Every day the average person will enter at least one contract, even though we may not think about or recognise it as a contract. For instance, when we go to the local supermarket and purchase our shopping, we have entered a contract.

It is only when things go wrong, do we then consider and examine the transaction closely. It is important to take legal advice when a contractual dispute occurs. This is because there are technical rules about;

• Whether a contract has been formed which can be enforced by the parties, including written and verbal agreements,
• What the terms of that contract are; including whether the law automatically infers terms into that contract,
• Has the contract has been breached?
• What losses you are entitled to recover as a result of any breach of contract.

Contract law is littered with cases where parties have incorrectly interpreted the law with sometimes dire consequences. Our Dispute Resolution Department can carefully consider the facts of your case and advise you on these important and technical points.

We encourage parties to take legal advice at an early opportunity to seek a swift resolution to any dispute.

The courts now impose steps which parties must follow prior to commencing court proceedings including Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”). ADR includes negotiation, mediation, and arbitration amongst others as an alternative to traditional court proceedings.  If a party fails to follow the pre action steps, or unreasonably fails to engage in ADR, the courts have the power to order serious sanctions against the offending party.  It is therefore now important to, not only take advice on the merits of your case, but also to ensure that you have taken the steps now expected of parties involved in a dispute.

We offer a fixed fee for an initial consultation to provide you with advice on the particular facts of your case, giving you access to specialist solicitors, without any obligation to instruct us further.