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Business Legal Services
Breach of Contract Solicitors
Our breach of contract solicitors can help you quickly move on from your commercial contract dispute. We will help you understand your contractual position and will handle your dispute in a way that minimises disruption to your business.
We handle breach of contract claims pragmatically right from the outset. One of the benefits of seeking legal advice early on is that you’re able to clearly understand your contractual position, and the earlier you obtain the advice and agree a strategy with your breach of contract lawyer, the better in terms of cost effectiveness.
We always encourage mediation and other appropriate forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) if it’s a suitable way of potentially resolving issues quickly without resorting to litigation. The contract may in fact have a term dealing with how any initial dispute is to be resolved. However, if court proceedings are necessary, we have the experience and know-how to make sure is has a limited impact on your business and your finances.
What we do
Solicitors for breach of contract claims
As a business owner, you’re likely to come across one or multiple incidences of breach of contract over the course of time in your dealings with other companies, and the type of breach will vary depending on what industry your business sits in and the nature of your relationship with the other party. We work with all manner of companies across several different sectors in resolving breach of contract disputes, and below are just some of the typical types of disputes that we help with:
Breach of sale of goods and services agreements
Breaches of this nature can lead to disruption of supply chains, or the issue may centre on defective quality in terms of goods or the inadequate delivery of a service. These situations require a swift resolution to minimise damage to your company’s operations and reputation.
Long term supply agreement disputes
Agreements of this nature should ideally – but don’t always – set out express termination provisions that give rise to a right to terminate for breach of contract, but this isn’t always the case and as such, the situation can become complex.
Contract disputes with specialist third parties such as IT consultancies or marketing agencies
The terms of these contracts can potentially be very complicated. Bespoke advice is often needed when disputes arise with specialist third parties of this nature.
Breach of warranty and earn-out disputes in commercial contracts
Conflict can arise when there’s a disagreement around the clarity of the drafting of warranties and earn-out clauses (where a company has been sold and the purchase price is flexible dependant on the performance of a company after the sale) and can escalate quickly.
Non-payment for goods or services
This scenario can lead to serious financial implications for your business and must be addressed promptly. They usually involve one party disputing the validity of an invoice because the goods or services have not been provided satisfactorily.
Misrepresentation
A careful examination of your contractual terms may identify false statements which you relied upon when entering into the contract and this may lead to a claim for breach.
Joint venture disputes
Understanding the structure and terms underpinning your joint venture is key to determining how a breach can be best approached or a dispute best resolved.
Confidentiality and restrictive covenants
Confidentiality clauses and other types of restrictive covenants can apply where an individual ceases to work for or with a particular company and is subject to certain limited restrictions on working in a competing role elsewhere. These can prove to be both contentious; where there is a challenge to the reasonableness of the relevant terms and whether they are wider than necessary to protect the legitimate commercial interests of the company’s business.
How our solicitors evaluate your breach of contract claim
In order to evaluate your claim, we will need to understand the nature of the dispute and review any contractual documents. This will assist us to identify the contractual terms that are relevant to the dispute and whether there are any issues as to the interpretation or applicability of the contract terms. We can then advise on what the consequences of any breach may be (i.e., whether you are entitled to pursue any losses, terminate the contract or seek any other remedy), the recommended next steps and the merits of your position.
It’s also possible that a contract is entered into verbally or without any agreed contractual terms. In such cases we will need to discuss the background of what was agreed and the conduct of both parties to consider the basis of the contract.
It’s important to bear in mind that a breach of contract does not necessarily allow you to terminate a contract. If you do so it is possible that you may, in turn, find yourself the subject of a breach of contract claim for wrongful termination – which is why it’s imperative to take timely legal advice.
Can I resolve my breach of contract case outside of court?
In relation to every breach of contract case we handle, we actively investigate whether a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is suitable, and we review this at each stage of the case. This could simply involve negotiating a mutually acceptable commercial solution or settlement. Experience dictates that most cases are resolved without the need to go to court using one of the available methods of ADR, and this in turn has the added benefit of reducing the overall costs to your business.
