Our Lawyer's approach

As legal advisors we consider integrity, trust and courtesy to be of paramount importance.

We realise that you come to us to provide solutions. We do our best to understand your plans and your expectations from the first time we take your instructions, not ‘after the event’.

Our approach is risk-averse in the provision of advice, the avoidance and management of disputes and the conduct of litigation.

Our lawyers:

• are practical and accessible
• are decisive and rigorous
• are prompt, responsive and flexible advisors and litigators with the knowledge and experience to enable them to guide clients through the law and dispute resolution processes
• provide realistic advice in the commercial world, not in an abstract vacuum
• are able to fortify a client’s position when that client’s relationship with another party has broken down irretrievably and, alternately, strive to achieve a negotiated outcome where it is crucial that relationships remain intact
• have constant regard for time frame and financial considerations so as to provide cost-effective solutions
• are accustomed to acting as advocates and effective client representatives, not only as technical legal advisors or ‘back-end’ litigators
• always prepare for contingencies and commit to a critical path whenever necessary

We provide readily understood and relevant advice with considered forecasts as to the prospects of success. This has the effect of minimising or eliminating the risk of embarking upon unproductive strategies or throwing away costs.
 

We regularly generate pre-contract, pre-dispute or early dispute tactical advice and can tailor this to suit the client’s approach. This approach has the advantage of strengthening commercial positions and avoiding, minimising and managing disputes. If a dispute arises we are able to assess our client’s exposure quickly so as to generate timely and realistic advice on what our client can expect as well as a resolution strategy.

Whilst our lawyers aim to generate dispute avoidance strategies, they can also be vigorous litigators if need be.

CLIENT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES

We have mechanisms in place to ensure that we deliver results:

• with regular and clear communication
• with the ability to change strategies immediately, should the need arise
• and are mindful of time frame imperatives and cost implications

These principles apply to all clients. 

Furthermore, we have established procedures:

• to ensure that clients are constantly appraised of costs incurred and projected costs
• to explain the basis of our charging including by way of detailed and itemised bills

EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

Often it is necessary for our clients to engage external consultants such as Counsel, building consultants, quantity surveyors, architects, engineers, valuers and accountants. In such circumstances we:

• recognise that clients often rely on us to recommend the right consultant or team of consultants
• constantly monitor the consultant’s performance to ensure that the client’s objectives are being met

We have long-standing professional relationships with consultants of all descriptions and professional profiles. As a consequence this eliminates guesswork and delay.

We can always match the consultant or a team of consultants according to the matter at hand, regardless of the nature of the advice or the magnitude of the dispute.

Moreover, we ensure that the consultants we use are accustomed to our rigours so that their methodologies and turnaround times are integrated into our own culture and critical paths. The client therefore benefits from a genuine team approach.