Contracts are the leading cause of business disputes in the UK, with around 70% of UK small and medium-sized enterprises having faced commercial disputes, with contractual issues being the most common source. More concerning, 42% of businesses report that such disputes put their company’s future at risk. The economic impact is staggering: companies lose approximately 9% of their annual revenue due to poor contract management.

The financial burden extends beyond direct losses. When disputes escalate to litigation, the average construction dispute in the UK now reaches £27.7 million, representing a 117% increase from 2019. For smaller businesses, even modest disputes can drain tens of thousands of pounds in legal fees, management time, and lost productivity. Worse still, 72% of UK businesses have seen an increase in litigation cases brought against them over the past five years, with 60% anticipating further rises.

But here is the good news: the vast majority of contract disputes are entirely avoidable. Prevention truly is better than a cure, and for one simple reason, it is a lot cheaper. This comprehensive guide shares the essential strategies, practical steps, and expert insights you need to protect your business from costly, stressful, and entirely preventable contract disputes.

Why do contract disputes occur?

Understanding what drives disputes is the first step towards avoiding them. According to research from Arcadis, the number one cause of construction disputes in the UK is parties failing to understand or comply with their contractual obligations. This affects all industries and business sizes. Contractual disputes typically arise from several connected factors. Economic instability and rising costs of living have created a more challenging business environment, with 47% of businesses citing cost pressures as a dispute trigger. When margins are squeezed and cash flow is tight, parties become less willing to absorb losses or compromise on payment terms. The result is a more litigious business culture, with 35% of businesses pointing to increased societal willingness to pursue legal action.

Many contract disputes stem from one party believing the other had agreed to specific terms when, in reality, no such agreement existed, or a fundamental misunderstanding had occurred. This type of scenario keeps Commercial Court Judges and Barristers employed. What frequently causes such confusion is the concept of implied terms, ambiguous scope definitions, and poor contract drafting that leaves room for multiple interpretations.

The consequences go well beyond financial loss. Contract disputes drain management time, take staff off revenue-generating work, damage business relationships, harm reputations, and create enormous stress for business owners. The hidden cost of management time alone can be substantial. When staff are diverted from their usual activities to investigate, manage, or mitigate the effects of a breach, businesses can claim these wasted management costs, calculated at an hourly or daily rate based on employees’ salaries. In other words, the business can include that wasted management time in its damages claim against the party in breach and ask the court (or the other side in settlement talks) to pay money to compensate for it.

Critical mistakes that lead to contract disputes

Not undertaking adequate due diligence

Due diligence involves examining the financial, legal, operational, and sales status of an organisation. The aim is to find out if there are any red flags, such as unpaid debts, pending legal claims, or recruitment problems that could result in the other party being unable to fulfil their contractual obligations. Many business owners are eager to close deals quickly, particularly when growth opportunities present themselves. However, rushing into agreements without proper investigation is one of the most common and costly mistakes businesses make.

Proper due diligence should examine all aspects of the other party’s business. Financial due diligence means reviewing financial statements for the last three years, examining debt structures and liabilities, analysing gross profit margins and capital structure, and comparing actual sales with projected figures. You want to ensure the other party has the financial stability to deliver on their promises.

Legal due diligence is equally critical. This involves reviewing existing contracts and leases, examining intellectual property, including trademarks, copyrights, and patents, investigating any ongoing or potential legal disputes, and checking for regulatory investigations. Discovering that your new supplier is embroiled in multiple lawsuits or faces regulatory sanctions is information you want before signing, not after.

Operational and market analysis provides insight into whether the other party can actually deliver what they are promising. This includes assessing competitors and the geographic economic outlook, examining the brand’s public perception and industry trends, and conducting a SWOT analysis to understand the business’s position in the market.

If you are unsure how to conduct a comprehensive due diligence exercise, engage a third party to undertake the process and draft a risk management report. The cost of professional due diligence is minuscule compared with the expense of dealing with a failed contract or dispute.

Failing to put the agreement in writing

Contrary to popular belief, verbal contracts and those on platforms such as WhatsApp may be legally binding. The problem is that without a written agreement, it is almost impossible to prove exactly what each party contemplated when entering into the contractual arrangement. Disputes can quickly arise regarding whether a legal contract even exists because it is challenging to demonstrate that an offer, acceptance, consideration, and an intention to create legal relations occurred. When memories fade and interpretations differ, the lack of written evidence makes resolution extraordinarily difficult.

