The litigation team at Sutton-Mattocks Solicitors can advise you on a variety of civil and commercial litigation matters, including disputes between landlords and tenants and commercial contract disputes.
Civil and commercial disputes often go through a form of alternative dispute resolution in order to avoid the high costs that come with formal court action – as well as the stress, disruption and time. In almost all cases, we will advise that you attempt to achieve a successful resolution to your case out of court, as we believe this is the most beneficial strategy for you. However, in particularly complex cases, bringing your case before a court may be the best way to reach a fair conclusion.
If you are involved in a dispute, regardless of its nature, you should get advice from an expert litigation lawyer without delay. The earlier you speak to a solicitor, the better, as this will allow them time to evaluate your case thoroughly and build a strong litigation strategy. For dispute resolution and litigation services in London, contact our team today.
Our litigation service
We provide litigation advice to private and business clients in a number of different areas, including:
- landlord and tenant disputes
- business contract disputes
- issues with inheritance, Wills and Probate
- neighbour disputes
- debt collection
- claims against local authorities
- consumer issues
Get in touch if you are involved in any of these disputes, or any other type of dispute, and we will provide immediate, practical advice on the next steps to take.
Negotiation
The first step to resolving a dispute is to attempt to negotiate a settlement with the other party. This process will involve your lawyer communicating back and forward with the other party’s lawyer until a settlement agreement is reached. We will only ever advise that you accept a settlement agreement when it represents a fair and satisfactory resolution for you.
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
Where negotiations fail, we may advise that you use an alternative form of dispute resolution to help you reach an agreement. The most common and effective forms of ADR are mediation and arbitration.
Mediation
Mediation is a consensual process that can take place at any time during a dispute – even after court proceedings have begun. The mediator will facilitate talks between the parties to a dispute to help them reach a resolution acceptable to them both.
If both parties to a dispute are willing to compromise and are keen to settle the case quickly, mediation may provide a successful way to resolve commercial and private disputes.
Arbitration
Arbitration involves an independent and impartial person listening to a presentation from both parties to the case and issuing a binding decision. The arbitrator is usually an expert in a subject central to the dispute, and the format of arbitration is less formal than court proceedings.
Advantages of ADR
Mediation and arbitration have several advantages over formal litigation. In most cases ADR is:
- quicker
- less expensive
- confidential, which can be an important factor for businesses that are concerned about reputational risk
In addition, with ADR, the parties are usually more in control of the process.
While the court cannot force parties to settle their differences outside the courtroom, the Court of Appeal has made it clear that a party’s costs may be increased if they unreasonably refuse to consider other methods of resolving their disputes.
Formal litigation
If it is necessary to initiate court proceedings, our litigation lawyers will take a fearless approach to getting you the best possible outcome. We will gather evidence and witnesses to support your position, and represent you at the pre-trial hearing. For the court trial, we will work with the best barristers to ensure your case is argued clearly and competently, with expert evidence being presented where appropriate.
Contact our commercial and civil litigation lawyers in Barnes & Chiswick, London
Being involved in a dispute, whether commercial or private, can be a stressful experience. Our litigation team will provide you with practical and professional advice, giving you peace of mind that your dispute is being managed by a team with years of experience behind it.
We have offices in Barnes and Chiswick, and we cover London, the Home Counties and the surrounding areas of East Sheen, Mortlake, Putney, Roehampton, Richmond, Kingston, Wandsworth, Chelsea, Fulham, Kensington, Hammersmith, Ealing, Kew, Isleworth, Hampton, Sunbury, Staines, Hounslow, Twickenham, Teddington, Brentford, Gunnersbury, White City and Shepherd’s Bush.
If you need legal advice regarding a dispute, it is imperative that you contact us as soon as possible so we can establish the nature of the dispute and act within any time limits that apply. Fill in our contact form, or phone our Barnes office on 020 8876 8811 or Chiswick on 020 8994 7344.
