Simon Elcock > DMH Stallard LLP > Crawley, England > Lawyer Profile

DMH Stallard LLP
Griffin House
135 High Street
RH10 1DQ
England

Work Department

Dispute Resolution

Position

Simon is a Partner and the Head of Dispute Resolution, which also includes the firm’s Debt Recovery, Insolvency and Personal Injury practices.

Career

Simon has an established practice and significant following and he is known for dealing with large scale, complex corporate and commercial disputes with particular expertise in the insurance and banking sectors.

He regularly advises on matters involving breach of contract and breach of duty, professional negligence, director, shareholder and partnership disputes, defamation, commercial and corporate fraud and judicial review.

Recognised as one of the foremost litigation lawyers in the South of England, Simon is recommended in Chambers & Partners with sources praising his “pragmatism and flexibility,” and the “sensible and commercial approach” he takes.  He is also praised in Legal 500 2022: “‘Simon Elcock is very calm under pressure, confident and authoritative in his advice. Clients respect him and his initial judgement on a case is rarely wrong.”

His private sector clients include a number of the UK’s leading banks, such as The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, as well as other significant companies including Real Estate Advisory & Property Management UK Ltd (formerly Strutt & Parker LLP),  and BDO LLP. His public sector clients include a number of universities and unitary authorities.

Simon is an Accredited Mediator with the Centre for Dispute Resolution (CEDR) and is experienced in and an advocate of all recognised forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”)

Work highlights

  • Acting for a retired TUI Airlines pilot in a judicial review brought against the Civil Aviation Authority regarding his forced retirement on grounds of age. The case was widely reported in the media.
  • Acting for a major international bank in a dispute with a high profile individual in the arts world in relation to an alleged fraud worth up to £85 million.
  • Defending claims brought against well known educational establishments and public sector bodies involving issues around alleged breach of duty, discrimination and defamation.
  • Acting both for and against insurance companies in a wide range of claims, often in relation to the enforcement of policy terms

Languages

English

Memberships

  • Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution – Accredited Mediator

Education

Simon qualified as a solicitor in 1997, having trained with the firm after spending the initial part of his career in the hospitality industry, and became a Partner in July 2001.

Lawyer Rankings

South East > Dispute resolution > Debt recovery

DMH Stallard LLP frequently acts for banks, local authorities, and professional service firms, often in collaboration with the firm’s insolvency and real estate teams. Led by Oliver Jackson, the debt recovery practice is embedded in the firm’s dispute resolution department, which banking sector expert Simon Elcock heads. Jackson is well-versed in freezing injunctions and the enforcement of judgements. James Colvin is noted for his strong focus on mediation proceedings, while Nigel Marchant excels in commercial and property-related recovery work.

South East > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Kent, Surrey and Sussex

(Leading partners)

Simon ElcockDMH Stallard LLP

Described as a ‘very strong regional firm’, DMH Stallard LLP has an established disputes practice across the South East, operating from offices in Gatwick, Guildford and Brighton. The firm has broad experience across commercial and banking litigation, acting in breach of contract, breach of duty and professional negligence claims, as well as director, shareholder and partnership disputes. Sector strengths include aviation, automotive, education and real estate. The practice is led by Simon Elcock, based in Gatwick. Other key names to note include Guildford-based Jonathan Compton, and James Colvin, also in Gatwick, who focuses on financial litigation and contentious insolvency. Nicola Billen, in Guildford, has broad commercial disputes experience including general contractual litigation and shareholder disputes.