Dispute Resolution For Business

Asset tracing is essential to locate assets thathave been wrongfully extracted from a company, for example due to fraud or as a result of the misconduct of company owners and directors. Identifying where funds have been transferred toand how they were transferred helps inform the process of asset recovery.

When directors fail in their duties, it’s often creditors, shareholders, and employees who bear the brunt of the financial and emotional strain. While limited companies provide directors with certain protections, the law does not allow them to act negligently, fraudulently, or in breach of their obligations without consequence.

When businesses disagree on their rights or obligations, such as payment defaults, non-performance, or contractual ambiguity then we step in to help. We advise on the full lifecycle of commercial contract disputes, from early-stage advice through to formal proceedings before the courts.

We advise developers, contractors, engineers and end-users resolve project conflicts.

We assist with matters of delay, defective works, payment disputes, and contract termination.  

We advise governments, financial institutions, corporates and individuals on all aspects of economic crime. This includes advice on money laundering, sanctions, tax evasion, bribery and corruption, terrorist proliferation financing, corporate ethics, asset tracing, fraud, complex investigations and criminal proceedings.

Dransfield Partners advises clients on complex cross-border disputes, with experience spanning multiple jurisdictions and legal frameworks. The firm acts in arbitration, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings, bringing a rigorous and commercially focused approach to each matter.

Many businesses suffer from bad debtors. We regularly provide the complete spectrum of legal services to enforce claims, whether: obtaining freezing orders; progressing insolvency measures to obtain paymen; litigation and arbitration of claims, as well as the use of summary and expedited procedures; and access to litigation funding solutions through our relationship with litigation funders.

A good reputation is crucial to the success of a business and it must be protected. Critical statements made about a business can cause serious reputational damage.

We regularly defend businesses from public attack and defamatory reviews - securing retractions, apologies and compensation.

We regularly initiate protective legal proceedings for clients, including injunctive relief. Successful proceedings include persons unknown proceedings following cyber-attacks and applications against rogue individuals. We also have extensive expertise and experience in defending individual and mass privacy claims.

Employment claims require careful management and strategic legal advice. Whether facing a claim from a current or former employee, businesses must act promptly to protect their interests and minimise disruption. Dransfield Partners provides clear, practical guidance throughout the process, helping employers evaluate their position, navigate procedural requirements and mount a robust defence to claims.

Obtaining a judgment is only part of the process. Enforcing it is often where the real work begins. Dransfield Partners advises clients on the full range of enforcement mechanisms available, from warrants of execution and charging orders to attachment of earnings, third party debt orders, and insolvency proceedings. If you are facing resistance from a judgment debtor, we can assess your position and pursue the most effective route to recovery.

Fraud demands an immediate and coordinated response.  The decisions taken early after discovery are often decisive. We advise both those pursuing fraud claims and those facing them, acting quickly to secure assets, preserve evidence, and obtain injunctive relief where available.

We have secured compensation for clients for numerous investment frauds, including a crytpo-fraud, an oil prospecting fraud and a moneybox fraud.

We advisea businesses and individuals navigating financial distress, from early-stage restructuring through to formal insolvency proceedings.

We act for debtors, creditors, directors, and other stakeholders across the full range of insolvency and restructuring matters.

We routinely act on:
- Insolvency proceedings
- Financial restructuring
- Distressed strategies
- Directors’ obligations
- Asset tracking
- Fraud investigations

Intellectual property rights are central to commercial value, and protecting them demands both specialist knowledge and strategic thinking.

We advise clients on the full spectrum of IP matters, including trade marks, copyright, design rights, patents, and domain name disputes, acting in court proceedings, arbitrations, and registry proceedings as required. Beyond enforcement, we assist clients with brand protection strategies, risk assessments, and the commercialisation of IP rights across multiple jurisdictions.

