Dispute Resolution
Business disputes can be disruptive, stressful and expensive. Teacher Stern’s Dispute Resolution team will act swiftly to identify your key commercial objectives and the essence of the dispute, driving swiftly and decisively to a solution with the minimum of fuss.
Armed with a thorough understanding of your business, we will employ a tough yet strategic approach to secure the results your business needs, using the whole range of dispute resolution techniques including face-to-face negotiation, mediation and arbitration as well as the Courts.
Our service is “partner involved” not just “partner led”, delivering a first-class service and successful commercial outcomes at costs that compare very favourably with City and other international network firms.
You will find more information about the breadth of our experience in specialist areas by following the links below.
What We Do
The areas covered by our Dispute Resolution practice include:
Representative Dispute Resolution Work
Examples of our team’s dispute resolution experience include:
- Advised a Canadian metals billionaire in connection with a successful USD $50m action against London Metal Exchange brokers.
- Advised a Fortune 100 company in connection with LCIA arbitration proceedings arising out of a telecommunications satellite construction contract.
- Advised a notable Russian commodity house in respect of a £20m fraud predicated against it.
- Advised a Fortune 1000 company in connection with Linked ICC arbitrations proceedings concerning the development of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the Middle East.
- Advised several secured lenders and receivers in more than 700 commercial/buy-to-let/residential investment portfolio enforcement cases.
- Advised a client involved in a LME Arbitration relating to the USD $30m loss arising from manipulation of the LME tin market in 2009 by U.K. and U.S. parties. Ancillary proceedings were issued in the High Court and a related FINRA claim was issued in the U.S.
- Advised the plaintiff in a USD $45m multifaceted, cross border conspiracy and loss of opportunity case involving the distribution of oil additives to Iraq. The case went to trial in the Commercial Court and involved the electronic disclosure of more than 1 million documents.
Testimonials
Legal 500 testimonials
The team are very personable communicative and provide the facts and their advice. They have also been excellent in looking at the issues from both a strategic and tactical level in terms of next stages within the service provision and anticipating of future activities.
Close attention to detail and calm advice to clients in a highly emotive situation
You feel like you are their only client. Always approachable and happy to have sensible discussions around fees.
Professional and straightforward approach. A practical approach to a complex issue. I have worked predominantly alongside Clare Toomer and have found her to be personable, approachable and highly knowledgeable. She will defer to wise council / colleagues where issues are beyond her subject matter expertise and will be direct in her approach where needed and professional at all times.
‘The team are efficient and get things done. They won’t leave a stone unturned to get to the right answer with a firm eye on the commercials.’
‘The dispute resolution team at Teacher Stern have an array of high quality work and individuals. A particular recent trend is group claims against financial institutions and professionals. The team is especially good at coordinating and managing complex, high value group claims, which often involve steering committees of clients, insurers and difficult opponents.’
‘The individuals are professional, thorough and a delight to work with’
Legal 500 2024
‘Being a relatively small team ensures that internal communication is very good, and this gives them the ability to move cases forward, and deliver excellent client service, at all times.’
‘They maintain very strong relationships with a number of clients who have been instructing the firm for many years.’
‘Sarah Emerson is an outstanding tactician, a very good lawyer and is an absolute delight to work with. Clients have total trust and she ensures that all those involved in the litigation work together seamlessly through focused and regular communication.’
‘Good expertise and knowledge within their field.’
‘Sarah Emerson has always been approachable and in touch with the nuances of our specific individual circumstances arising from our case. Her entire team are always responsive and treat us with a great deal of respect.’
‘Michelle Mollaghan is massively experienced and hugely knowledgeable when it comes to disputes in the commercial/civil fraud/insolvency fields. She has a great feel for strategy, what the court will accept and what the client’s goals are. She is also great with clients and very easy to work with, always easy company.’
Contact our team:
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
