Humphries Kerstetter LLP

HK LLP is a conflict-free City law firm specialising in the resolution of complex commercial disputes by litigation and arbitration. Our clients are UK and internationally based corporates and individuals. We operate from the heart of Legal London close to the Commercial Court and the international dispute resolution and arbitration centres.

Since 2009, our clients have instructed us in their most important and difficult business disputes and investigations. The firm has a “reputation is everything” ethos. Therefore, quality of service and work product is our top priority.

Partner availability and engagement on all our cases is a key feature of our practice. Our partners are experienced and technically excellent lawyers all having come from London-based large international law firms.

Our recent mandates show the quality, variety and value of the matters on which the firm has recently advised. We have particular experience in managing international disputes that require proceedings in foreign courts, arbitration in an international forum, the application of foreign law or the involvement of sovereign state parties.

The firm provides a refreshing, dynamic and supportive working environment, free of outdated hierarchies and politics, where the work and the clients come first.

We are lean, flexible and agile. Manageable overheads, focused staffing with no billing targets, and the ability to strip a dispute down to its core determinative issues ensure that clients receive the most efficient representation and value for money. Our hourly rates are highly competitive relative to other City law firms and litigation boutiques. We use all forms of alternative fee arrangements and are willing to share risk with our clients in appropriate cases.

Most of our lawyers are qualified as Solicitor-Advocates (Higher Courts, Civil) and the firm is able to provide a full range of advocacy services on behalf of its clients in all relevant courts and tribunals. Clients do not therefore need to retain barristers to represent them in court unless they specifically wish to do so. This can materially reduce costs and duplication of work.

We are also at home with the strategic and commercial planning that takes place long before, or instead of, a dispute reaching a court or tribunal. Most of our cases are resolved without the need for trials. We have extensive experience in guiding clients through mediation in order to achieve the best result. Because of this expertise, we are occasionally instructed to appear specifically for this purpose in disputes otherwise handled by other firms.

Commercial Litigation

We have vast experience of court litigation in all levels of the English higher courts. We are also often instructed to manage court litigation relating to international disputes taking place in off-shore or other foreign jurisdictions.

We have experience of working closely with our clients in pursuing their commercial objectives in many types of disputes that are subject to court litigation including:

• Banking and financial services.
• Companies (including shareholders and directors).
• Commercial contracts.
• Competition (private enforcement actions).
• Fraud/corruption.
• IT disputes.
• International trade.
• Insurance and reinsurance.
• Mergers & acquisitions (including completion accounts and warranties).
• Funds and private equity disputes.
• Private international issues.
• Professional negligence (particularly accountants and lawyers).
• International human rights.
• Senior executive compensation and poaching disputes.

International Arbitration

We have extensive expertise in acting for clients in arbitrations under all the major international sets of arbitration rules and ad-hoc,  and involving multiple systems of law or even general principles of international law. We act both for and in opposition to sovereign states. Our experience in these types of disputes includes:

• Mergers and acquisitions (including completion accounts and warranties).
• Complex sales agreements.
• Joint ventures.
• Investment treaty disputes.
• Industrial projects.
• Government contracts.
• Financial instruments.
• International trade.

This experience spans numerous industry sectors including:

• Oil and gas.
• Pharmaceuticals.
• Mining and minerals.
• Defence.
• Media and telecommunications.
• Financial services.
• International services or consultancy contracts.
• Construction.

Our partners also accept appointment to act as arbitrators in domestic or international commercial disputes.

Collective Redress

We have an established reputation in the field of class actions. We are particularly well-known in the competition law field, acting for very large groups including the interchange fees litigation against MasterCard and Visa and in claims against Google in respect of its conduct in ad-tech. The firm is also active in the investigation or pursuit of class actions across a range of consumer and business claims against defendants responsible for fraudulent and reckless investment schemes, failed SIPP and property investments, failed tax schemes and ‘stock drop’ claims, amongst other current work.

We have the legal knowledge, the funding and insurance connections and the team size and strength to investigate, launch and pursue class actions so that our clients do not need to pay unless and until recoveries are made and only pay out of those recoveries for our fees and all necessary disbursements. We prepare cases to fight to trial but aim to reach earlier settlements in the interests of all concerned.

Investigations

Our partners have performed many internal investigations for clients in a number of sectors and have advised and represented clients in regulatory investigations and disciplinary and enforcement proceedings such as before the Financial Conduct Authority, the Upper Tribunal and the Financial Reporting Council. We have acted for individuals and institutions in relation to recent high profile international regulatory investigations including interest rate, FX and overseas corrupt payments.