Barney Laurence

Dispute Resolution & Commercial Litigation

Partner in the commercial litigation and dispute resolution department, handling all types of commercial disputes, specialising in actions involving High Court injunctions and injunction-related litigation, in particular in the recruitment and franchising sectors, with a particular niche in restrictive covenant cases.

The majority of Barney’s work involves High Court litigation and mediation. Barney is very active in the recruitment sector and heads-up the firm’s recruitment division.

On the franchising side, clients include Headmasters, Winkworth Plc, Chips Away, Property Search Group, Countrywide, Pirtek and Stagecoach, and Barney had particular success in the widely-reported High Court case of PSG Franchising Ltd v Lydia Darby Ltd [2012], a case involving breaches of restrictive covenants.

High-profile cases in the Court of Appeal, House of Lords and Supreme Court include TRM Copy Centres (UK) Limited and others v Lanwall Services Limited [2009], where Barney guided the claimant to success, obtaining a landmark ruling that defined the meaning of what can be considered a ‘consumer hire agreement’, and he also represented Alan Beesley at the Supreme Court stage in the widely-publicised “barn case”, involving a building constructed as a dwelling house but disguised as a barn. Clients remark that Barney 'acts with extreme diligence and speed, leaving no stone unturned'; that he '…offers practical advice and offers clarity in what can be emotionally charged circumstances'; and that his 'considered judgement and expertise has been invaluable over the years'.

Further clients comment that 'He's professional, ethical and effective. His advice is realistic and based on expert knowledge.'