Commercial Disputes
Our Dispute Resolution team has extensive experience of complex commercial disputes of all types including contractual disputes, fraud and misrepresentation actions, regulatory and internal investigations, shareholder actions and company disputes, partnership disputes, freezing injunctions, search orders, IT and telecom disputes, trust and tracing claims. We act for both claimants and defendants, often in cases where the stakes are exceptionally high.
Many of our larger cases have cross-border and multi-jurisdictional dimensions. As a result, we have developed strong links with lawyers in jurisdictions across the world who work closely with us to deliver a full cross border service to our clients. This is particularly so in cases where overseas assets have to be retrieved.
We handle disputes in Court and all major arbitration venues. For more information on our arbitration services and experience, see our International Dispute Resolution page.
Our lawyers are experienced in a variety of alternative dispute resolution services (ADR) including mediation. These processes have proved particularly effective in disputes in specialist areas and those with a cross-border element.
Find more information about the breadth of our experience in specialist areas by following the links below.
- Banking & Finance
- Commodities
- Corporate Disputes
- Fraud, Financial Crime & Asset Recovery
- Hotels, Leisure & Retail
- International Dispute Resolution
- Insolvency
- Technology, Media & Telecoms
Representative Commercial Disputes Work
Examples of our team’s commercial dispute experience include:
- Advised in relation to a market abuse dispute involving a series of credit facility agreements totalling USD $500m which were entered into with a collapsed Icelandic Bank. The facilities were complex and involved, amongst other things, parallel debt, ancillary share deals and various interrelated guarantees and indemnities.
- Advised in connection with the LIBOR disputes in the UK.
- Advised a Hollywood film director on the successful defence of a USD $3m claim for breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation involving the sale of a minority shareholding in a film production company.
- Advised a Canadian metals billionaire and philanthropist in a successful international arbitration at the IDRC concerning a multi-million dollar charter agreement; as well as enforcement actions in the BVI and Mexico.
- Advised the developer of a premium resort in the Middle East in the defence of a multi-million dollar claim against it in the London High Court by an international architect.
- Advised a Middle Eastern bank in connection with various large-value commercial disputes.
- Advised a technology company in a dispute with a Premiership football club about the threatened termination of its stadium advertising contract following the promotion of that club from the Championship.
- Advised a client in connection with the appeal of an arbitration decision relating to a £10m dispute.
- Advised a property client in connection with the appeal of an arbitration decision relating to a £20m property dispute.
Key contacts:
Biography
Clare’s expertise spans a broad range of commercial litigation but with a focus on complex shareholder / commercial disputes and IP often involving issues that traverse multiple jurisdictions.
She has led on a number of high value multi-faceted disputes involving commodities, fraud, corruption/conspiracy, breach of contract, fraudulent mis-representation, lending, mis-selling, HPAs, intellectual property rights, professional negligence and company/director/shareholder/JV issues for clients based both in the UK and overseas ranging from SMEs to ultra-high net worth individuals, international banks and other global institutions.
As well as matters brought in all divisions of the High Court and Commercial Court, Clare has experience of cases which have gone to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. She also has experience of international arbitration particularly of those conducted in the International Chamber of Commerce and International Dispute Resolution Centre and extensively of mediation where she has led many successful settlement negotiations.
Clare is also regularly instructed on global enforcement matters involving obtaining worldwide freezing orders and overseeing recovery proceedings in a variety of foreign jurisdictions including the BVI, Turks and Caicos and Cayman Islands.
Clare’s IP practice focuses predominantly on the protection of the rights of Teacher Stern’s restaurant, retail and tech clients in relation to which she has successfully staved off many potentially infringing competitors.
Clare is listed as a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 2021 and 2024 rankings.
Representative Experience
Clare has:
- Recently successfully defended a business and associated professionals in a complex high court action which spanned 2.5 years and included trial set down for 20 days concerning allegations of fraud and conspiracy regarding the acquisition of a national security and surveillance company.
- Acted in an ultra-high value conspiracy dispute between Russian oligarchs.
- Represented a distributor in a $50M corruption case in the Commercial Court involving the distribution of oil additives to Iraq.
- Advised borrowers and guarantors in relation to facilities of $500M entered into with a collapsed Icelandic Bank.
- Represented a Canadian metals billionaire and philanthropist in an international arbitration concerning a million US$ charter agreement.
- Acted in a dispute relating to a multimillion pound property fraud including obtaining world-wide freezing injunctions and enforcement action.
- Advised in connection with a $60M breach of contract dispute involving a celebrity chef.
- Advised on a breach of contract/mis-representation claim concerning a multi-million dollar film contract.
- Represented a European water supply company and various UK restaurant chains in connection with the protection of their IP rights
Testimonials
Legal 500
“Clare Toomer is very accessible, responsive and sensitive to a wide range of client needs.’
“The reason we work with Teacher Stern. Robust in her dealings with the other side and tells you exactly what is and is not possible, and why.”
Clients
“Clare is a first-rate litigator. She has excellent legal skills and a demonstrated ability to manage every type of case from large commercial claims to smaller disputes requiring a more personal touch. Clare combines a friendly and approachable manner with a tough and determined approach to getting the best result for her clients.” Max Mallin KC, Wilberforce Chambers
“Clare Toomer is a star in the making at Teacher Stern LLP; combining a sharp intellect with great judgement, she knows which points to take and which not. A pleasure to work with and in any litigation you would want her on your side.” Peter Featherman of Ed’s Easy Diner.
Year qualified
Solicitor, 2010
Career History
Partner, Teacher Stern
Solicitor, Teacher Stern
Trainee Solicitor, Teacher Stern
