Richard’s practice is in commercial law, with a focus on litigation and arbitration of boardroom and M&A disputes. It therefore covers contract, fiduciary duties, company law, negligence, employment law and defamation. It often involves pursuing or defending allegations of fraud.
His commercial experience includes substantial claims in fraud and breach of warranty on sale and purchase agreements of companies in the oil, automotive, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and licensed betting sectors in the Commercial Court and under the LCIA rules of arbitration.
Richard’s employment-related experience includes pursuing directors for breach of fiduciary duties and breach of their contracts of employment, including post-termination restrictive covenants. He has acted in substantial whistle-blowing cases and long-running sex, race and disability discrimination claims before Employment Tribunals, the EAT and the higher courts.
His company and insolvency work includes unfair prejudice petitions and derivative claims in respect of minority shareholdings, reorganisation of international corportate groups, disputes around charges and challenging the conduct of insolvency practioners. His defamation experience includes acting for several high-profile celebrities, for employees defamed in references and for businessmen in commercial contexts.
Richard's appellate work includes appeals on commercial, employment and criminal matters in the Privy Council and Court of Appeal. He is a member of the ELAAS pro bono employment appeal scheme in the EAT.
Publications and Lectures: Richard lectures regularly to solicitors on company and employment law issues. Recent topics include: directors’ duties, class rights of shareholders, unfair prejudice, derivative actions, lifting the corporate veil, dismissing senior executives, age discrimination and whether to litigate in Court or the Employment Tribunal. Richard has contributed to Employment Lawyers Association Briefing and New Law Journal. Richard is Editor of the Employment Law Bulletin produced by Chambers.
