Commercial litigation: Hampshire

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Gavin Matthews
Hall of fameWomble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
Gavin is a partner specialising in work for national retailers with particular specialism in all areas of trading standards, health and safety and other regulatory issues. He advises clients in relation to advertising and publicity law and also deals with heavy commercial disputes for retailers, including supplier disputes, security matters and actions against suppliers of professional services. Gavin was commissioned by the BRC to write ‘Age Restricted Sales, Due Diligence and Best Practice’, a guide for retailers and employees and ‘A Retailer’s Guide to Legal Compliance’ which provides clear, practical advice for store managers in areas including health and safety, Sunday trading, environmental issues and employment.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Claire Haverfield
Moore Barlow
Claire is an experienced partner and helps businesses and individuals deal with and find effective resolutions to a wide range of disputes. Her clients are both businesses and individuals who come to her for advice regarding commercial disputes, professional negligence claims, intellectual property, and disputes arising out of wills, inheritance and trusts. Businesses of all sizes come to Claire for advice concerning contract disputes, warranty claims and IT disputes. She also advises clients on claims against solicitors or other professionals who have been negligent. Claire has acted on behalf of clients in relation to intellectual property disputes concerning copyright, patents, trademarks, passing off, and breach of confidence. She also advises private clients who have disputes arising out of wills, intestacy and trusts. In particular, Claire advises clients on claims against executors/trustees, will validity disputes and claims under the inheritance (provision for family and dependents) act 1975. Claire provides businesses and individuals with plain speaking advice on the options available to them, advises them on the best way forward, and supports them throughout the process.
Jonathan Smart
Shoosmiths LLP
Jon is the head of Shoosmiths’ mobility sector, overseeing the firm’s growth across automotive, rail, logistics and the future of transport. He also leads the firm's commercial litigation practice advising on complex, high value commercial disputes and is recommended in the 2024 Legal 500 Guide and Chambers and Partners 2024. His practice has a particular emphasis in: IT and outsourcing disputes; contract and supply chain litigation; and corporate and shareholder disputes. Jon has a particularly strong reputation in the automotive and technology sectors and works with a number of leading automotive manufacturers and global IT companies including Volkswagen Group, Mercedes Benz and Honda. Jon is also a member of the Society for Computers and Law. Recent work includes: acting for a global automotive manufacturer in a £35 million breach of contract claim in the High Court; pursuing claims for a US technology company in respect of a multi-million pound dispute arising from a global IT outsourcing agreement; advising a leading FTSE 100 company in respect of a £40 million supply chain dispute involving a leading retail chain; defending a leading IT company from claims exceeding £20milllion arising from an complex software development project;  defending one of the world's leading automotive brands from a $19 million multi-jurisdictional contractual claim; and acting in the matter of HHH v GGG in defending a £40 million claim arising from the payment of bribes to a foreign public official, which are the subject of a parallel criminal investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. Jon is regularly asked to contribute to leading publications and is the author of the Lexis Nexis chapter on “Termination of Distribution Agreements” and co-author of the first edition of the Artificial Intelligence Country Comparative Guide for Legal 500. Testimonials  “Jon Smart is an exceptional partner who fights hard to secure the best outcome for … his clients and has led the team on a number of impressive cases.” - Legal 500 ‘‘Jonathan Smart is a standout partner. He is bright, likeable, efficient and an excellent legal strategist.’’- Legal 500 "Jonathan Smart is exceptionally bright and provides sound advice. He is able to look beyond the legal elements of a case and advise with his clients’ business needs and commercial interests in mind” - Legal 500 “Jonathan Smart is a very hands-on partner. He can parachute into cases at short notice and lead counsel as necessary in the absence of his associates.” - Legal 500 “Jonathan is commercially astute, with the client's interests at his core.” - Chambers UK
Ian Newcombe
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
lan is a partner who advises in a broad range of high value and complex commercial disputes including those in connection with procurement, joint venture agreements, share purchase, IT and media disputes. He specialises in working for national retailers and energy companies, particularly in the downstream arena. Ian has a reputation for delivering results within commercial timescales and has become the dispute resolution lawyer of choice for a number of national retailers and one of the big six energy providers.
Andrew Parsons
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
Andrew is a partner who specialises in commercial disputes.  He has expertise in managing disputes through a variety of forums including litigation, arbitration, expert determination and mediation. Andrew has an established practice in technology and data protection disputes. This includes advising on software licences, IT procurement disputes, data transfer/processing agreements, enforcement action by the ICO and managing security breaches.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Gemma Spiceley
Blake Morgan LLP
Gemma specialises in private company acquisitions and disposals, helping businesses to grow through acquisition, with particular experience in retail, healthcare and childcare sectors.
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Shelley White
Shoosmiths LLP
Shelley is a Prinicipal Associate within the Solent Office's Dispute Resolution and Compliance team. She specialises in complex, high-value commercial disputes and contentious insolvency and is recommended within the Legal 500 2018 and 2019. Shelley has particular specialisms in advising asset finance based lenders and automotive clients on complex litigation and recoveries along with advising on liquidations, administrations, bankruptcy and antecedent transactions from a contentious aspect. Shelley is also a member of R3 Association of Business Recovery Professionals. Recent work includes: Pursuing recoveries of shortfalls for asset finance lenders pursuant to guarantees and repossession actions; Acting for platform lender in relation to recission of a Winding-Up Order and subsequent re-listed Petition; and Advising automotive client in relation to title dispute with third party and liquidator over vehicles.

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