Specialising as an advocate and adviser in commercial disputes, David is a tenacious fighter in court and negotiations and provides his clients with clear, pragmatic advice.

His practice covers the full breadth of commercial work with a particular emphasis on: claims relating to the performance and termination of high-value commercial contracts; shareholder disputes; claims arising out of the sale of businesses and the sale of goods; commercial fraud; claims by and against directors, senior employees and partners.

Regularly instructed by and against blue-chip companies, David has extensive experience of appearing both alone and with Leading Counsel at trial and at pre-action / interim stages including in jurisdiction disputes and at applications for injunctions, disclosure and security for costs.

Some of David’s most recent instructions in a broad range of domestic and international business disputes have included:

Acting for various Icelandic individual investors in a €57million dispute arising out of the sale of Somerfield supermarket. In March 2010, David acted for one of the investors at his successful application for summary judgment application leading to an order in that client’s favour for the €2.8million which he had sought (Isis Investments Limited v Investec Investec Trust (Guernsey) Limited [2010] EWHC 724 (Ch) (ongoing matter, led by Charles Samek QC).
Representing the sellers of a wind-turbine manufacturing business in a €40million share sale dispute in the Commercial Court and Court of Appeal (FKI Engineering Ltd v DeWind GmbH [2009] 1 All ER (Comm) 118 (led by Charles Samek)).
Acting for the successful company director in the Court of Appeal in Environmental Recycling Technologies Plc v Daley [2009] All ER (D) 241 (Jun), a claim for an account in respect of the sale of the largest woollen mill in the former Soviet Union (led by Sam Neaman).
Acting as sole counsel in a number of multi-million pound unfair prejudice and related shareholder disputes including representing the chairman, other directors and major shareholders of a Royal-Warrant-holding furniture company.
Representing Heidelberg as sole counsel in the first High Court decision on whether a security for costs application can cover the costs of pre-action mediation (Lobster Group Ltd v Heidelberg Graphic Equipment Ltd [2008] 2 All ER 1173).
Representing the former CEO of an insurance and investment company in a multi-million pound wrongful dismissal and bonus claim in the Commercial Court and Court of Appeal - Huntington v Imagine Group [2008] All ER (D) 40 (Feb) (led by Andrew Clarke QC).
Acting for the successful defendants / counter-claimant in Lobster Group Ltd v (1) Heidelburg Graphic Equipment Ltd (2) Close Asset Finance Limited [2009] All ER (D) 37 (Aug), a claim for £2 million and counterclaim for £500k in respect of the supply of an industrial printing press and associated finance (led by Andrew Clarke QC).
Obtaining injunctions for a major restaurant business against their Michelin starred chef and finance and marketing directors to prevent them setting up a competing restaurant using misappropriated confidential information (V Co v X, Y & Z (Chancery Division, June 2009, led by Stuart Ritchie (2009)).
Representing the majority shareholders in a major tourist attraction in successfully overturning an interim injunction preventing the completion of a $100million share sale (A Co v B Co & C Shareholder (Commercial Court, August 2008 led by Ian Mayes QC)).
Acting for a major regional law firm bringing claims of fraud and breach of duty against a former partner as well as claims of conspiracy and dishonest assistance against that former partner's business associates (settled on confidential terms in Spring 2009; led by Clive Freedman QC).

Further details of David's recent experience in specific areas can be obtained by clicking on the following links:

banking / investment agreements / guarantees,

business / share sale,

commercial fraud,

commercial contract,

sale of goods,

shareholder and company law,

director, senior employee and partnership.

EDUCATION / PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

David obtained a Double First in Law from Peterhouse, Cambridge University in 2000. After a year out travelling, David went to Brasenose College, Oxford University where he obtained a Masters, the BCL, in 2002.

In respect of each of his year's grades at Cambridge, David was awarded a College and/or University scholarship. He won an Arts and Humanities Board Scholarship to study in Oxford. Lincoln's Inn awarded him both an entrance scholarship as well as a major scholarship to undertake the BVC.

During his BVC at the Inns of Court School of Law in London, David taught contract and tort law to undergraduates. He obtained his BVC in 2003, and after a pupillage training with barristers specialising in litigating commercial disputes, David became a tenant of Littleton Chambers in 2005.

David is a member of the Commercial Bar Association, the London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association, the Chancery Bar Association, the Professional Negligence Bar Association and the Employment Law Bar Association.