Who we help
Our clients range from business owners to directors, shareholders and contractors and we act for both claimants and defendants in multiple kinds of breach of contract disputes. We have experience in working with small and medium-sized business and start-ups across a wide range of industries and sectors, as demonstrated by the impressive credentials and depth of knowledge possessed by our specialist team.
Testimonials
What our clients say
In my experience, solicitors speak a completely different language than anybody else, which can be confusing – especially if the matter at hand is a stressful topic. Simon and the team’s advice has been invaluable. They are solution-driven and didn’t quote the law at us but took the time to deliver advice clearly and concisely, making the legal position easy to understand.
Petra Felgen
UK & Ireland’s Managing Director,
CEWE
For any small business looking for the right law firm to guide you through an acquisition I would highly recommend Harper James. My personal experience was with Matt Shakesheff who looked after my sale and passed me over to their team who looked over my new contract of employment as I was staying with my buyer for a 2 year handover. They delivered on budget and on time.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
First class every step of the way. You did exactly what I expected and met my deadline.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
I find Harper James to be responsive, with relevant experts to help us on the topics we are dealing with, enabling us to receive effective legal advice.
Simon Bloomfield
Head of imarket,
Polaris U.K. Limited
Harper James is always very efficient and responsive and has helped us complete projects in a timely manner. Their advice and support are always commercially astute and rooted in the practical.
Ben Furlong
Director,
EstateSure Limited
As always, the Harper James team is responsive and thorough. Always a joy to work with. In addition to your diverse and high-quality expertise, we appreciate the quality of the communication and management around dates and deliverables. It helps us manage expectations and plan accordingly. You seamlessly operate as a natural extension of our team.
Larisa Sheckler
Head of Global Operations,
Whisk at Foodient Ltd
In my experience, solicitors speak a completely different language than anybody else, which can be confusing – especially if the matter at hand is a stressful topic. Simon and the team’s advice has been invaluable. They are solution-driven and didn’t quote the law at us but took the time to deliver advice clearly and concisely, making the legal position easy to understand.
Petra Felgen
UK & Ireland’s Managing Director,
CEWE
For any small business looking for the right law firm to guide you through an acquisition I would highly recommend Harper James. My personal experience was with Matt Shakesheff who looked after my sale and passed me over to their team who looked over my new contract of employment as I was staying with my buyer for a 2 year handover. They delivered on budget and on time.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
First class every step of the way. You did exactly what I expected and met my deadline.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
I find Harper James to be responsive, with relevant experts to help us on the topics we are dealing with, enabling us to receive effective legal advice.
Simon Bloomfield
Head of imarket,
Polaris U.K. Limited
Harper James is always very efficient and responsive and has helped us complete projects in a timely manner. Their advice and support are always commercially astute and rooted in the practical.
Ben Furlong
Director,
EstateSure Limited
As always, the Harper James team is responsive and thorough. Always a joy to work with. In addition to your diverse and high-quality expertise, we appreciate the quality of the communication and management around dates and deliverables. It helps us manage expectations and plan accordingly. You seamlessly operate as a natural extension of our team.
Larisa Sheckler
Head of Global Operations,
Whisk at Foodient Ltd
Why you should choose Harper James to handle your breach of contract claim
Our business disputes team consists of highly experienced litigators who have all been recruited from top 100 law firms in the UK or as in-house counsel to leading companies both nationally and overseas. The team’s approach is pragmatic, commercially-focused and cost effective with a track record of successfully settling contract disputes by means of ADR methods on a regular basis. By being allocated a single point of contact to deal with your case, you can rest assured that your breach of contract dispute is being managed carefully and efficiently by a lawyer who is familiar with all of the facts and also the unique needs of your business.
Pricing and service plans
Legal support designed
to fit your business needs
Our three transparent service plans are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
Engage
Flexible access to senior solicitors at highly competitive rates
An alternative to our subscription plans, offering access to full service legal expertise on a project-by-project basis.
Enable
Purpose built legal support for start-ups and smaller businesses
Monthly subscription plan for £215 per month, with £145 monthly credit and access to all legal services at 50% discount on our Standard Rates.
Extend
Comprehensive legal partnership for established businesses
Fully account managed and scalable annual subscription plan with support from a curated team of partners and senior solicitors, with up to 34% discount on our Standard Rates.