Simon Walsh
EXPERTISE
I am a commercial disputes specialist.
I advise English and international businesses on High court and county Court litigation, arbitration and mediation with a focus on how they can best use the options open to them to achieve their goals when disputes arise. My work also covers pre and post-issue advice on dispute resolution, dispute avoidance and the management of claims.
I support clients in a wide range of contract and negligence claims, complex debt recovery cases, regulatory inquiries, redress schemes and insolvency disputes.
My work has covered the quality of goods and services, computer software and its implementation, the sale of high value machinery as well as failed joint ventures and the enforcement of loans and security.
I also deal with cases involving restrictive covenants and the misuse of confidential information that involve obtaining, and defending claims for, injunctions.
I work with business owners on personal claims too that involve sensitive director, shareholder and partnership disputes.
Away from client work, I write articles on a range of matters for the media and the SA Law website – you can read some of them here - and I am the firm's Training Principal.
KEY EXPERIENCE
Urgent injunctions
- Acted for the successful claimants in a cross-border claim for unlawful means conspiracy and misuse of confidential information
- Successfully defended a claim for an injunction to prevent contract termination and damages; secured the dismissal of both and obtained an indemnity costs order
Shareholder and boardroom disputes
- Defended a US$5m Stockholm Chamber of Commerce arbitration between shareholders in a failed joint venture in Pakistan
- Acted for the successful claimant in a £1 million dispute between former business partners
- Advised shareholders and directors on deadlocked companies, breaches of shareholders’ agreements, unfair prejudice claims and directors’ duties
Contract claims
- Acted for three African banks in a US$40m ICC arbitration claim involving banking software
- Defended a distributor in a £13m claim for breach of contract arising out of a machinery sale
- Defended a manufacturer in a £8 million claim involving gas compressors that included an eight-week High Court trial
- Represented trading businesses, professional firms, financial advisors, recruitment agencies and independent schools in claims to recover fees and defend related counterclaims
Business sale disputes
- Represented the claimant buyer in a seven-figure breach of warranty claim arising out of an agreement for the acquisition of an airflow measurement device business
- Defended claims for breaches of covenant and misrepresentation
- Enforced and defended earnout provisions for sellers and buyers
Loans and Guarantees
- Advised lenders and borrowers on the recovery of loans and the enforcement of related securities
- Advised guarantors on the defence and settlement of substantial personal guarantee claims
Financial Services
- Advised the successful claimants in the settlement of seven-figure claims for mis-selling commercial financial products
- Advised on claims and defences arising out of authorised push payment frauds
IN GENERAL
- BA (Hons) from Exeter University
- Common Professional Examination at the University of Westminster
- Legal Practice Course at the College of Law
- Admitted to the Roll of Solicitors on 15 October 1999
- Member of the Society for Computers and Law
- Governor and member of the Academy Trust at The Marlborough Science Academy, St Albans
- Former coach and now Masters Touch player, Tabard RFC