In addition to the above recent highlights, the following are further illustrations of Lisa’s depth of experience in her specialist fields of practice:

SHAREHOLDER DISPUTES

Lisa has a very strong practice in shareholder disputes, built from extensive experience, expertise and repeat instructions in this area.  More detail is on Lisa’s company CV.

• Current instructions include acting for Petitioners and Respondents under s994 Companies Act 2006 in respect of companies in the following businesses: Online gaming business, manufacturer of packaging,a Michelin starred restaurant, a homecare services provider for the elderly and disabled, a substantial online retail business and a niche agricultural services supplier. The companies involved are based in a wide range of geographic locations throughout England and Wales.
• Acting in claim for specific performance of shareholders’ agreement, requiring shares to be transferred for nil consideration, including responding to claim that the shareholders’ agreement is forged (2022 – ).
• Advising shareholder in substantial retail business in Yorkshire on exit strategy involving points of construction and application of shareholders’ agreement, in particular how “fair value” was defined (2023).
• Hopkinson v Hopkinson(2021): unfair prejudice petition involving a substantial company in the retail sector and cross-claim for proprietary estoppel of shareholding.  Resolved favourably at mediation before 2 week HC trial on liability.
• Unwin v Bond [2020] EWHC 1769 (Comm),a precedent case on good faith clauses in shareholder agreements and one of the first trials to take place remotely in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• MFW Developments Ltd [2019] EWHC 3725 (Ch): Successfully obtained rare “Wallersteiner” indemnity order, permission to continue derivative claim, injunctions and subsequent appointment of receiver over £1m. Claim against director is for misappropriation of £2.5m from the company. Instructed from 2018 to settlement and conclusion in 2022.
• Hague v Greenwood & ors [2019] EWHC 699 (Ch): Acted for director/shareholder, alleged to have diverted contract for supply of materials for construction of flood defences in North Yorkshire, in defending derivative action and related claims to land owned by the director/shareholder in 2 week trial in HCt.
• Secured settlement of just under £1 million for a shareholder in unfair prejudice petition proceedings involving a company specialising in niche pipeline product supplies, just before a 5-day trial (2018) (High Court, Manchester).
• Successfully advised and acted for shareholders in valuable crowd-funded property development company in Cheshire in realising their investment by just and equitable petition (2018).
• Akyol v Icel [2017] EWHC 3280 (Ch): 2-week HC trial of unfair prejudice petition before HHJ Klein sitting as a High Court Judge. Very complex factually, involving 3 companies & 27 claims spanning 30 years, cross-examination of factual and expert witnesses and very high emotions. Lisa secured the dismissal of 90% of the claims and the reduction of the claim of over £1 million by 50%.
• Advised and represented an equal corporate shareholder of a special purpose company whose business was to install and operate a wind turbine on a remote island in Scotland in just and equitable petition and alleged breach of shareholders’ agreement (2016) (HCt).
• Lisa successfully acted for the Claimant in obtaining just under £1 million in a contractual dispute between equal shareholders in companies with the benefit of options to develop land for housing in North Yorkshire. The case settled on the first day of a 7-day trial in HCt (2015).
• Successfully acted (with Mark Cawson QC of Exchange Chambers) for a minority shareholder in a major print business in Yorkshire, obtaining a share sale order by an unfair prejudice petition (2013) (HCt).

CORPORATE AND PERSONAL INSOLVENCY

Lisa has been recommended as a leading barrister in insolvency in legal directories for many years. She continues to be a very popular choice for a variety of instructions in both corporate and personal insolvency. Further detail is included in Lisa’s insolvency website entry.

• Advising household name and successfully securing settlement in collaboration with instructing solicitors in responding to claims by the liquidators further to s127 Insolvency Act 1986 (2022).
• Advising a construction company as to whether claims in excess of £1m for alleged breach of a design and construction contract for 66 homes were within or outside a company voluntary arrangement. Working within a solicitor team including specialists in construction and insolvency law (2022).
• Laurence Bassini v Inner Circle Investments Limited & ors [2019] EWHC 3024 (Comm)(Snowden J): Successfully acted for the administrator of the holding company of Bolton Wanderers football club in obtaining indemnity costs following an unsuccessful application for an injunction.
• Acted for trustee in bankruptcy in long-running second bankruptcy with myriad of issues including significant undisclosed assets and a high value of creditors (2020 – 2022).
• Assisting liquidator in claims of over £1 million against directors for breaches of their duties and wrongful trading where complex limitation issues arise (2018 – 2019).
• Acting for defendant directors and parent company in obtaining an early and favourable settlement of threatened claim by liquidators for breaches of directors’ duties, unlawful dividends and transfer of assets at an undervalue, valued at over £1 million (2018).
• Obtaining an income payments order of in excess of £500,000 for trustees in bankruptcy in a bankruptcy involving complex financial dealings (2018).
• Re Graico Property Co Ltd (in administration) [2017] BCC 15 (Norris J)
• Successfully obtaining settlement for Defendants to serious claims of knowing assistance, knowing receipt and related tracing claims, brought by a company registered in Gibraltar, acting by its liquidators where the claims and costs were in excess of £1 million. The case settled at the court door (2017) (High Court, Manchester).
• Successfully representing a former multi-millionaire, made bankrupt following his participation in an aggressive tax scheme, in opposing an application by his trustee in bankruptcy to suspend his discharge from bankruptcy on grounds of alleged failure to cooperate (2015).
• Pettit v Novacovic[2007] BCC 462 (Norris J) Succeeded in obtaining payment from agent who had received monies, post-bankruptcy, distinguishing Hollicourt (Contracts) Ltd v Bank of Ireland in bankruptcy context. Acted on behalf of office holder.
• Re Johnson[2006] BPIR 987 (HHJ Roger Kaye QC) Represented Official Receiver in precedent case on application by discharged bankrupt for an annulment.

