Expertise
Sophie advises and acts for a broad range of clients, including private individuals, SMEs, directors, shareholders, partnerships and PLCs.
Sophie supports clients at every stage of the dispute resolution process, from identifying whether a potential dispute exists and advising on risk management, through to pre-action strategy, litigation and trial.
She takes a pragmatic and commercially focused approach to disputes and proactively explores opportunities to achieve cost-effective resolutions through negotiation, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution where appropriate.
Sophie has experience of complex, high-value and multi-party litigation, including disputes with international elements. She regularly works alongside counsel and experts from a variety of disciplines to help clients navigate legally and commercially challenging matters.
How do you help clients?
I help clients understand, manage and resolve disputes in a practical and commercially focused way.
I work with clients at the earliest stages of potential disputes, assisting them in identifying legal risks, assessing the merits of prospective claims and formulating strategies to avoid or minimise litigation where possible.
Where litigation becomes necessary, I guide clients through every stage of the process, from pre-action correspondence and settlement negotiations through to trial and enforcement. I work closely with clients to ensure they understand the legal, commercial and costs implications of the decisions being made throughout a matter.
I have particular experience of shareholder and director disputes, contractual disputes, professional negligence claims, enforcement proceedings and disputes where one of the parties is the estate of a deceased person.
Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, I worked within a wills, trusts and probate team. This experience provides me with a strong understanding of estate administration and probate matters, enabling me to advise confidently in commercial litigation disputes where one of the parties is an executor, beneficiary or a deceased’s estate.
Experience
- Restrictive covenant SPA dispute: Acting for a company joined as a third defendant in substantial High Court proceedings arising from alleged breaches of restrictive covenants contained within a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA). The claimant alleged that the company had knowingly received profits and dishonestly assisted in the underlying breaches of the SPA which are complex issues concerning corporate liability, equitable remedies and the quantification of profits. Following numerous contested interlocutory hearings, the matter proceeded on a split-trial basis, with a nine-day liability trial involving extensive witness and documentary evidence with approximately 28 witnesses called on behalf of the third defendant.
- International warranty dispute: Acting for former shareholders defending substantial claims for alleged breaches of warranties and indemnities under a Share Purchase Agreement. The dispute concerned a multinational corporate group with operations across multiple jurisdictions, including Southeast Asia, and involved complex issues of contractual interpretation, loss, causation and post-completion obligations. Advising on litigation strategy within a cross-border commercial dispute involving significant financial exposure.
- Breach of contract: Acting for a lender in complex High Court enforcement proceedings involving a debt in excess of £1.2m.
- Breach of contract – enforcement: Acting for a lender in complex debt recovery and enforcement proceedings arising from a borrower’s failure to repay sums due under a loan agreement at over £435,000. Following a partial recovery of the indebtedness, default judgment was successfully obtained for in excess of £212,000 inclusive of interest and costs. Currently advising on enforcement of that judgment through a charging order secured against a luxury residential property in central London, for sale proceedings and recovery of the outstanding indebtedness. The matter has an international dimension, requiring ongoing liaison with a co-owner of the property resident in Southeast Asia.
- Breach of contract: Advising on a high-value dispute concerning the interpretation and enforcement of a settlement agreement. The matter involves competing allegations of breach, issues relating to contractual good faith obligations and entitlement to funds of approximately £1.03m plus interest currently held to the order of both parties by an independent third party. The dispute has an international dimension, requiring consideration of advice from foreign lawyers and specialist foreign counsel in relation to the effect of foreign court decisions on the parties' rights and obligations. Advising on potential proceedings, evidential strategy, contractual remedies and the recovery of monies held pending determination of the parties' competing claims.