Dispute Resolution

Michael has been in practice for over forty years and having resisted the pressure to deal with only one aspect of the law, he has been determined to remain a multi-disciplinary practitioner and as a result is very experienced in matters relating to property, litigation, insolvency and company commercial work.

Working with developers on sites with a GDV of up to £100m and dealing in litigious and insolvency matters often involving tens of millions of pounds, he brings his sense of humour to all situations and ensures that he does not take an hour to do ten minutes worth of work.

He is the ideal lawyer for clients who want a sharp commercial view delivered in a very straight talking fashion to let them know their position and their options going forward.

Michael and his family live on their 34 acre equestrian centre in north London with two dogs, two cats (plus four cats on the farm), fifty horses and three donkeys

David Pritchard is head of our commercial litigation and dispute resolution department.

He deals with a broad portfolio of cases and his areas of practice include:

• contract/commercial;
• construction;
• property litigation;
• landlord & tenant;
• civil fraud;
• contentious/non-contentious insolvency matters (including bankruptcy/winding-up);
• ADR;
• enforcement.

David has over fifteen years’ experience bringing and defending claims on behalf of corporate clients, individuals and insolvency practitioners, ranging from small-claims County Court matters right through to complex multi-track High Court litigation and appeals. David has enjoyed many successes at Trial and is a pragmatic operator with a keen commercial approach where the situation demands, having a proven track-record of settling difficult claims which are often challenging and emotive. In the normally stressful process of litigation, David is a calming and reassuring influence who will work tirelessly to ensure his clients’ interests are protected.

Outside of the office, David enjoys rugby, squash and boxing (a fighter, even in his spare time). When he is not looking after his three young children, David is also a gigging-guitarist.

Notable Cases

• MVL Properties (2017) Limited v The Leadmill Limited [2025] EWHC 349 (Ch)
• Brooke Homes (Bicester Limited) v Portfolio Property Partners Limited (In Administration) & Ors [2025] EWHC 1305 (Ch)
• Dohia -v- Joyce [2023] https://tinyurl.com/recentcase
• Colliver -v- Papworth & Papworth [2021] EWHC 2465 (Ch)
• Jafari -v- Tareem Ltd [2019] LTL 29/10/2019; [2019] EWHC 3119 (Ch)
• London College of Business Ltd -v- Tareem Ltd & Anor [2018] EWHC 437 (Ch)
• Goldsmith -v- Chittell [2016] EWHC 630

Matthew Ball is a Partner in our Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department with over 25 years of experience advising clients in relation to a wide manner of matters in Appeal, High Court and County Court proceedings.

Matthew’s specialisms include:

• Commercial disputes: Including claims for breach of contract, franchise disputes and debt recovery.
• High Net Worth and UHNW client disputes: Representing UHNW/HNW clients (often from overseas) in relation to business matters and family disputes, being instructed directly by family members or through Family Offices and service providers.
• Property, construction and development disputes: Handling issues relating to property, construction and development, as well as professional negligence claims arising from them.  Matthew is recognised in the ‘Top Tier’ of the Legal 500 for his specialism in construction and infrastructure disputes.
• Disputes between Trustees and Beneficiaries: Including on behalf of professional trustee service providers and Family Offices.
• Partnership, Director and Shareholder disputes: Representing individuals and commercial entities in disputes concerning partnership, directorship and shareholding matters.
• Classic Car, Supercar and high value asset disputes:  Matthew is rated by Spear’s 500 as one of the 6 ‘Top Recommended’ Classic car lawyers in the UK.  Further information can be found on the dedicated webpage.

Matthew is frequently instructed by clients from overseas, particularly the Middle East and North Africa, China and Hong Kong.

Matthew is a longstanding member of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) and has been a member of the Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce (EBCC) for over 20 years.

Outside of his dispute related work, Matthew is often the first point of contact for clients within the Middle East, North Africa and China seeking to establish businesses interests within the UK, or who are looking for advice on immigration and residency related matters.