DIRECTORS’ DUTIES AND OTHER FIDUCIARIES

Lisa has a very strong practice in directors’ duties, both in shareholder disputes and claims against directors in liquidations and administrations, examples of which are set out above and further detail of which is on Lisa’s company and insolvency CVs.

COMMERCIAL CONTRACT DISPUTES

Lisa has a very busy practice in contractual disputes in which her commercial acumen and attention to detail are valued. She has particular experience in share sale and business disputes.

• Acting in claim for specific performance of shareholders’ agreement, requiring shares to be transferred for nil consideration, including responding to claim that a shareholders’ agreement has been forged (2022 – 2023).
• Advising on and acting in respect of the construction of a wide range of supply contracts in different sectors, share sale and business disputes shareholder agreements, the merits of proceedings for breach of contract and consequent litigation (2021 – 2023).
• Advising a local authority on successfully exiting an onerous contract relating to mortuary services (2019).
• Successfully defending a claim under a joint venture agreement and by proprietary estoppel to a valuable quarry at an 8-day trial (HCt – 2019).
• [2019] EWHC 546 (Ch) and [2019] EWHC 1928 (Ch): Successfully defended challenge to the English High Court’s jurisdiction and claim that England was forum non conveniens, securing payment of debt and withdrawal of claim in Northern Ireland for over £1.7 million.
• Representing a Yorkshire Fastest 50 company in defending a claim brought by a commercial agent for in excess of £2.5 million in alleged unpaid commission (2018).
• Advising in alleged breach of contract claim relating to project in Dubai (2018).
• Successfully acted for sellers of shares in claim against purchasers for breach of share purchase agreement involving a company providing car repair services for insurers. Case settled before issue of proceedings (2017).
• Atlantisrealm Ltd v Intelligent Land Investments (Renewable Energy) Ltd[2017] EWCA Civ 1029, [2017] C.P. Rep. 39, [2017] EWHC 564 (TCC): Acted for the Claimant in a substantial claim of over £1 million for breach of warranties in a share purchase agreement involving a wind farm in Scotland. The case settled before a 10-day trial and following a high-profile appeal centred on disclosure of legally professionally privileged documents by the Defendant.
• Lisa successfully acted for a major commercial landscaping company in obtaining settlement of a claim of just under £1 million in the Mercantile Court against a local authority. The claim was for breach of a public sector contract relating to groundworks in parks, schools and other amenities under the control of the local authority (2015) (HCt).
• Successfully defended seller of shares in claim for alleged breach of warranties in a share sale agreement relating to a debt collection company in a case involving complex forensic accounting issues on the issue of liability (2015) (HCt).

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

In addition to the cases noted above, Lisa has a wealth of experience in acting for a range of businesses in a variety of commercial disputes.

