Dispute Resolution

Civil Fraud and Investigations

We offer swift, strategic and integrated legal solutions for victims and defendants in complex fraud cases. Our highly regarded and experienced team of specialist civil fraud lawyers can trace, preserve and recover stolen money and assets around the world – and defend those accused of fraud.

At Kingsley Napley, we bring together leading experts in civil fraud, criminal law, and reputation management to deliver a truly integrated service. This multidisciplinary approach is essential in complex, high-stakes disputes.

We can also draw on the expertise of our specialist lawyers in insolvency, employment, tax, regulatory, real estate, and corporate whenever required.

Whether you are a victim of fraud or facing allegations, we act quickly and strategically to protect your interests. Our ability to assemble multi-functional teams at short notice means we can freeze assets, secure evidence, and safeguard your reputation with precision and speed.

Our lawyers are regularly ranked both as a team and individually in the legal directories, including Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and Lexology.

Court of Protection Disputes

Disputes around the care of vulnerable loved ones and seeking to ensure that their best interests are protected can be challenging and distressing. Our team of expert lawyers in the field of Court of Protection disputes are well placed to assist you in navigating these difficult times.

Commercial and Contract Disputes

Navigating your way through any dispute can be stressful, disruptive and damaging – and corporate disputes are no exception. We provide tactical and strategic advice to businesses and the individuals within them, protecting your rights, interests and reputations.

Commercial disputes are increasingly commonplace in today’s climate of economic uncertainty. It is essential that you seek the right tactical advice as early as possible to minimise the impact to you and your business. Our experience in bringing and defending a wide variety of disputes for many different types and sizes of business means that we understand what it at stake and what it takes to get the best outcome for our clients.

Our experienced team of dispute resolution lawyers will work closely with you to fully understand the issues you are facing and explore the best approached to meet your commercial objectives. Our lawyers recognise that every dispute and every business is different and each will need its own tailored solution to suit your needs.

We draw on our considerable experience in dealing with a wide range of disputes arising out of all types of commercial activity.

Intellectual Property Disputes

When an IP dispute arises, we take a commercial and strategic approach to achieve the best outcome for our
clients.

Our specialist IP dispute lawyers understand the importance of protecting valuable intellectual property and defending allegations of infringement. When an IP dispute arises, we take a commercial and strategic approach to achieve the best outcome for our clients.

International Arbitration

Our dedicated international arbitration lawyers have extensive experience of working with a broad spectrum of clients in high value arbitration disputes. We act in arbitrations administered by all the major institutions (including ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, DIAC and UNCITRAL) as well as ad hoc arbitrations.

We provide advice and support at all stages of the arbitration process including:

• drafting arbitration agreements;
• advising on choice of law, jurisdiction and arbitration rules;
• advising on enforceability of arbitration clauses;
• providing pre-dispute strategic input;
• acting as advocates on arbitral hearings; and
• advising on enforcement of arbitration awards and other post-award matters.

We also advise on related court matters such as jurisdiction challenges, freezing injunctions, anti-suit injunctions and other interim and urgent measures.

Our practice head, James Glaysher, also sits as an arbitrator, having received institutional appointments to act as sole arbitrator, tribunal chair and co-arbitrator. He draws on this experience of the other side of the hearing room when representing our clients’ interests.

Our international arbitration team and dispute resolution specialists are supported by lawyers in our corporate, commercial, criminal litigation, employment, immigration and real estate teams, to provide clients with a truly multi-disciplinary service.

Professional Negligence

Businesses and individuals are reliant on their professional advisors to guide them and represent their interests, but when the professional advisors get it wrong they should expect to be held to account.

Our specialist team of litigators have extensive experience in acting for claimants and defendants in claims against professional advisors and are ranked in The Legal 500 as experts in this field.

We conduct high value and complex claims on behalf of claimants and defendants (often through referrals from other professionals) for negligence, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and misrepresentation in the following areas:

• Claims against Lawyers
• Claims against Finance Professionals
• Claims against Property Professionals

We have particular expertise in dealing with cases where there are allegations of fraud and professional negligence claims involving trusts and estates.

Real Estate Litigation

Real Estate litigation requires specialist knowledge and expertise.  Our dedicated real estate litigation lawyers have experience in both the commercial and residential sector having acted for landlords and tenants, landowners and developers as well as HNW individuals.  Advice is always commercial and tailored to meet each client’s needs.