A client recently said that Matthew:

“demonstrates outstanding active listening skills and exceptional patience in fully understanding clients’ needs. He is particularly adept at translating complex legal concepts into straightforward, understandable language, making legal matters approachable and clear to clients.”.

Whilst Matthew places particular emphasis on dispute prevention, where disputes do arise he seeks to achieve a cost-effective, commercially-minded resolution by various means, including through tactical offers and strategies, Mediation and other forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Matthew is very approachable and would be happy to discuss your particular needs with you.

Dr. Macfarlane represents all sizes of business covering all their corporate and commercial needs. Whether it is contract reviews or an acquisition of your business through to commercial litigation – Dr. Macfarlane can assist.

Typical work includes drafting and negotiating all corporate, commercial, technology and IT contracts often involving complex licensing, SaaS, JV, partnership, SPA, APA, commercial loans based on assets and confidentiality/security plus internal corporate support as required.

As a trusted adviser Don brings experience, technical, governance and compliance knowledge and the experience from having worked for international corporations both in legal and operational roles. Recognised as a highly commercial senior lawyer (also a Solicitor Advocate England and Solicitor admitted in Australia), he has excellent technical, IT, technology and corporate/commercial experience.  In addition to +25 years pre-sales experience, his strong technical background provides invaluable insight into negotiation, drafting and delivery of all types of corporate and commercial documentation.

Excellent understanding of all legal aspects covering contracts, commercial, corporate (acquisitions and disposals), governance, regulatory, compliance, eDiscovery and legal services including at GC level in-house.

Over 25 years’ experience working within large multinationals like IBM, BP and International Law Firms and SME’s including high tech start-ups like Hanzo, HDM and Baku Ltd.

Through SBP Law, Donald can provide you as our client with discreet, creative and strategic business advice.

Peter has run his own practice for many years and has now rejoined SBP Law as departmental head of enforcement.

He is an experienced and robust commercial  litigator who has acted on a number of high profile cases and represents the High Court Enforcement Officers Association, CIVEA and many enforcement companies and Local Authorities. He is actively involved in shaping and advising on future policy and process in the area of enforcement.

Outside of work Peter enjoys sailing and time spent with his large and growing family.

Tom is a partner in our dispute resolution department who has practiced in the West End and City of London throughout his career.  He is a dispute resolution specialist who advises on:

• dispute avoidance and de-escalation strategies;

• alternative dispute resolution procedures;

• the conduct of litigation in the High Court to include several of its specialist lists;

• obtaining urgent interlocutory reliefs;

• the conduct of proceedings in the appellate courts of England and Wales;

• civil recovery proceedings pursued under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in both the civil and criminal courts; and

• arbitration proceedings conducted on an ad hoc basis and subject to the rules and procedures of several arbitral institutions.

Tom has regularly acted individuals and businesses involved in disputes that cross borders, and he is adept at advising on issues relating jurisdiction and the conflict of laws.

Tom has had the privilege of advising on a broad range of disputes.  Some examples of his work include:

• acting for a digital currency exchange made subject of Account Freezing Orders made under section 303Z1 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and which is currently subject to a forfeiture application made pursuant to section 303Z14 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002;

• acting for an individual who was subject to an office holder claim alleging he was a de facto director of a company that was used as a vehicle for fraudulently obtaining funds from individuals seeking to invest in fine wine;

• Marex Financial Limited -v- Carlos Sevilleja Garcia [2020] UKSC 31 – where he was part of the team that acted for the Respondent from an initial jurisdiction challenge in the Commercial Court through to an appeal to the Supreme Court that (amongst other things) re-examined the rule against reflective loss;

• Sotheby’s -v- (1) Mark Weiss Limited (2) Fairlight Art Venture LLP and (3) Mark Adrian F. Weiss [2020] EWCA Civ 1570 – where he was part of the team that acted for the Second Defendant and Appellant firstly in the Commercial Court and then Court of Appeal in relation to the a dispute concerning a multi-million pound sale of a Dutch Old Master painting alleged to be a forgery;

• Millicom Tanzania N.V -v- (1) Golden Globe Financial Services Limited and (2) Yusuf Manji – where he was part of the team acting for the first defendant in proceedings before the High Court of the British Virgin Islands in an application to discharge a worldwide freezing injunction and to challenge the jurisdiction of the courts of the BVI on the underlying claim.