When organisations face sensitive internal investigations, whether involving regulatory compliance, whistleblowing, corporate misconduct, or data breaches, the quality of legal support from the outset is critical. We act both as legal adviser to organisations conducting investigations and as independent investigator, bringing discretion, rigour, and cross-border experience to matters where reputations and regulatory exposure are often on the line. We handle every stage of the process, from strategic advice and evidence gathering through to witness interviews, investigation reports, and independent appeals.

Mediation offers a faster, more cost-effective route to resolution and, where the parties have an ongoing relationship, a far less damaging one. Dransfield Partners advises clients on mediation strategy and acts as counsel throughout the process, across a broad range of commercial disputes including shareholder matters, construction, financial services, and property. Engaging a mediator early, before positions harden and costs escalate,  consistently produces the best outcomes, and we help clients assess when and how to deploy mediation to maximum effect.

Business partner disputes are among the most disruptive challenges a company can face, eroding trust, freezing decisions, and threatening relationships that underpin the business itself. We advise clients on the full range of partnership and shareholder disputes, from early-stage negotiation and mediation through to arbitration and commercial litigation. Whether the priority is protecting the business, enforcing rights, or achieving a clean exit, we help clients assess their position clearly and pursue the most effective route to resolution.

If you have suffered a loss in respect of advice you have received or a transaction you have entered into, it may be that you have a claim against your professional advisors.

We advise on claims against, and we defend, professional advisors including solicitors, surveyors, construction professionals, financial advisors, pension administrators and actuaries, accountants, auditors, insurance brokers and expert witnesses.

Employees are often a business's greatest asset, and, when things go wrong, one of its most significant risks.

We advise businesses on protecting themselves against the misuse of confidential information, breaches of restrictive covenants, and unlawful competitive activity by current or former employees, acting swiftly to gather evidence, secure injunctive relief, and manage the litigation where necessary.

Shareholder and corporate disputes arise at the moments of greatest commercial pressure, during acquisitions, restructurings, and boardroom breakdowns, and demand lawyers who understand both the legal and transactional landscape.

We advise on the full range of corporate and shareholder disputes, including those arising from M&A transactions, joint ventures, investment agreements, and governance failures, acting in litigation and arbitration across multiple jurisdictions.

Complex and distressed financing situations require advisers who combine commercial judgment and the ability to move quickly. We advise lenders, borrowers, funds, and sponsors on special situations across the capital structure, including distressed debt, rescue financings, hybrid capital investments, and out-of-court restructurings.

We advise clubs, agents, and athletes on the full range of sports-related disputes, including

- Contract and Employment matters
- Injury claims
- Divorce family matters
- Disciplinary proceedings
- Tax issues

We act on a wide variety of sports-related issues, leveraging our reputation and expertise in resolving challenging situations.

Offtake, supply, and distribution agreements sit at the heart of many commercial operations, and when they break down the consequences can be severe and fast-moving.

We advise on the full range of disputes arising from these arrangements, including take-or-pay and minimum volume claims, termination and breach of contract, pricing formula disagreements, and territorial exclusivity disputes.

We advise on:
‍
- Tax litigation
- HMRC enquiries and compliance checks
- HMRC civil information powers
- Tax offences and serious investigations
- Voluntary tax disclosures and penalty mitigation
- Tax-related disputes (commercial)
- Tax risk evaluation and mitigation schemes

We advise clients on all types of technology-related disputes across all our jurisdictions.

Our work includes disputes arising out of:

- Failing and delayed software and hardware implementation
- Outsourcing and managed services agreements
-Cloud services and migration to cloud services
-Data breach and data misuse, including class actions
- Cyber-attacks, including claims for recovery of losses from services providers
- Software licensing
- IP and theft of technology driven trade secrets
- Compliance and regulatory issues
- Artificial intelligence
- Crypto and smart contracts

Warranty and indemnity claims arise at the intersection of M&A, insurance, and commercial litigation.

We advise on both buy-side and sell-side  matters, acting for insurers, insureds, and other transaction stakeholders on coverage disputes, underlying proceedings, and cross-border claims involving regulatory and third-party complexity.

From assessing whether a warranty has been breached and structuring the notification through to quantifying loss and managing the insurer's investigation..