Helen is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team.
She works with companies on complex business disputes particularly where reputation is at stake or emergency injunctive relief is required.
This includes freezing orders and search and seizure orders in cases of fraud, breach of confidentiality and restrictive covenants. Helen also advises on shareholder disputes and minority shareholder actions and claims arising from corporate transactions such as breach of warranty, contractual disputes with suppliers and distributors, and professional negligence claims.
Helen is experienced in alternative routes to dispute resolution including mediation and expert determination.
Representing clients in the energy, retail, automotive, manufacturing and IT sectors, Helen understands the issues they face, the distractions that litigation brings and the need for a timely resolution.
Recent examples of how Helen has supported clients include:
- obtaining for Calor Gas Limited a multi-site Search Order during the Covid pandemic in relation to an unlawful DIY gas refilling operation: Calor Gas Limited v Chorley Bottled Gas Limited and others [2020] EWHC 2426 (QB). The case is of interest due to the tailoring of the relief sought, which reflected the need for proportionality particularly as a result of the pandemic, and that in considering the risk of significant harm, the Court was entitled to look at potential harm to public health and safety;
- successfully defeating in the Court of Appeal an appeal of a decision of the High Court in relation to the purchase and flooding of a luxury convertible supercar which was found to amount to a breach of section 9, Consumer Rights Act: Kynaston-Mainwaring v GVE London Limited [2022] EWCA Civ 1339:
- successfully advancing at trial a claim for a leading energy company against one of its previous corporate dealers which had carried out a fraud by the application of false credit notes to the dealer’s account. Both the dealer and its directing mind were found to have committed the torts of conspiracy to injure, conspiracy to defraud and unjust enrichment;
- acting for a charity in its defence of a claim brought under Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, seeking eviction of the charity from premises used by it as an independent school for bullied children. The claim was settled at mediation with the charity negotiating a discounted price for the purchase by it of the premises;
- acting for a minority shareholder in a claim for unfair prejudice, discrimination and employment-based claims against the majority shareholder of a communications company. The claim, which was settled at mediation, resulted in the minority shareholder acquiring the entire shareholding of the company in question; and
- substantially reducing the amount payable by a major fashion retailer to a software supplier by showing that their multi-million-pound claim was grossly inflated.