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Andrew Smith

Partner
About

Andrew Smith is recognised in the market as a leading litigator, advising on complex and high-value commercial and corporate disputes, with particular experience in complex M&A/transactional claims, company law and shareholder/joint venture disputes. Andrew is joint UK lead for the firm's international Corporate Disputes group and his work frequently includes cross-border and international disputes. 

He also focuses on contractual and product liability claims, commercial defamation, civil fraud and Judicial Review in a commercial context.  Cases are frequently international in nature, and often involve applications for injunctions or similar relief. Andrew's work covers a wide range of sectors, with a focus on private equity, retail, technology, manufacturing and energy.  

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

Areas of experience
  • Corporate and company law disputes, including shareholder disputes, transactional disputes, warranty claims and joint venture disputes.
  • Electricity and gas disputes.
  • Contractual disputes and product liability claims.
  • Enforcement of restrictive covenants.
  • High Court injunctions, including worldwide freezing orders.
  • Claimant professional negligence actions against accountants, solicitors, valuers.
Key experience
  • Acting for a private equity firm on a highly involved and complex GBP100 million shareholder dispute involving claims of unfair prejudice, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.
  • Acting for a big six energy supplier, dealing with contractual and commercial disputes including a substantial claim in relation to a disputed contract which involved an analysis of electricity pricing models, and advice in relation to sensitive outstanding contracts.
  • Acting for a UK accountancy firm in bringing a claim against an employee who had defrauded substantial sums from clients over a period of years. This included obtaining a worldwide freezing order, followed by judgment and subsequent enforcement proceedings.
  • Representing a venture capital firm on various multi-million pound post-M&A claims for breach of warranty, covenant, earn-out disputes, misrepresentation and fraud.
  • Acting for a US-based shareholder in parallel court and arbitration proceedings in the UK and US.
  • Advising a global plastics manufacturing business in relation to the defence of a multi-million pound product liability claim.
  • Representing an international chemical manufacturer in relation to a high value dispute arising from the misuse of their confidential formulae by competitors.
  • Acting on a number of applications for urgent High Court injunctive relief, ranging from global freezing orders to enforcement of restrictive covenants.
Education
  • University Of Sheffield, BA Law, 1997
  • Nottingham Law School, LPC, 1998

Awards

In Chambers 2019, Andrew is described as being a "very straightforward, unfussy and gives practical rather than esoteric advice in a way which is readily understood by all."

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