focus on southampton 15
Commercial disputes are on the rise
With the economy said to be improving, the business climate becoming more vibrant and positive conversations about prosperity, you would have thought that there would be much less to argue about. Not so, says Craig Petrie, head of dispute resolution at Eric Robinson Solicitors, who has seen both demand for his services and his team grow extensively since the start of the year
Like most people, I used to think that if times were good and people felt positive there would be fewer cross words, but since starting my career in the law and specialising in dispute resolution for the past five years, I now see that when there are perceived rewards or financial gains to be had, that is when the swords are drawn.
It might be a sign of increasing financial confidence within the business sector, but there is now a constant stream of people contacting me for advice across a wide variety of disagreements.
Commercial property is a big source of disputes with landlords wanting to terminate leases, which
in turn give rise to businesses that need to defend their tenancy. It could be that, in light of economic recovery, property owners are feeling more confident. Some are now in a position to maximise their investment and are keen to redevelop, while others may simply think they are now in a position to seek higher rates for their space.
Another major issue is breach of contract. We are seeing a lot of companies in dispute with suppliers over the terms and conditions of their trading agreements. During the recession many businesses were simply happy to be trading, but now that there seems to be renewed confidence these companies are taking a far more robust approach
to their relations with others and this means that they are more willing to seek to enforce the terms of their agreements.
There have also been instances of business partners falling out, and I continue to see a rise in work from property management companies with outstanding debt issues.
People tend to come to us when they are frustrated or ‘resigned‘ to having need of a solicitor, and this is a shame because we have the knowledge and expertise to find commercial solutions that are quicker, easier and keep clients out of court, which saves them time away from their business, anxiety and, above all, money. Our team has expanded with three new
staff this year in order to meet the demand for our services.
I think the highest (and most frustrating) praise is when a client turns to you when a matter has been resolved and says ‘I wish I had come to you sooner.‘
Details: Craig Petrie 023-8022-6891
craig.petrie@
ericrobinson.co.uk www.ericrobinson.co.uk
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