• Wybone Limited: Successfully defended serious allegations and defeated injunction application against client director in respect of management of successful company (2020)(HCt).
• [2019] EWHC 546 (Ch) and [2019] EWHC 1928 (Ch): Successfully defended challenge to the English High Court’s jurisdiction and claim that England was forum non conveniens, securing payment of debt and withdrawal of claim in Northern Ireland for over £1.7 million (HCt).
• Northgate Lighting Limited v Brite Source PTE Limited (2019): Acted for Singaporean company in disputed winding up petition relating to lighting supplies valued at $2.2 million worth of supplies (HCt).
• Acted for Sports Direct in defending emergency application for delivery up of items in High Street stores following the purchase of House of Fraser (in administration) (2018) (HCt).
• Representing company that bought a pharmaceutical business from a company in administration in claims brought by the administrators that the terms of the business sale agreement have been breached (2017) (HCt).
• Successfully defending injunctive relief proceedings brought by a major manufacturer of bed products that had purchased a portfolio of properties from administrators in a “fire sale” and obtaining a favourable settlement of claim before a six day trial. The claim centred on allegations of civil fraud and was related to high profile criminal proceedings relating to the premises (2016) (HCt).
• Successfully obtained freezing order for leading travel company, based in Yorkshire (2015) (HCt).
• Advised and represented leading household name in the energy sector in dispute relating to power station in the North West (2015)(HCt).
• Obtained injunction on behalf of an academy in West Yorkshire to help secure pupils and employees following violent threats by a pupil (2014).
• Close Asset Finance Limited v B & ors: Defended application for repossession of specialist machinery, used to make medical milk for export pursuant to licence, and subject to hire purchase agreements, brought by finance house. The first hearing of the application settled, preserving use of machinery for client during administration (2015) (HCt).
• Oxford RFS v AP & ors(2013) (Briggs J) Successfully obtained an interim injunction on behalf of a company against a former employee restraining use of confidential information and records taken in a developing technology in the energy sector and subsequently successfully settled claim.
• Paragon Mortgages Ltd v MP [2011] All ER (D) 65 (David Steel J) Acted for borrower in multi-million pound claims under guarantees and on personal mortgages of buy to let properties in Leeds where LPA receivers had been appointed.
• Lowes v W Machell Joinery Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 794, [2012] 1 All ER (Comm) 153 and [2011] EWCA Civ 798 (Rix LJ, Lloyd LJ and Lewison J) Whether a staircase was unfit for purpose under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 due to non-compliance with Building Regulations and the extent to which new points may be taken on appeal and costs consequences.
• GE Money Home Lending Ltd v H C Wolton & Sons Ltd (t/a Wolton Chartered Surveyors) [2010] All ER (D) 116 (May) [2010] PNLR 28 (HHJ Behrens) Whether or not claim form in professional negligence proceedings could be amended in respect of name of one of the parties outside limitation period.
• Michael Gerson (Leasing) Ltd v Loach and others [2002] All ER (D) 147 (Jul) (Court of Appeal) (Pill LJ, Robert Walker LJ and Sir Martin Nourse) Succeeded in appeal on issue of construction of chattel leasing agreement.

PARTNERSHIP AND LLP DISPUTES

Lisa has depth of experience in partnership and LLP disputes.

• Successfully acted for defendant to claims of approximately £1 million in respect of solicitors’ partnership in legally and factually complex claim. Case involved complex limitation issues and an entangled factual history (2020 – 2022).
• Representing a partner in a family farming partnership in a dispute involving an enviable Yorkshire Wolds arable farm valued in excess of £6 million in which a proprietary estoppel claim was made (2018).
• Representing a partner in a family farming partnership in a dispute with assets valued at in excess of £2 million (2018).
• Advising a liquidator of a LLP in respect of recoveries against members (2017) (London).
• Defending claim brought against retired partner of a partnership between solicitors based on construction of retirement deed (2016).
• Acting for finance director of solicitors’ limited liability partnership in dispute as to whether or not he is a “good” or “bad” leaver and can reclaim capital introduced (2016).
• Acted for doctor in a partnership in respect of liabilities for shared expenses of the medical practice (2015).

REAL PROPERTY AND TRUSTS

Lisa has a range of experience in real property and trusts. She has acted on proprietary estoppel claims relating to farms worth up to £6 million. Further details are on Lisa’s property website entry.

• Currently acting in respect of substantial commercial and residential portfolio and related allegations of unfair prejudice under s994 Companies Act 2006 (2023).

GOVERNMENT LITIGATION

Lisa served as Junior Counsel to the Crown for 18 years, regularly acting for Government departments, particularly the Insolvency Service in directors’ disqualification and public interest winding up petitions and HM Revenue and Customs in relation to tax, including MTIC fraud.

• Represented HM Revenue and Customs in First Tier Tax Tribunal in precedent case in respect of VAT treatment of bicarbonate of soda, sold in tubs in baking aisles Phoenix Foods Limited [2018] UKFTT 18 (TC).
• Lisa successfully acted for the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in winding up numerous companies in the public interest that had been involved in commercial fraud and related provisional liquidator applications. Further detail on commercial fraud CV.
• Successfully representing the Official Receiver in both the Crown and High Court in connection with civil proceedings arising from a criminal investigation into the storage and sale of non-duty paid goods and associated money laundering activity (2015) (HCt and Crown Court).
• Savidis v HM Revenue and Customs Commissioners[2015] UKFTT 239 (TC); [2015] S.T.I. 1938 Lisa successfully represented HM Revenue and Customs in appeal against decision refusing to repay VAT charged on two importations by the appellant of 1000 US Silver Eagle One Dollar coins (500 on each occasion).
• Lisa successfully acted for the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in obtaining the disqualification of both a managing and other director of companies which had been involved in an intricate MTIC VAT fraud, involving complex facts: Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills v Khan & Warry[2014] EWHC 1381 (Ch).
• ICS (UK) Ltd v HM Revenue and Customs (2013) and Church Lane Developments Ltd v HM Revenue and Customs[2013] UKFTT 469 (TC) Successful in two MTIC VAT fraud appeals on behalf of her client in the First Tier Tax Tribunal, one involving a new variant of this type of fraud and the other for a sum in excess of £1 million.
• Shaw v Revenue and Customs Commissioners[2007] STC 1525 (Lindsay J). Successfully responded to appeal against Commissioners’ decision to exclude credit for input tax on purchase of motor car by sole trader.