Another reason commercial contracts should always be in writing is that an experienced Solicitor will ensure a dispute resolution clause is added to the terms of the agreement. This sets out how disputes will be resolved, providing a framework to avoid litigation. A written contract can also contain an Arbitration Agreement in which parties agree to use arbitration to resolve disputes.

This is especially important in cross-border projects or ventures. Arbitration awards are binding and, unlike domestic court decisions, can be enforced in any country that has signed up to one of the international conventions, such as the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, commonly known as the New York Convention.

Written contracts also create an audit trail. They document what was agreed, when it was agreed, and by whom. This clarity prevents “he said, she said” disputes that consume so much time and legal expense. When both parties can refer to the same written document, misunderstandings are far easier to resolve before they escalate into formal disputes.

Not including the required warranties and indemnities

Getting legal advice on what warranties and indemnities to include in your commercial contracts will ensure you mitigate the risk of disputes. Warranties, which can be express or implied, are promises that the goods or services you are providing are of an agreed standard.

An express warranty is a promise stated clearly in the contract, for example, that food supplied to a restaurant is organic. An implied warranty is not written down but is assumed by law, such as a promise to deliver goods within a reasonable time.

An indemnity is a legally binding promise that one party will reimburse the other party if a particular event happens. In other words, the paying party undertakes to protect the receiving party from loss resulting from a specific occurrence. For instance, a supplier might indemnify a customer against third-party intellectual property claims arising from the supplied products.

Whether you are the paying party or the receiving party, it is crucial to have an experienced Solicitor draft any warranties and indemnities included in a commercial agreement. The paying party needs to ensure the scope of their liability is limited, which is in contrast to the receiving party’s requirement to get as much protection as possible. How this is worked out depends on how effectively each party negotiates.

In disputes where warranties are breached, damages can include not only the direct cost of remedying the breach but also consequential losses: lost profits, additional expenses, and reputational damage. A well-drafted warranty and indemnity framework protects both parties by setting clear expectations and limits on liability.

Neglecting to cover off common risks

Many things can go wrong with a contract. But if you conducted adequate due diligence and risk management, any red flags will have been identified and negotiated. However, some risks are present in all contracts. Therefore, it is important that you include terms in the agreement to manage the following:

• Cybersecurity risks – including outside attacks and internal data breaches. Make sure there are terms in the contract defining what must be done should a cybersecurity incident occur and who is liable for any fines and damages claims. In our increasingly digital business environment, data breaches are not a question of if but when. Your contract should anticipate this reality.
• Force majeure events – unforeseen occurrences that excuse one or both parties from their contractual obligations. However, the Courts view force majeure clauses restrictively and can imply limitations that you may not expect.

One famous example is the case of Metropolitan Water Board v Dick Kerr & Co AC 119, where the House of Lords ruled that a clause aimed at covering delays which included the words “however caused” did not cover substantial delays caused by the outbreak of the First World War. More recently, in 2 Entertain Video Ltd v Sony DADC Europe Ltd EWHC 972 (TCC), the Court concluded that a warehouse operator’s attempt to rely on a force majeure clause because of the 2011 UK riots failed because the operator could and should have prevented the fire started by rioters by taking reasonable security precautions. The fire was not a circumstance beyond the warehouse operator’s control, and the force majeure clause offered zero protection.

To illustrate how costly a failed force majeure clause can be, in the Sony case, the warehouse operator was required to pay for loss of profits, business interruption, increased working costs, plus legal costs. When drafting a force majeure clause, precision is essential.

One reason it is crucial to have a Contract Disputes Solicitor draft a force majeure clause is to manage the risk relating to the rule of contract interpretation known as expressio unius est exclusio alterius (the expression of one thing is the exclusion of another). For example, if you draft a force majeure clause to cover non-performance due to burn damage from a fire, the clause may not protect you from smoke damage.

To avoid getting caught by this principle, contract drafters will usually include a catch-all phrase such as “any other unforeseen event” to ensure the force majeure clause protection is not limited to specifically listed events. However, this creates another problem: ejusdem generis (Latin for “of the same kind”), which means a general word will be interpreted by looking at preceding words which are of a common category.

