach of contract, £18m).
- Design Blue Limited v Tech 21 Limited (international patent dispute and breach of contract).
- Telfer v Sakellarios (failure to make payments under a Deed of agreement and failure to indemnify against tax).
- Kinder v Govindia (breach of contract).
- Meadowview Homes v Weekes and Radbourne Limited (breach of joint venture/failure to account).
- Hombrecher v HSBC Bank (London) and associated proceedings against HSBC Monaco (failure of duty to advise/inform client of leveraged Foreign Exchange trading risks), US$21m.
- DRD Partnership Limited v RICS (breach of contract).
- Fort Consultancy & Development Corp (SAL) v New Age (African Global Energy) Ltd, (breach of repurchase agreement, US$5m).
- Henderson & Jones Limited v Logan Group Limited, Klas International Limited & Anor. (defamation and fraudulent misrepresentation).
- Royston v Bullman (breach of contract for loan).
- Represented liquidators and trustees in bankruptcy in numerous applications under ss.236 and 366 Insolvency Act 1986 for purpose of investigating potential claims against third parties.
- Instructing Isle of Man lawyers on making applications for production of documents on Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust principles.
- Represented employer in application seeking injunctive relief to restrain former employees breaching restrictive covenants by soliciting or dealing with clients and staff from employer.
- Represented minority shareholders in defending s.994 Companies Act 2006 unfair prejudice petition brought by investors/directors and other minority shareholders against managing director of product development business alleging collusion and Companies Act 2006 breaches.
- Represented trustees in bankruptcy in numerous claims against third parties to recover assets belonging to bankrupt estate – including former spouses and family members.
- CPR Part 71 proceedings for enforcement of UK judgments and enquiries of debtors resources/location of assets and ability to pay.
- Claim for breach of contract and defence of counterclaims for:
(i) defective materials sold to defendant and allegations of breach of patent;
(ii) fraudulent mis-selling (bait and switch);
(iii) infringement of defendant’s intellectual property in its products; and
(iv) breach of confidence. - Claim for professional negligence, failure to register charge in priority period and consequential losses flowing from that act.
Arbitration
- UNCITRAL – US$200m of unpaid sovereign state promissory notes.
- LCIA – D3O v Strax BmBH (breach of contract).
- LCIA – African trade dispute.
Tribunal
- Sports – represented professional athlete in defending disciplinary action which threatened to jeopardise their on-going involvement in their sport.
- Employment – defence against race discrimination.
- Employment – represented district council as advocate in disability discrimination case.
- Employment – defence against unfair dismissal for gross misconduct.
County Court
- Spring Law v Phelan – successful Part 8 claim for order for sale over defendant’s property worth £1.25 million.
- Bucknall v Hadfield – successfully represented claimant (artist manager) in claim against former client (former member of high profile “Collabro” boy band which won ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent (BGT)) for unpaid commission flowing from benefits received by former client as result of “Collabro” winning BGT.
- Successful defence of professional rugby player from and against law firm’s claims for fees and disbursements.
- Claim for breach of contract for lender’s right to recover costs and disbursements and termination fee on an aborted loan transaction.
Sample of pre-action work (details of clients are confidential):
- Breach of contract intra property development company and its external private equity investors.
- Agency dispute for media personality: following termination of agency agreement, agency argued for sunset commission payments into future. Successfully defended demand for payment worth c.£1m over following 5 years. Outcome achieved in mediation.
- Reputational protection work for high profile public figure involving FINCEN leaks and defamatory media coverage.
- Advising insolvency practitioner dealing with failure of insolvent company to honour guaranteed customer warranty scheme involving over 625,000 customers following collapse of its insurance company.
- Asbestosis claim between deceased party and educational institution. Successfully defended.
- Investment Company v founder shareholder: breach of shareholder agreement and director duties.
- Successful defence of property development company against predatory lender’s attempts to foreclose and seize assets to frustrate bona fide re-structuring of debt obligations.
- National Doctors Group v founder shareholder (breach of: employment covenants, employment contract, shareholder agreement, articles of association and statutory duties).
- Defence for employee against dismissal from financial institution and alleged breach of FCA conduct regulations.
- Investors v Founder Shareholder/Director (allegations of wrongful conduct/attempts to seize shareholding successfully defended).
- Trademark disputes x 4 successfully resolved outside WIPO/Court.
- Successful defence of threat of bankruptcy proceedings.
- Pre-action work concerning push payment fraud.
- Recovery of various fee entitlements for investment bank.
- Successful defence of threatened legal action for alleged breach of shareholder agreement and High Court injunction to restrain unfair prejudice, co-ordinated defence via England and Gibraltar.
- Advising in relation to anti-competitive behaviour involving an Olympic association and submission of EU competition law complaint.
- Advised in relation to anti-harassment and injunctive relief to restrain behaviour.
- Shareholder dispute involving management company directors and 2 shareholders involving allegations (defended) of unfair prejudice.
- Advised major foreign company in relation to £200m unpaid loan notes due from a West African country.
- Threatened legal action on landlord of superior lease for frustrating sale attempts of underlying asset.
- Acted for potential claimants in defamation case involving individuals.
- Advised corporate client in action against major High Street bank for processing fraudulent payment to unknown third party.
- Advised County council in major vehicle procurement dispute which was settled on acceptable terms.
- Prepared pre-action of case against joint venture partner concerning breach of shareholder agreement and misappropriation of property and unfair prejudice.
- Advised on £1.8m fee dispute against law firm; achieved settlement at £800k.
- Advised on claim against high end estate agent for breach of contract/negligence/ misuse of private information and breach of UK GDPR. Settlement achieved for clients without need to issue High Court proceedings.
- Trademark dispute between UK and US companies both trading with same name in same market for maritime goods. Co-existence agreement achieved without need for context multi-jurisdictional proceedings.
- Intellectual property dispute for breach of confidentiality relating to US ski company.
- Intellectual property dispute against US company for breach of confidentiality and patents in client’s creation of protective impact resistant material for US army helmets. Settlement achieved without recourse to legal proceedings.
- Employment dispute with departing CEO and allegations of corporate wrongdoing. Achieved settlement and avoided claim against client company.
- Breach of contract involving agreement to fund commercial property transaction, involving recovery of due diligence costs involved in assessing transaction and termination fee. Settlement achieved without recourse to court.
- Resolution of £1m fee dispute against professional services company.
- Breach of contract dispute relating to £14m claim for deferred consideration.
- Successfully quashed intimated claim brought by executors of late Viscount’s estate for unpaid debt of c.£375,000 which, on our clients’ case, was brought against incorrect parties and was, in any event, plainly time barred.
Achieving Client Success
In the world of disputes that we inhabit, results are the only metric upon which we are judged. Our approach to client cases means that we need to be well positioned for success. Academic strength, practical problem solving, transparency and dedication gives us the tools needed to achieve client success.
About Spring Law
Founded in 2002, Spring Law specialises in dispute avoidance, dispute resolution, investigations and intelligence acquisition. Our clients are the Government, Public and private companies, domestic and International high net worth individuals.
We have offices in central London, Chichester and Gibraltar. Find out more about us.
Our Approach
To be effective at what we do we recruit high calibre academic lawyers with a streetwise instinct for advantage. Litigation or solving disputes by mediation and arbitration is a people’s business.
Our approach is driven by good communicators, people clients like to work with and who possess strong written and advocacy skills.
We Offer
At Spring Law we also offer:
- litigation services
- mediation services
- arbitration services
Contact us with your enquiry.