Moore Barlow advises on a wide range of commercial disputes, including debt recovery work, IP issues, and warranty breaches. The practice's experience encompasses a variety of sectors such as the manufacturing, insurance, retail, and education industries. The team is co-led by Claire Haverfield in Southampton and David Foster in Guildford. Described as ‘a talented litigator’, Haverfield is recommended for contractual claims, while Foster has more than four decades of experience advising on high-value disputes. Noted for her capabilities in the financial services sector, Susannah Marsh regularly advises lenders and mortgage providers. Mark Osgood left the firm in May 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'They are a friendly, professional, and knowledgeable team. They are easy to work with.'

  • ‘Ben Millward has always been available for a quick resolution. He's extremely professional.’

  • ‘They showed attention to detail and a genuine commitment to resolve the issues in a satisfactory way.’

  • ‘Their client care is superb.’

  • ‘Moore Barlow’s commercial litigation team occupies a fairly unique position in the industry, catering for claims by individuals all the way up to major lending institutions and other big businesses. They also have excellent experience in commercial litigation, professional negligence work, property litigation, and judicial review. This allows them to deal with all sides of most commercial disputes.’

  • ‘Susannah Marsh is an excellent partner. She is very commercial and also technically very good. Claire Haverfield is robust and very client focused.’

  • ‘The standout feature of this firm is the high quality of the partners and their dedication to the client's case.’

  • ‘Claire Haverfield is first-class. She is strategically astute and always has the client's objectives at the forefront of her mind. She's a talented litigator who is not afraid to fight in court when required. She also offers sound and realistic advice to clients. She is a great choice for shareholder disputes where there is an IT/IP element.'

Key clients

  • Tokio Marine HCC
  • Marriot Hotels
  • Camila Batmanghelidjh
  • Business Mortgage Finance 5 PLC
  • Business Mortgage Finance 7 PLC
  • Ijarah 3.0 Trust 2022-1
  • Hansard Trust Company Limited
  • CNK Alliance Limited
  • Trimount Properties Ltd
  • Nahid Residential Limited
  • Froyle Park Limited

Work highlights

  • Acting for Business Mortgage Finance 5 Plc and Business Mortgage Finance 7 Plc in a high-value recovery case before the High Court and the Court of Appeal relating to secret commissions.
  • Acting for a Delaware statutory trust in a winding-up petition against a company debtor with a complex multijurisdictional corporate structure.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Claire Haverfield, David Foster

Other key lawyers

Susannah Marsh, Sarah Watley, Ben Millward