Dispute Resolution

Clear cost benefit analysis before you commit to any step 

Making informed decisions about dispute resolution starts with understanding the full picture. For claims under £100,000, fixed cost recovery rules often mean litigation costs can outweigh potential recovery. We'll conduct a risk/benefit analysis and evaluate all options before proceeding by:   

• advising you on the merits of the case and your likelihood of success;   
• reviewing options to settle the dispute directly with the other side;  
• engaging in pre-action correspondence;   
• engaging in alternative dispute resolution;   
• instigating (or defending) court proceedings;  
• advising you as to options to enforce a court judgment once achieved.    

Our fee estimates are transparent from the outset. We provide regular updates on costs and help you understand recovery prospects, particularly important when considering litigation.  

As a regional firm delivering City-calibre expertise, we provide sophisticated legal solutions at more competitive rates than London practices. Our team coordinates seamlessly with specialists across Steele Raymond - from corporate to contentious probate - ensuring comprehensive support through a single point of contact.  

Faster, lower risk routes to settlement beyond the court room 

By evaluating timescales, likely outcomes, and the realistic financial implications, we help you decide whether a pragmatic agreement or more decisive legal action will best protect your interests.    

Our team has the expertise to handle substantial and complex litigation though the court process when required. However, experience shows that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) approaches often achieve better outcomes more quickly and efficiently.  

We explore all routes to resolution, including:   

• advising and making without prejudice settlement offers; 
• mediation – which often proves highly effective in settling disputes or at least narrowing the issues in dispute where both parties are willing to compromise.  Independent facilitators help negotiate practical and flexible settlements using techniques unavailable in a court room;  
• expert determination can resolve technical disputes swiftly and definitively;    

• adjudication can offer a quicker and cheaper alternative to the court process;  
• arbitration offers a flexible, private alternative to court proceedings, often taking advantage of the technical expertise of the arbitrator;  
• early neutral evaluation - where the parties appoint an independent person to provide a non-binding opinion on the merits which evaluates the facts, evidence and law. This will then inform the parties as to the strengths of their case, allowing them to negotiate an outcome more effectively;   
• direct negotiation, including without prejudice round-the-table meetings, which frequently achieves the fastest resolution.   

These approaches typically deliver more cost-effective outcomes than traditional litigation. They can be more flexible and also more confidential. They also tend to better preserve business and personal relationships - valuable for future dealings.  

A constructive path to resolution – faster, cheaper, and often more flexible than court.  

Mediation brings the right people into the same room – literally or virtually – to explore solutions that a judge cannot impose. As a voluntary, confidential, and ‘without prejudice’ process, it offers clients the chance to reach bespoke, practical agreements that preserve relationships and reduce cost.  

Our accredited mediators support clients through commercial disputes between shareholders, suppliers or property partners, as well as personal matters like inheritance, family disagreements, or professional negligence. We help identify common ground, manage difficult conversations, and drive towards closure – usually in a single day.  

Whether you’re an individual or a business, mediation offers three key advantages:  

• Control over the outcome – the parties agree terms, not a court 
• Cost-efficiency – most mediations settle swiftly, avoiding spiralling legal fees 
• Confidentiality – everything discussed stays private  

Our team will:  

• Explain whether mediation is suitable in your circumstances 
• Prepare your position clearly and strategically 
• Facilitate dialogue that moves you toward resolution 
• Draft and formalise any agreement reached  

We believe the best results often come from open conversation – not entrenched correspondence. Mediation enables that conversation to happen on neutral ground, guided by experience and shaped by your objectives.  

Commercially minded debt recovery solutions that protect your cash flow and reputation.  

Unpaid debts can quickly damage cash flow, especially in uncertain markets. We help businesses recover debts efficiently - whether that means sending a letter before action or escalating to court proceedings - whilst balancing cost, commercial risk, and client relationships. Our work complements your credit control function and is often offered on a fixed-fee basis for added predictability.  

We support clients with:  

• Strategic advice on the best recovery route for your claim 
• Letters before action and negotiation 
• Issuing and defending County Court and High Court claims 
• Enforcement of judgments (including bailiffs and third-party orders) 
• Statutory demands and bankruptcy proceedings 
• Winding-up petitions for corporate debtors  

We are also able to advise on contested claims or complex disputes - ensuring joined-up advice from pre-action to enforcement.  

If your debt relates to unpaid service charges, ground rent, or other leasehold costs, see our debt recovery services.  

We are committed to cost transparency. You can find detailed pricing here and team credentials here.

Holding professionals to account, without escalating unnecessarily.  

When expert advice falls short, the consequences can be both financially damaging and deeply frustrating. We help individuals and businesses pursue (or defend) professional negligence claims when a trusted adviser has failed to meet expected standards - whether through poor advice, critical delays, or procedural errors.  

Our experience spans claims against:  

• Solicitors – missed deadlines, drafting errors, inadequate advice  
• Surveyors and architects – incorrect valuations, flawed design, failed reports  
• Accountants – negligent tax planning, audit failings, financial loss  
• Other professionals – including engineers, vets, and specialist advisers  

We guide you through the Professional Negligence Pre-Action Protocol, ensuring early clarity on merits and costs. Where possible, we resolve matters through negotiation or mediation, keeping costs proportionate and avoiding litigation unless absolutely necessary.  

Whether you’re recovering losses or responding to a claim, we act decisively - prioritising strategy, clarity, and commercial outcomes.