Mediation in litigation is on the up. The Court now has extended powers to require the parties to attempt mediation (either for the first time or again, if they've already tried and failed). It sometimes gets bad press as an expensive process, but when used effectively, mediation can be the most cost efficient way to achieve a outcome that gives certainty. A mediation is usually a whole day, where each party sits in a separate room (or attends virtually, from their own 'ro

HRH Prince Harry appears determined to fight News Group Newspapers to trial. A few months ago, Hugh Grant bowed out of his own...

It's tempting to see litigation as a war. It's long been dubbed an old boy's club of adversaries 'duking it out' while wearing robes and...

Courts are tightening the costs that can be recovered by the 'winner' in a money claim, so that now claims for money valued below...

I regularly deal with queries from homeowners who have been happily enjoying their property until a development begins next door. ...

You need a litigator. You want urgent advice that you can afford. You have your pick of anyone. Why choose a single practitioner firm...

What is litigation? The court process of resolving disputes. Each party submits their position and evidence and the Court decides which party it prefers and 'finds' for them (i.e. they 'win'). What is ADR? Alternative dispute resolution. Any means of resolving a dispute without the Court making a decision. This can happen before a claim is started or at any time after, including after trial if a decision isn't made immediately. Some popular methods of resolving disputes i

Showing a willingness to settle doesn't make you look weak. It's all about how it is approached, which is the skill of the litigator (your solicitor). The Court encourages parties to attempt to settle. It is even able to pause a claim to require the parties to try mediation (a formal process, using an independent third party who tries to broker a deal while each party sits separately with their legal team). If a claim doesn't settle, the Court has the power to punish a pa

This is a common query and not a straightforward one. We've acted for both land owner and path user in this type of claim (obviously different claims) and it is often complex and very emotionally driven. Where it concerns your own home and you need to access part of your land using a path there are often more options. You may have a right to use the path within your deeds (though this may take some digging into older conveyances, plans and transfers), have a right to use

A solicitors letter can be scary. Especially if you dispute that you owe the money their client is claiming. The language used is often robust and can feel threatening: talking about interest, late payment fees, solicitors costs, issuing claims or statutory demands and damage to your credit rating. What should you do? That depends: If you agree that you owe the money, that it became due within the last six years* and you can pay it, you probably should. If you agree that

With fraud on the rise and regular reports of "bogus" law firms, how can you check your litigation lawyer is reputable and trustworthy?...

I expect that what you mean is an 'indemnity' clause. If your contract contains one, your customer agrees to pay all of your expenses in...

I have been asked a lot why I decided to start my own law firm. That’s a good question. I’m a forty-something, lifelong...