David Birks > McCormicks > Harrogate, England > Lawyer Profile

McCormicks Offices

McCormicks
First Floor, Scottsdale House
Springfield Avenue
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG1 2HR
England
Visit website 01423 530 630

David Birks

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01423530630 [email protected] View profile View profile

Work Department

Dispute Resolution

Position

David is the Head of the Commercial Disputes and Sports Litigation Team. The team offers a wide range of litigation services to both individuals and businesses, which incorporates Corporate and Commercial Recovery and Insolvency.

Before becoming a solicitor David headed up the North Yorkshire Trading Standards Consumer Advice Team and Special Investigations Team dealing with Regulatory matters and specialising in Anti-counterfeiting matters.

David has also spent time working for the Department of Trade and Industry specialising in Directors Disqualification and Insolvency. David is a member of R3.

David has significant experience with matters involving: breach of contract, unfair prejudice claims, partnership disputes, professional negligence (claimant and defendant), landlord and tenant, dilapidations claims, HM Land Registry and matters with multi-jurisdictional elements, sports disputes (arbitrations, tribunals and FA, Premier League and EFL regulatory matters). His specialisms are in insolvency  (individual and corporate) and Directors Disqualification Act Proceedings.

In relation to regulatory matters, David acts for professionals in relation to disciplinary matters, with a particular emphasis on registered pharmacists. This work is wide ranging, involving aspects including representation before professional regulators.

David brings an approach which will always be tailored to client priorities. It is always proportionate to the matter in hand and involves a cost benefit analysis at the earliest possible stage. David advocates all appropriate forms of alternative dispute resolution to seek to resolve disputes as quickly and cost effectively as possible.

David acts for a broad range of clients, including insurers, national and international corporates, entrepreneurs, large family estates, insolvency practitioners (and those facing claims by them), charities, the Premier League, Leeds United FC and professional players and managers.

David’s team can offer advice and experience in other matters such as:

  • All aspects of Commercial Litigation including business, Partnership and Company disputes.
  • Regulatory matters including Public Contract Procurement.
  • Sports and Regulatory disputes.
  • Property litigation including advising on commercial leases and property disputes.
  • Professional negligence claims.
  • Employment litigation particularly in respect of the commercial impact on business where contracts of employment are breached.
  • Mediation, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) – advising and guiding clients through the ADR process with a view to reducing costs of Litigation.
  • Directors Disqualification Act proceedings
  • Matters relating to Insolvency and Bankruptcy including both personal and corporate Insolvency.

Lawyer Rankings

Yorkshire and the Humber > Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery

McCormicks specialises in the sports sector, providing insolvency advice to numerous prominent clients such as the Premier League and Leeds United Football Club. Team lead David Birks has broad contentious expertise, covering a range of commercial disputes. Peter McCormick is a key name.

Yorkshire and the Humber > Private client > Contentious trusts and probate

McCormicks assists executors, trustees, and potential beneficiaries on a broad range of contentious matters. In addition to private wealth disputes, the group provides support in Inheritance Act claims. Elaine Lightfoot leads the team from Harrogate. David Birks and Stephen Hopwood are key names within the department.

Yorkshire and the Humber > Corporate and commercial > EU and competition

The sports sector expertise at McCormicks is evidenced by the team’s frequent work for the Premier League, while the firm’s wider experience was recently showcased in its role acting on behalf of GMI Construction and GMI Construction Holdings in the context of a high-profile investigation launched by the Office of Fair Trading. Football sector expert Peter McCormick and David Birks share leadership duties from the firm’s Harrogate office.

Yorkshire and the Humber > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire

The ‘diverse team of experts’ at McCormicks is known for its focus on contentious sports work and is instructed by the likes of the Premier League and various professional football clubs. Beyond his focus on sports litigation, the ‘outstanding, knowledgeable and pragmatic‘ David Birks, who heads up the Harrogate-based team, frequently acts in property-related disputes. Peter McCormick is embedded in the football sector.

Yorkshire and the Humber > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport

McCormicks acts for an impressive roster of football clubs and associations, prominent sporting individuals and professional cycling clients, which seek out the firm for the extensive expertise of founding partner Peter McCormick, a pre-eminent sports lawyer who is the former chairman of the Premier League, the Football Association and the Football Foundation. Leading the practice alongside McCormick are James Towler, who focuses on corporate and commercial transactions, and David Birks, whose wide-ranging expertise covers sporting disputes and Premier League and EFL regulations. Peter Minnikin is well versed in game shooting law and regularly advises estates; and Iain Jenkins assists sporting clients with employment matters.

Yorkshire and the Humber > Real estate > Property litigation

Private investors, property developers, landed estates and charities, primarily in the sporting sector, are some of the clients that McCormicks regularly assists with property litigation advice. The team handles boundary disputes, rights of way claims, dilapidations claims as well as contentious agricultural tenancy related work. David Birks leads the practice and excels on property insolvency matters and is supported by Peter McCormick who covers contentious property matters for the firm’s landmark sporting clients.

London > Dispute resolution > Professional discipline

McCormicks has a strong market reputation for football-related disciplinary and regulatory work. The 24-member team, which is ‘commercially pragmatic and solution focused’, also handles defence-side SRA investigations and SDT work, as well as NPA matters. The practice is co-led by renowned sports law specialist Peter McCormick OBE and Peter Minnikin, who acts in disciplinary work involving medical practitioners and physiotherapists. The group also includes David Birks, who leads the firm’s commercial disputes and sports litigation team.

London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport

Providing bespoke advice on employment and tax matters within sport, in tandem with bringing a ‘commercial approach’ in contractual disputes, McCormicks regularly represents major sport associations and top-level teams. Peter McCormick co-heads from London and Harrogate, specialising in handling complex competition law cases, while Harrogate-based co-leads David Birks and James Towler assist in complex commercial disputes and on corporate transactions. Peter Minnikin is also noted as key.

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