Jessica was admitted in 2018 after completing her LPC and gaining her LLB Hons from City University London. Prior to this she gained a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from Georgetown University, Washington DC. Following her degree in the US Jessica gained experience working for a non-profit organisation, The Green Builders Council of Washington DC as a Research & Development Director.

Prior to her training contract at a boutique West End firm, where she worked in both family and litigation post qualification, she worked as a contract’s administrator in the legal department of a substantial UK shipping company for almost two years.

Prior to joining WGS, Jessica gained her Masters of Law with Hons from UCL.

Jessica has developed a strong reputation in family law matters, understanding the financial and emotional needs of her clients when dealing with the breakdown of a marriage. She has experience in all areas including divorce, complex and high net worth matrimonial finances proceedings, drafting pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements and both private and public children law matters.

Jessica also has a broad range of experience in civil litigation including advising on corporate and contractual disputes, commercial contracts, contested probate matters, debt recovery and a wide variety of property litigation. She also advises on immigration and employment matters.

Jessica is a New Zealander who has lived throughout the United States and Europe for the past 20 years . She has an international background and acts for a wide variety of clients.

Lauren is a dual-qualified solicitor in Australia and England & Wales, bringing an international perspective and a depth of litigation experience to every matter. Having acted across a wide range of disputes — from commercial cases to employment and estate issues — she has developed a sharp instinct for identifying potential risks and opportunities early in a case.

Known for her outcome-focused approach, Lauren works closely with clients to find practical, strategic solutions that balance commercial realities with legal precision.

Outside the office, Lauren enjoys spending time with her young son exploring the outdoors.

Michael Hatchett is a Solicitor in the Dispute Resolution department.

Michael deals with all manner of civil claims and commercial disputes and has particular experience in the following areas of practice:

• civil fraud;
• contract/commercial;
• construction disputes;
• contentious insolvency matters (including bankruptcy and winding-up); and
• partnership disputes.
• Michael has recently had conduct of a matter worth in the region of GBP 1 million which involved both an out of court settlement and a streamlined trial of the remaining issues.

Michael adopts a flexible approach to high-value litigation with a view to minimising costs and maximising client success by considering the prospects of settlement at every stage of a dispute.

Michael is an attentive lawyer with an eye for detail and a dedicated approach to client care.

Out of the office, Michael enjoys trail-running having recently competed in an event in the Swiss Alps, he also enjoys squash and the gym.

Manpreet is an experienced litigation solicitor who qualified at a well-known legal 500 firm in London.

Manpreet’s early experience of working in the legal sector started at a boutique firm on Bedford Row as an immigration paralegal. She then moved to a larger city based firm where she undertook her training and discovered her passion for litigation, before qualifying as a litigation solicitor.

As a litigator, Manpreet has experience in advising clients with both commercial and non-commercial litigation matters ranging from insolvency and bankruptcy to party wall and boundary disputes. Manpreet has also advised clients with regards to residential possession under both s8 and s21 of the Housing Act 1988 and forfeiture of commercial leases.

Manpreet also deals with the recovery of service charge arrears. As a keen advocate, Manpreet has represented clients at the County Court and High Court with matters ranging from injunction applications to breach of lease matters.

In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors. She also enjoys travelling, baking and trying cuisines from all over the world. She is known to enjoy the odd spot of DIY and has recently built her own garden planter so she can start growing herbs and vegetables.

Karishma is a trainee solicitor currently undertaking a seat in our property department. Prior to this she completed seats in dispute resolution and corporate & commercial, gaining experience across a broad range of matters including commercial disputes, transactional work and employment issues.

