David has over 25 years of contentious experience for a broad range of clients – household names, SME’s, small businesses, entrepreneurs, sole traders and individuals in assorted sectors, with a niche practice in the telecommunication and print managed areas.
His overarching aim is to deliver a positive experience and outcome for clients with simple or complex problems.
David is a Legal 500 Leading Mediator (2024), CMC registered (2025), CEDR and ADR Group accredited and an accredited online mediator.
His mediation approach is hands on, gaining the parties’ confidence early, building on common ground, then focusing on the difficult areas to break down barriers and find workable and commercially viable solutions.
He recognises the need to tailor each mediation to suit the different personalities and facts given no two mediations are the same.
Expertise:
•Contractual disputes for companies and individuals
•Partnership & shareholder disputes.
•Property/development disputes (overage, covenants, easements, nuisance, build out, contractual, dilapidations, rights of way).
•Equipment leasing disputes.
•New Road and Street Works Act/Telecommunications Code disputes.
•Franchising disputes.
Sample mediations undertaken:
•A substantial multinational license agreement dispute in the biotechnology sector.
•An equipment leasing dispute between a funder and national gym group.
•A 30 year-long property/trust dispute fought in more than one jurisdiction.
•A large/international web solution and associated Commercial Agents Regulations Claim.
•A long running B2B dispute concerning a gas supply.
•A partnership dispute relating to the dissolution of a dental practice.
•An international supply agreement dispute over the provision of specialist materials.
•A contractual dispute arising from the prosecution of a food business operator.
•A breach of contract/trust claim involving pleaded allegations of exemplary damages for fraudulent conduct.
•A national franchising dispute in a niche sector.
•A long running contractual claim regarding breaches of an Associations Articles and Rules concerning Governing Officers and Members with a subsidiary harassment claim.
•A hotly contested dispute between a gas and electricity supplier to a multi-site property company where a Winding Up Petition had been issued and an application made to restrain advertisement.
•A boundary dispute involving assorted allegations and disproportionate costs.
·A commercial property dispute involving cross claims for damages and injunctive relief.
·An equipment leasing dispute between a funder and a hotel.
·A claim for promissory estoppel/unjust enrichment and associated losses.
·A claim for personal guarantees and indemnities against assorted Defendants involving arguments of an undersold commercial asset and a Defence alleging, inter alia, an undisclosed agency.
·A commercial dispute relating to the supply of agency staff with allegations of fraud.
·A commercial dispute relating to the supply/quality of specialist equipment.
·An Unfair Prejudice Petition involving a buying and marketing co-operative of over 80 independent confectionary wholesalers and the cooperative company.
·A 6 year running boundary dispute.
·A commercial storage facility loss claim with issues of bailment.
·A breach of contract claim between a developer and an architect.
·A dispute over a business sale/purchase.
·A right or way/easement repair/betterment claim seeking injunctive relief and damages.
·A claim in the bankruptcy court for substantial sums claimed for the use of energy supplied.
·An SPA and Associate Agreement dispute involving allegations of fraud and substantial damages with related counterclaims.
·A professional practice License/Agreement dispute seeking damages of £100,000’s.
·A neighbour dispute involving claims of trespass, nuisance, harassment, injunctive relief and diminution of value with cross claims for damages in the sums of £150,000 and £350,000.
·A dispute over the terms of a contract for the supply of food to restaurants with complicated evidential issues and the need for an interpreter.
·A dispute relating to executors breaches of duties regarding the use of funds.
·A commercial dispute regarding the occupation/use of a wedding venue and grounds with associated insolvency proceedings and set off claims.
Sample testimonials
·A dispute that I thought was going to be near impossible to resolve, was effectively resolved as a result of David’s expertise and pragmatic strategy.
·David brought a calm but determined approach to a very tense, credibility-driven dispute. Despite the parties being completely estranged, he found creative ways to cut through the deadlock and guided towards an outcome we hadn’t thought possible. If you want progress, not posturing - David delivers!.
·David is highly energetic, keeping parties motivated from the outset, ensuring that every opportunity is taken to navigate the current obstacles. He enthusiastically takes a dispute back to the table with robustness and sensitivity.
·David is a pragmatic, commercially focused and highly personable mediator. He intricates bringing parties closer together whilst lightening the atmosphere and instilling a sense of realism, even during the tensest of times.