John Williams

John is frequently instructed (as junior counsel, or alone) in commercial disputes. These have included:

• In practice and during pupillage, high value professional negligence claims against accountants and auditors.
• Claims involving allegations of fraud and conspiracy.
• Claims against a variety of professionals. In particular, John is regularly instructed in disputes involving allegations of professional negligence against lawyers: recent cases have included claims against a firm of solicitors for the negligent conduct of settlement negotiations, and disputes arising out of property work and advice.
• Claims against IT professionals for breach of contract. John has recently been instructed as sole and junior counsel in disputes concerning website design (both back and front end), data migration, and the integration and implementation of third party software.
• A variety of contractual claims – both between business, and those involving issues of consumer law.
• More generally, claims involving specialist areas of contract, tort and property law, and the law of unjust enrichment.

John also appears regularly in a range of interim hearings. Recent work (as sole counsel) has included applications for pre-action disclosure, allocation hearings, applications to amend, strike out/summary judgment applications, and applications to set aside default judgment. He is also commonly instructed to appear at Case and Costs Management Conferences in substantial claims: and is familiar with issues arising out of the costs budgeting process. John also has experience of appearing at judge-led mediations in the County Court.

John has advised on the merits of appeals – and has drafted grounds of appeal. During pupillage, John also observed and assisted in preparations for a hearing before the Court of Appeal.

John is frequently instructed (as junior counsel, and alone) in a range of disputes involving allegations of professional negligence. These have included:

• In pupillage and in practice, high value claims for professional negligence against accountants and auditors.
• Claims against legal professionals.
• Claims against a variety of other professionals: including IT professionals, recruitment consultants, architects, interior designers, and others.

John has also advised on ancillary matters – including pre-action conduct in professional negligence claims, and elements of the cause of action in negligence: in particular principles of causation, loss, and “loss of a chance”.

John is frequently instructed on behalf of insurers: both to appear at trial and in interim hearings, and to settle pleadings and give written advice.

John has also had experience of a variety of disputes involving insurance law: including where the relevant insured is insolvent, and claims against insurance brokers. Recent work has included giving advice as to the effect of the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010.

John is frequently instructed to appear at Costs and Case Management Conferences, and is familiar with the principle applicable to the costs budgeting and costs management process: including applications to revise costs budgets.

During pupillage, John assisted in preparing for detailed assessment hearings, and as sole counsel, John has been instructed to advise on disputes involving issues relating to solicitors bills of costs, and the statutory assessment process.

John has been instructed in relation to arbitral proceedings under the LCIA, ICC and CIMAR rules (as junior counsel, and acting alone).

These have included:

• A contractual dispute between a number of commercial entities relating to the interpretation of a commercial contract.
• Disputes arising out the provision of services under an IT contract.
• The appeal of an arbitral award arising out of allegedly defective building works under section 69 of the Arbitration Act.

John has been instructed as sole counsel to appear in winding up petitions in the Companies List. He has also acted in a number of disputes involving company law issues. This has included advising (as sole counsel) on complex matters of company and insolvency law, arising out of allegations of professional negligence against a firm of solicitors.