A good example is the case of Tandrin Aviation Holdings Ltd v Aero Toy Store LLC and others, EWHC 40. Aero Toy Store failed to complete the purchase of a plane, arguing that the sweep-up phrase “any other cause beyond the Seller’s reasonable control” in the force majeure clause included the 2007 – 2008 financial crisis and subsequent economic downturn. The judge held that the sweep-up phrase had to be read in the context of the entire clause and noted that while there was no requirement to construe it ejusdem generis with earlier specific examples, none of the listed examples related to economic downturn.

Given recent global events, from pandemics to geopolitical tensions and tariff disputes, force majeure clauses have never been more important. Yet they remain one of the most poorly drafted and misunderstood provisions in commercial contracts. The only way to ensure a force majeure clause will cover increases in tariffs or other specific events is to reference such occurrences explicitly in the clause itself.

Intellectual property risks must be managed through terms that protect the intellectual property of all parties and dispute resolution provisions that cover what steps must be taken if confidentiality is broken or an IP right is infringed. In knowledge-based and creative industries, IP often represents a company’s most valuable asset. Failing to protect it adequately in your contracts is simply reckless.

Not defining the scope of the contract

Clients often seek legal advice on contract disputes that could have been avoided had the scope of the work, liability, and responsibilities been clearly set out in the agreement. Both parties need to be clear about the extent of their contractual obligations and what happens if they cannot meet their responsibilities. It is far easier to have these conversations during the negotiation period than when the performance of the contract is underway.

Ambiguous scope definitions are a goldmine for disputes. When one party believes the contract covers X, Y, and Z, while the other party thinks it only covers X and Y, conflict is inevitable. These disagreements are not usually about bad faith—they arise from genuine differences in interpretation that could have been prevented with clearer drafting.

A recent case perfectly illustrates this risk. In Grain Communications Limited v Shepherd Groundworks Limited EWHC 3067 (TCC), Shepherd was contracted to carry out groundworks according to work orders provided by Grain Communications. The day before the work was due to start, Grain telephoned to say the work would be postponed. Shepherd claimed this amounted to contract termination and brought adjudication proceedings for mobilisation costs and lost profits. The Adjudicator agreed, but Grain appealed to the High Court. Her Honour Judge Kelly overturned the Adjudicator’s decision, stating that the contract contained express provisions allowing Grain to vary the timing of work orders.

The Court made clear that the contract entitled Grain Communications to vary the period in which a work order would be performed and that varying instructions should not be read “strictly or pedantically”. The judge emphasised that if a party wants to ensure work cannot be postponed, it needs to negotiate and include such a term in the contract in clear, concise language.

This is especially important when the supplier is a small business that needs to invest in hiring equipment and people to perform the work stipulated in the agreement. The case shows how expert contract drafting can avoid disputes. It is crucial to discuss the express terms you require in a contract to protect your best interests. A Solicitor who has overseen and drafted many commercial agreements will have the experience to point out terms or wording that you may not have thought about. In some cases, this can save you tens of thousands of pounds in lost work, productivity, and legal costs.

Understanding Express and Implied Terms

Many contract disputes relate to one party believing the other had agreed to certain terms when, in reality, there was either no such agreement or a fundamental misunderstanding about what was agreed. Understanding the difference between express and implied terms is essential for avoiding these disputes.

Express terms are explicitly included in an agreement, either in writing or verbally. Confusion can occur during the negotiation stage when representations are made, and one party perceives these to be express contractual terms while the other party only made such statements to entice the first party to agree to the actual contractual terms.

When deciding whether something is an express term or merely a representation, the Court will consider the time between the making of the statement and the signing of the contract, the importance of the statement, the relative ability of the parties to determine the truth of the statement, and whether a verbal statement is repeated in the written agreement.

Implied terms are terms that have not been agreed expressly but are implied into the contract by the Court on various bases:

• Usage or custom – The Court can imply a term that is customary to a particular trade or market sector, providing it is notorious, specific, reasonable, legal, and more than a mere trade practice.
• Previous dealings – If the parties have entered into agreements in the past, the Court may imply a term that has been common to all previous contracts into the current disputed agreement. There needs to be a regular pattern of dealings, for example, three to four transactions per year, and consistent procedures must have been followed.
• Intentions – The Court can imply a term into a contract to fill in any gaps, but not to make it fairer. Judges will consider what a reasonable person would have understood the parties’ intentions to be, given the background knowledge reasonably available to them when they entered into the contract.

In BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Shire of Hastings UKPC 13, the Privy Council set out five conditions for implying a term: it must be reasonable and equitable; it must be necessary to give business efficacy to the contract; it must be so obvious that it “goes without saying”; it must be capable of clear expression; and it must not contradict any express term of the contract.

The Supreme Court later clarified this in Marks & Spencer plc v BNP Paribas Securities Services Trust Company (Jersey) Ltd UKSC 72, stating that the first test may be disregarded if a term satisfies the other requirements, and that tests two and three are alternatives – only one need be satisfied.

Express and implied terms often come down to common sense. However, in complex agreements, resolving disputes around these terms can result in lengthy court proceedings. This is why it is crucial to have all your commercial contracts reviewed by a Virtual In-House Legal Counsel. When it comes to express and implied terms, the cost of clarification and, if necessary, redrafting, is often tiny compared with dealing with an avoidable dispute.

Ensuring successful contract negotiations

A well-negotiated agreement clarifies responsibilities, allocates risks fairly, and creates a framework for resolving disagreements before they escalate. Before you pick up the phone or reply to an email, make sure you have a clear picture of your key objectives (your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves”), your dealbreakers (terms you would walk away from), and the other party’s likely interests (what they value and might compromise on).

Taking the time to research the other party, including their business, market position, recent deals, and pain points, will give you valuable context and help you find common ground. The more you understand their position, the more likely you are to build trust and arrive at solutions that work for both parties. Finding alignment early can prevent misunderstandings and set a positive tone for the entire negotiation process. Listen actively to understand the other party’s goals before making assumptions. Communicate openly about your position and ask questions about theirs where something is not clear. Be ready to compromise by setting out where you can be flexible and know your red lines in advance.

Understanding your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) is critical. It represents your best course of action if the negotiation fails. Knowing your BATNA empowers you to make informed decisions and establish a walk-away point, ensuring you do not settle for unfavourable terms.

Document agreed points as you go. This helps avoid confusion and “he said, she said” disputes later. A mutually beneficial agreement is much more likely to stand the test of time and be easier to enforce if disputes ever arise.

Drafting Contracts That Prevent Disputes

Once you have negotiated the broad terms, the quality of contract drafting becomes paramount. Poor drafting is the source of countless disputes that could have been avoided with clearer, more precise language. Use plain, unambiguous language. Courts interpret contracts based on what a reasonable person would understand the words to mean. Overly complex legal language or industry jargon that one party does not understand creates ambiguity. Each clause should have only one possible interpretation.

The decision in Grain Communications Limited v Shepherd Groundworks Limited emphasises that parties cannot rely on the Court to rescue them if they are careless in the drafting of an agreement. Her Honour Judge Kelly stated that varying instructions should not be read “strictly or pedantically”, but this does not mean courts will save you from fundamentally flawed drafting. If you want specific protections, you must state them explicitly.

A comprehensive contract should cover parties’ full legal names and addresses, scope of work or deliverables in specific, measurable terms, payment terms including amounts, currency, timing, and method, delivery dates and performance milestones, warranties and representations, limitation of liability and indemnity provisions, intellectual property ownership and usage rights, confidentiality obligations, insurance requirements, termination provisions, force majeure clauses, dispute resolution mechanisms, governing law and jurisdiction, and any industry-specific regulatory requirements.

A well-drafted dispute resolution clause can save you enormous time, cost, and stress if disagreements arise. The clause should specify what mechanism will be used (negotiation, mediation, arbitration, litigation, or a combination), which disputes are covered, the governing law and jurisdiction, how neutrals will be selected, which rules will apply for arbitration or mediation, how costs will be allocated, and clear timelines and transition procedures between stages.

Multi-step dispute resolution clauses are increasingly common and effective. These typically require parties first to attempt direct negotiation between senior executives with the authority to resolve the dispute. If negotiation fails within a specified timeframe (for example, 14 or 21 days), the parties must attempt mediation. Only if mediation fails can parties proceed to arbitration or litigation.

This approach encourages early resolution when emotions are less heated and positions are less entrenched. It reduces costs by resolving many disputes before formal proceedings begin. It preserves business relationships by emphasising collaboration over confrontation. And it demonstrates to courts that parties made reasonable efforts to settle, which can affect cost awards if litigation does occur.

