Thomas Esler

Commercial litigation.

Partner whose main practice areas as follows: Commercial litigation procedure (Judicial Review, High Court/Chancery/Companies Court/Mercantile Court/TCC/County Court. Advocacy to all authorised levels). Company/partnership (advising directors/Owners of SME’s/PLC’s in respect of all areas of business law including company law and procedure, directors duties/compliance, directors disqualification, shareholders rights, insolvency, contract/warranty claims. Insolvency (all areas of insolvency, including all aspects of company insolvency to include procedures, retention of title, undervalue/preference actions acting for receivers and liquidators and advising directors). (All aspects of personal insolvency/IVA’s and refinancing of annulments). Intellectual property (all aspects of contentious IP including IP audits, passing off and e-commerce). Contract (all areas of commercial contracts including warranty claims, guarantee actions and straight forward non-payment of breach actions). Risk assessment( advising business generally in non-contentious scenarios pre-litigation). Examples of recent actions : Defending minority shareholder action on behalf of automotive component supplier, settled for £1.5m by mediation; Bringing minority shareholder action arising out of family company dispute, settled on day two of 22 day Mercantile Court Trial for £2m; Defence of partnership disputes on behalf of accountancy practise; Pursuing breach of warranty claims on behalf of company vendor; Advising and assisting on defence of trademark infringement proceedings, coordinating product recall and settlement; Advising upon confidentiality agreements in support of patent development agreements; Providing risk assessment advise upon succession/exit planning.

St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena; Queens University, Belfast (1989 2:1 Law).