Prior to obtaining her training contract, Karishma worked as a paralegal within the Dispute Resolution department at SBP Law for a year.

Outside of work, Karishma enjoys attending dance classes and has been a dedicated dancer since the age of five

With experience in property law, including commercial leases and both commercial and residential conveyancing, Sophia can assist across a broad range of matters. She also has experience in commercial, company and dispute resolution work, particularly in landlord and tenant disputes. Drawing on her wider legal knowledge, Sophia effectively applies insights from her commercial and company law experience to provide well-rounded, strategic solutions in her property and dispute resolution matters. She also regularly attends networking events to engage with potential clients and fellow professionals. Sophia’s focus is not only on the law but also on building strong, positive, lasting relationships with her clients.

Sophia graduated from King’s College London with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, she then immediately began and completed her GDL / LLM at BPP university, whilst working full time at SBP. She is now currently in the middle of her Solicitors Qualification Exams.

In her spare time, when she is not studying, Sophia enjoys developing her language skills, with conversational ability in both Eastern European and Middle Eastern languages and developing relationships within her local community.

“SBP have been exceptional, professional, efficient and genuinely supportive throughout.  Their expertise and clear communication made the whole process smooth and stress-free”  – commercial property client

“I found Sophia Guilfoyle very professional, thorough, hard-working and most importantly, logical.  I am lucky to find such a good lawyer” – property litigation client

“Having to deal with a very sensitive upsetting matter, Sophia was friendly, empathetic, approachable, transparent and honest.  I was always kept in the loop at all times.  I couldn’t recommend Sophia enough!” – litigation client

Anabel is a Trainee Solicitor at SBP Law, currently working in the Dispute Resolution department.

Anabel worked at SBP Law as a paralegal in the Family & Matrimonial department for a year before taking up her training contract.

Prior to joining SBP Law, Anabel studied Law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.  She is a native Spanish speaker and has experience dealing with Spanish lawyers on behalf of clients.

Raheel is a Trainee Solicitor at SBP Law with broad experience across civil litigation, enforcement, and debt recovery.

He has previously worked within the litigation departments of several national and Legal 500-ranked law firms, gaining extensive experience in both defended and undefended matters with a particular emphasis on asset finance and commercial debt recovery.

Raheel has managed a wide range of claims for multinational finance houses and banks, from straightforward low-value disputes to complex, high-value defended litigation. His work has included the recovery of goods from everyday consumer items to high-end goods and the enforcement of financial shortfalls through Charging Orders, Bankruptcy Petitions, and Attachment of Earnings Orders. He is well-versed in the Consumer Credit Act, and experienced in dealing with regulated and non-regulated agreements, conversion claims, “innocent purchaser” disputes, and mediation across Small, Fast and Multi-Track claims.

He has also acted for large multinational corporations in the energy, utilities, and construction sectors, managing all aspects of the debt recovery cycle from pre-litigation negotiation through to trial and enforcement.

Alongside his training, Raheel serves as the in-house Litigation Officer for a leading UK enforcement agency, representing the organisation in defended claims, mediations, and complex disputes arising under the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2014 and CPR 85. He regularly advises on enforcement actions, fee challenges, property damage disputes, and complaints, liaising with local authorities, solicitors, and third parties at all stages of litigation.

Raheel completed his Legal Practice Course with Distinction at the University of Hertfordshire following his LLB (Hons) from the University of Northampton. During his studies, he undertook extensive pro bono work through the Citizens Advice Bureau, assisting individuals with debt, housing, and consumer law issues an experience that strengthened his commitment to access to justice and practical problem-solving.

Outside of work, Raheel is a passionate football fan and enjoys spending time with family and friends. He’s a keen follower of Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino films, with a strong interest in cryptocurrency, technology, and current affairs. A multilingual speaker of several South Asian dialects, Raheel values cultural understanding and clear communication in his professional practice.