Can Repudiatory Breaches Be Remedied?

A ‘repudiatory breach’ is a breach of contract so serious that it goes to the “root” of the agreement. It effectively indicates that the breaching party no longer intends to be bound by the contract’s essential terms.

A recent Court of Appeal decision has important implications for contract drafting and dispute avoidance. In Kulkarni v Gwent Holdings Ltd EWCA Civ 1206, the Court held that a repudiatory breach of contract is not automatically incapable of remedy. Whether a breach can be remedied depends on a practical assessment rather than a technical one.

The case involved two shareholders whose agreement stated that a shareholder was deemed to have served a notice to transfer its shares if it committed a material or persistent breach which, if capable of remedy, was not remedied within ten business days. One shareholder committed several breaches, including an illegal transfer of shares. The other shareholder argued that this was a repudiatory breach and could not be remedied.

The Court of Appeal rejected the argument that a repudiatory breach can never be remedied. Lord Justice Newey emphasised that if parties intend a repudiatory breach to be irremediable, this must be clearly stated in the contract. In this case, the unlawful transfer of shares was capable of being remedied by reversing the transfer.

If parties wish to make a repudiatory breach irremediable, they need to ensure the agreement is written to reflect this. It is also important to note that if the question of whether a breach can be remedied is not answered clearly in the contract, the Court will take a practical approach and look at whether the mischief caused by the breach can be corrected for the future.

Alternative Dispute Resolution: Resolving Disputes Without Court

Even with the best prevention strategies, disputes sometimes arise. When they do, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) offers significant advantages over traditional litigation. A landmark 2023 decision changed the dispute resolution landscape. In Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, the Court of Appeal held that Courts could stay proceedings and compel parties to participate in ADR. The judgment could fundamentally change how disputes are resolved, forcing even reluctant parties to participate in ADR before filing their claim in court or during court proceedings.

Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls, concluded that as long as it does not stop the Claimant from eventually taking their claim to court and is proportionate to the ultimate aim of settling the dispute fairly, swiftly, and cost-effectively, the Court could stay proceedings for or order parties to engage in ADR. This effectively deals with concerns that compelling parties to participate in non-court dispute resolution negates their Article 6 ECHR rights to a fair trial.

Mediation

Mediation is a flexible, voluntary, and confidential process where a neutral mediator assists parties involved in a commercial dispute to reach a mutually acceptable resolution. Unlike litigation or arbitration, mediation does not impose a decision on the parties. Instead, it encourages direct negotiation, with the mediator facilitating dialogue and helping to clarify misunderstandings. The key benefits of mediation are speed, cost efficiency, and control. Disputes can often be resolved in a single day, and outcomes can be more flexible than court-imposed solutions. Mediation also helps preserve commercial relationships by focusing on collaboration rather than confrontation.

Mediation may not be suitable where one party needs urgent injunctive relief or where there is a fundamental disagreement on legal principles. However, it is effective in a wide range of commercial disputes and can be attempted alongside litigation or arbitration.

Arbitration

Arbitration is a private dispute resolution process where the parties agree to appoint an independent arbitrator to decide the dispute. It is commonly used in commercial contracts, particularly in international or high-value matters. In England and Wales, arbitration is governed by the Arbitration Act 1996.

The process is flexible and allows parties to tailor procedures to suit the dispute. Arbitrators are often specialists in the relevant industry, which can be beneficial where technical expertise is required. Arbitration awards are generally final and binding unless otherwise agreed by the parties in the Arbitration Agreement.

For cross-border disputes, arbitration offers a crucial advantage. The New York Convention, to which over 160 countries are signatories, provides a framework through which awards made in one country can be enforced in another. This makes arbitration particularly valuable for international commercial relationships.

To initiate arbitration, there must be an Arbitration Agreement in place. Terms in the agreement can be used to select the jurisdiction for the proceedings, establish procedural rules, and designate the desired qualifications of the arbitrator. An Arbitration Agreement is either integrated into or appended to the primary commercial contract—in the case of shareholder disputes, the Shareholders’ Agreement.

