Christian Smith

Commercial Disputes

Christian is the firm’s Head of Dispute Resolution and oversees the commercial litigation department’s busy and varied practice. He has over 20 years’ experience representing individual and corporate clients across a broad range of sectors.

Christian has considerable experience advising and acting in shareholder disputes and insolvency proceedings and is regularly instructed by clients seeking or defending injunctions. His steadfast and hands-on approach in fast-paced, highly contentious litigation brings many of his cases to an early resolution.

Clients value Christian’s ability to get to grips with disputes quickly and find practical solutions to complex problems. He has been recognised as "The steadiest of hands; superb with clients" - Legal 500, 2020.

Christian also enjoys working relationships with many of the UK’s leading insolvency practitioners. He is regularly instructed to consider claims by liquidators against directors, claims of misfeasance, preferences, transactions at an undervalue and breach of director’s duties.

Christian and his team provide a full-service commercial dispute offering; working closely with lawyers from across the firm’s other practice areas to review existing commercial contracts and advise on corporate governance and risk management generally. The team design and implement proficient litigation and enforcement strategies to protect, defend and enforce their client’s interests.

Priestlands School, Lymington; Middlesex University LLB (Hons).