Commercial

Alfred is a sought after advocate and advisor for litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution.  He has a broad depth of expertise across the various causes of action that feature in commercial and commercial chancery litigation, but particular specialisms include:

• Commercial contract disputes in all guises, including breach of warranty disputes, franchise disputes, and claims for rectification
• Commercial fraud in all guises, including bribes and secret commissions
• Company law, including claims against directors
• Economic torts
• Employment related and/or business protection disputes involving issues concerning database rights, restrictive covenants, breach of confidentiality, fiduciary duties
• Limitation
• Partnership disputes
• Professional negligence claims, particularly involving solicitors, counsel, accountants, architects, engineers, surveyors, and financial advisors
• Restitution/unjust enrichment
• Shareholder disputes, in particular s.994 petitions
• Urgent injunctive relief, including proprietary injunctions and freezing injunctions

His practice involves particularly complex and high value matters in the High Court and Court of Appeal, either as sole trial Counsel, or as a senior Junior to Leading Counsel.  He is often instructed on appellate matters where he has not appeared at first instance, in order to assist with his particular expertise.  He has appeared and in a number of national and international arbitrations, including under the ICC Rules and the LCIA, and is familiar with matters where there is a cross-border element.

As an illustration of Alfred’s practice, the following are examples of matters he has recently been or is currently instructed in:

• Commercial contract.

• $20m breach of contract claim against parties domiciled in the UAE and BVI.
• £1.8m claim concerning a manufacturing contract, turning on complex issues of interpretation.
• 3 day High Court trial in claim concerning a contract allegedly entered into without authority.
• Claim against multiple defendants for breach of asset sale agreement concerning sale of accountancy businesses, including for breach of warranty and breach of restrictive covenants in the sale agreement (with Leading Counsel).
• Defending claim concerning interpretation of a share purchase agreement.

• Commercial fraud.

• International arbitration resulting in multi-million dollar award, concerning alleged fraudulent misrepresentations made to client of listed company (with Leading Counsel). Case settled immediately before start of an arbitration challenge to the award made on grounds of jurisdiction (complex argument concerning rival arbitration clauses) and conduct of the arbitration hearing.
• Obtained freezing injunction against three defendants to a claim for fraudulent misrepresentation concerning a Ponzi style forex trading scheme, and Norwich Pharmacal relief against a third party; with tracing issues.
• Obtained freezing injunction against defendant to a claim for a transaction at an undervalue.

• Business protection and urgent injunctive relief.

• Successfully obtained injunctive relief to prevent breach of covenants contained in an asset sale agreement (with Leading Counsel).
• Claim for breach of restrictive covenants in contract of employment of senior employee in international logistics industry.

• Company law.

• Claim for breach of fiduciary duty (and misuse of confidential information) against agent of manufacturing industry; High Court trial later this year.
• Instructed in various claims against directors brought by assignees of the claims, often involving mixed causes of action either for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of creditors’ duty, and Insolvency Act claims.

• Economic torts.

• Defending a multi-million pound unlawful means conspiracy claim brought by a bank against numerous individuals.

• Partnership disputes.

• Farming partnership dispute. Appeared in High Court and in appeal to Court of Appeal concerning the application of interest under the Partnership Act (with Leading Counsel).

• Professional negligence.

• Acted for claimants in a High Court claim pursuing conveyancing solicitors, and surveyors, who purchased a house that had suffered a historic landslip and which suffered a further landslip post purchase. Case successfully resolved at mediation.

• Shareholder disputes.

• Acted for minority shareholder in company involved in steel manufacturing industry. Case successfully resolved at mediation following presentation of the Petition.
• Acting for minority shareholder in company involved in logistics and haulage industry.
• Acting for majority shareholders in High Court trial concerning a business engaged in demolition, haulage and contracting (with Leading Counsel).
• Acting for majority shareholder in company involved in fast fashion industry (concerning a well known brand).