Litigation

Litigation remains necessary in some circumstances, particularly where precedent needs to be established, where public interest is involved, or where one party refuses to engage in good faith with ADR. However, litigation should be viewed as a last resort due to its cost, duration, public nature, and relationship-damaging consequences.

Checklist for avoiding contract disputes

To help you implement the strategies discussed in this guide, here is a practical checklist to follow before entering into any commercial contract:

Before negotiation:

• Conduct comprehensive due diligence on the other party (financial, legal, operational, market position)
• Identify your objectives, nice-to-haves, and dealbreakers
• Research the other party’s likely interests and constraints
• Understand your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement)
• Assemble your negotiation team with clear roles

During negotiation:

• Listen actively to understand the other party’s true interests
• Seek common ground and collaborative solutions
• Take rational, market-based positions backed by data
• Document agreed points as discussions progress
• Be prepared to compromise on secondary issues while protecting core interests

During contract drafting:

• Insist on written agreements. Never rely on verbal contracts.
• Use plain, unambiguous language throughout.
• Define all key terms to avoid multiple interpretations.
• Specify the scope of work, deliverables, and timelines precisely.
• Include comprehensive warranties and indemnities appropriate to the transaction.
• Address cybersecurity risks, force majeure events, and IP protection.
• Draft clear limitation of liability and indemnity clauses.
• Include a robust, multi-stage dispute resolution clause.
• Specify governing law and jurisdiction.
• For international transactions, include arbitration provisions referencing the New York Convention.

Before signing:

• Have an experienced Solicitor review the entire agreement.
• Verify that all negotiated points are accurately reflected.
• Check that parties’ names, addresses, and signing authorities are correct.
• Ensure all referenced documents and schedules are attached.
• Confirm compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
• Verify insurance requirements are appropriate.
• Check that any industry-specific provisions are included.

After signing:

• Store the signed contract in a secure, accessible location.
• Diarise key dates (payment deadlines, renewal dates, termination notice periods).
• Establish a contract management process to monitor performance.
• Maintain good communication with the other party.
• Document any variations or amendments in writing.
• Address issues or concerns promptly before they escalate.
• Conduct periodic contract reviews to ensure ongoing compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions – avoiding contract disputes

1. What are the most common causes of contract disputes? 

Contract disputes often arise because parties do not fully understand or comply with their contractual obligations, particularly around scope, payment terms, and performance standards. Misunderstandings about express and implied terms, vague drafting, and poor documentation of negotiations also frequently trigger disputes.

2. How can my business reduce the risk of a contract dispute? 

You can reduce risk by carrying out proper due diligence on the other party, negotiating terms carefully, and putting a clear written contract in place. Make sure the agreement precisely defines scope, responsibilities, risk allocation, warranties, indemnities, and a sensible dispute resolution process.

3. Are verbal or WhatsApp agreements enforceable? 

Yes, verbal agreements and contracts formed on platforms such as WhatsApp can be legally binding if the core elements of a contract are present. The real problem is proving what was agreed, which is why a well-drafted written contract is always safer.

4. What contract clauses are most important for preventing disputes? 

Key clauses include a clear description of scope and deliverables, payment terms, warranties and indemnities, limitation of liability, intellectual property and confidentiality provisions, force majeure, and a multi-step dispute resolution clause covering negotiation, mediation, and (if needed) arbitration or litigation.

5. When should I get a Solicitor involved with my contracts? 

Ideally, instruct a Solicitor before signing any significant commercial contract, and certainly where there is high value, regulatory risk, cross‑border elements, or complex liability and IP issues. Early advice on drafting and negotiation is usually far cheaper than dealing with a dispute later.

To find out more about how our Virtual In-House Legal Counsel service can help you draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts that protect your business and prevent disputes, please email us at info@43legal.com or phone 0121 249 2400.

Melissa Danks is the founder of 43Legal. She has over 20 years’ experience as a solicitor working within the legal sector dealing with issues relating to risk management, dispute resolution, and advising in-house counsel in SMEs and large companies. Melissa has extensive expertise in providing practical, valuable, modern legal advice on large commercial projects, joint ventures, data protection and GDPR compliance, franchises, and commercial contracts. She has worked with stakeholders in multiple market sectors, including IT, legal, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, logistics and construction. When not providing legal advice and growing her law firm, Melissa spends her time running, walking in the countryside, reading and enjoying downtime with close friends and family.