As with all disputes, we understand the importance of strategy to secure the desired outcome preferably avoiding litigation at all.  Whilst litigation is sometimes unavoidable, we consider risk avoidance a major part of what we can offer and, with this in mind, we work closely with our wider Real Estate department.  We are also able to draw on the expertise of our Private Client, Insolvency and Regulatory departments.

We can advise on any property/land related dispute.

Reputation and Media

When allegations threaten your personal reputation or that of your business, it is imperative to obtain advice at the earliest possibility to avoid lasting damage. Our highly experienced team provides expert advice to individuals and businesses on complex media and reputation management matters.

We specialise in defamation, privacy, harassment and data protection law and provide emergency social media assistance. We are a ‘go-to’ firm in times of crisis for high profile individuals and leaders in the worlds of sport, entertainment, politics and business. We act for both claimants and defendants which provides us with the insight to resolve disputes as quickly and efficiently as possible for our clients.

Our team of leading reputation management lawyers has extensive experience in dealing with a vast range of reputational matters. Whether it is the first approach by a reporter with defamatory allegations about you or your business, a threat to disclose your personal or confidential business information or the removal of harmful online content, we are here to help you. Our reputation and media team is available at all times and on an emergency basis.

Restructuring and Insolvency

Any business facing challenging financial and operational circumstances needs clarity and a way forward which focuses on both the bigger picture and the smallest detail.

Our restructuring and insolvency experts work in partnership with your team to rapidly assess and diagnose the issues, stabilise your position and provide practical, proactive advice to secure the best possible resolution.

Our highly experienced restructuring & insolvency experts have significant experience helping a wide range of businesses and financially distressed clients. They have a proven record of delivering and implementing plans that are the foundation of any restructuring strategy or for securing a viable future for the business and stakeholders alike.

As a multi-disciplinary law firm our specialist lawyers work alongside experts from a wide range of practices, including corporate, real estate, employment and dispute resolution, ensuring every client receives a seamless, specialist service that is right for them.

Shareholder and Boardroom Disputes

When individuals fall out in business it can have devastating consequences for the company, partnership or LLP. Our litigation team has extensive experience in resolving business disputes quickly and effectively. We recognise that boardroom disputes can be particularly fraught and stressful and we have the expertise to provide a bespoke service in times of crisis.

We combine advice about our clients’ legal rights and obligations, with strategic expertise, which is critical in any boardroom battle. We advise when and how to litigate or on alternative means of dispute resolution where appropriate, including arbitration, mediation and round table settlement discussions.

We act for shareholders, members, directors and companies (ranging from small privately-owned companies through to PLCs), and partners and LLPs in partnership in a wide range of disputes.

Tax Disputes and Investigations

Taking on or being chased by HMRC can be incredibly stressful. Our experts provide practical advice on any dispute with HMRC and have extensive experience supporting, among others, ultra high net worth individuals, corporates charities, and trusts.

No matter the issue at hand, our goal will always be to reach resolution as soon as possible, not least due to the reputational impact and cost saving of avoiding litigation.  We can assist clients through Alternative Dispute Resolution to negotiate a settlement with HMRC, particularly when communications have broken down, or there is a misunderstanding of the facts.

However, where litigation is unavoidable, we regularly act on full-on appeals before the Tax tribunals or higher courts.

We are also able to draw on the expertise of our colleagues in our reputation management,  dispute resolution, employment, and criminal teams, alongside external advisors, to provide the best possible support throughout.

Trust and Estate Disputes

By their nature, disputes over wills, trusts and estates often occur at times of emotional vulnerability and distress. Bringing or defending such claims is especially demanding and can become acrimonious very quickly. We are recognised for our ability to find practical solutions, while also being tough when necessary to protect our clients’ interests.

Seeking expert legal advice at an early stage to help resolve matters can be crucial and can potentially avoid litigation and costly court proceedings.

Our specialist trust, estate and inheritance disputes lawyers have extensive experience and are ranked in both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 as experts in this field. We were recently shortlisted for the Contentious Trust and Estates Team of the Year for the 2023 Step Private Client Awards and won the title of Contentious Wills and Probate Team of the Year at the 2023 British Wills and Probate Awards.

We act for trustees, executors, personal representatives, protectors, beneficiaries, charities and for individuals in a wide range of disputes involving trusts along with wills and inheritances.

We often advise on complex and cross-jurisdictional issues, and regularly work alongside other intermediaries based offshore.