Blake Morgan LLP regularly handles commercial litigation across a variety of sectors, including the sport, retail, and utilities industries. Based in Southampton, Dan Geddes leads the team; he is recommended for shareholder and contract disputes as well as contentious insolvency matters. Richard Portlock advises on professional negligence and judicial review cases. Described as ‘exceptional’, Michael Colledge and Vikki Sidaway are further standout members of the team; Colledge handles disputes relating to insurance coverage and pensions, while Sidaway regularly assists clients with a range of commercial litigation matters. Jill Bainbridge left the firm in April 2023.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘In a crowded field, Richard Portlock stands out in terms of his steady, thoughtful leadership. He has superb tactical skills as well as legal knowledge. He knows his clients, nurtures long term relationships, and he is able to provide clarity and direction in complex disputes.'
‘They have a strong depth of quality and experience. They are a very well organised firm. They are very nice individuals to work with.’
'Dan Geddes is very savvy with cases and how to best meet client objectives. He is well prepared for cases and has great foresight in litigation. He's very pleasant to deal with.'
- 'Katie James is very experienced, friendly, and bright. She's always a pleasure to work with. She cares a lot about her cases.'
'Blake Morgan has a real strength in the size of their team as well as the efficient and professional way in which those different teams interact across practice areas in order to achieve the best results for clients.'
'Dan Geddes and Amy Taylor-Morris are noticeably adept at covering the needs of business clients in a way which is practical and commercially focused.'
‘Michael Colledge and Vicki Sidaway were exceptional. Their grasp of the relevant law was impressive and reassuring. They also struck the right balance with communication.’
'Dan Geddes covers both insolvency and commercial matters. He is able to clearly identify the issues in a case and effectively delegate tasks within the broader legal team.'
Key clients
- Sutton and East Surrey Water
- Specsavers
- NHS England
- SME Invoice Finance
Work highlights
- Represented NHS England in the successful defence of a challenge to the exercise of its commissioning functions in the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
- Represented various professional sportspersons in relation to disputes concerning failed investments, tax schemes, and other contractual disputes.
- Acted for Specsavers in relation to various contentious matters affecting its property portfolio.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Dan Geddes