Acuity Law is a popular choice among local and UK-wide businesses for representation in high-stakes and strategically important commercial litigation, including on shareholder and corporate disputes. With a ‘firm but persuasive approach’, Aisha Wardell has strength in handling cases going through the court system, and is also very skilled at advising on risk management. Leveraging ‘unerringly good commercial instincts’, Hugh Hitchcock co-heads the team alongside Wardell, and as well as core commercial contractual disputes expertise is also adept at advising on media-related litigation.

The ‘efficient and skilled’ team at Blake Morgan LLP is well-positioned to provide very effective representation to both private and public sector clients across a wide range of commercial litigation. Lee Fisher is at the forefront of much of the private sector work and has developed a particularly strong reputation handling corporate/shareholder and IP disputes. Joanne Thompson, who co-heads the team alongside Fisher, has strength in matters involving public sector entities. In this regard, as well as acting for defendants and claimants in public procurement litigation, Thompson is also well-versed at handling public inquiry matters. Sarah Whittle is also adept at handling public procurement-related litigation, as well as defending public sector clients against judicial review challenges to their decisions.

With a large pool of resources at its disposal, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is effectively able to resource a wide variety of Wales and UK-wide commercial litigation work, including in core firmwide areas of sector focus, such as transport and energy. Team head Richard Pitt is central, alongside the ‘extremely effective’ Helen Rowland, to the firm’s aptitude in public procurement, with both regularly achieving success for both claimants challenging public authority decisions and for procuring authorities defending challenges. Financial services-related matters also form a key part of the Cardiff office’s litigation strength, with Gareth Vowles heading up this subgroup. Luisa Gibbons is also a key contact, particularly with regard to public sector matters.

Under the leadership of the experienced Paul Hopkins, Geldards LLP has established a strong local reputation for its aptitude at handling complex commercial disputes, often involving multiple parties. Many of these occur within the public sector, with Jonathan Griffiths skilled at representing both claimants and defendants in judicial review proceedings. Although Michael Evans also handles some public sector work, he has carved out a niche in relation to contractual disputes within the private sector. Rhys Thompson provides vital support on large-scale public sector disputes and is also developing a caseload for private sector clients across a range of contractual litigation.

Leveraging strong ties with regional businesses, Hugh James is seen with considerable regularity on the defendant and claimant side across a range of consequential commercial litigation disputes. ‘Very insightful’ team head Richard Locke is well-versed in utilising the full array of litigation and ADR techniques to secure the best result for clients across the spectrum of corporate and commercial disputes. The ‘outstanding’ Tracey Singlehurst-Ward has developed a particular niche acting for sports clubs and governing bodies, utilising media and IP litigation prowess.  An ‘effective litigator’ with specialist expertise in relation to professional negligence claims, Abigail Flanagan is also noted for her overarching skill in securing injunctive relief for clients.

Led by the ‘extremely smart’ Jason Williams and Llŷr Davies, Morgan LaRoche attracts clients from across Wales and England. Davies, one of numerous Welsh speakers in the Carmarthen office, has strong ties with local businesses as well as professional advisers, including accountancy firms. Williams has expertise across a myriad of company law issues, including unfair prejudice claims. Swansea-based partner Gemma Thomas has broad commercial litigation expertise, including in relation to warranty/contract and company/partnership disputes. Ashley Davies, whose primary focus is property disputes, is also well-versed representing businesses in commercial litigation matters and rounds out the team at a partner level from the firm’s Swansea headquarters.

Led by the ‘clever, hardworking and collaborative’ Iwan Doull, Berry Smith has established a strong reputation among regional Welsh SMEs, private individuals, and public sector clients as a result of its flexible and pragmatic approach to commercial litigation, be it on the claimant or defendant side. As well as his broad-based expertise at handling commercial contract and shareholder disputes, Doull maintains a thriving UK-wide offering for legal expenses insurers. ‘A top flight litigator’, Nick Parker also maintains a very active fee-earning practice, including on directors disqualification proceedings and public procurement matters.

Newport-based Harding Evans LLP is a popular choice among local businesses and individuals as defendants and claimants across a wide range of commercial disputes. ‘Tenacious and efficient’ team head Ben Jenkins exemplifies the eclectic nature of the work handled by the team, as comfortable handling shareholder and breach of contract disputes as defamation cases and sensitive work for high-profile individuals. The ‘hardworking and highly skilled’ William Watkins regularly assists Jenkins on commercial litigation matters, as well as having a standalone caseload relating to debt recovery matters.

Drawing on strong connections with local businesses and benefiting from substantial referral work from regional professional services firms, Swansea-based JCP Solicitors frequently represents clients – both claimants and defendants – across corporate and commercial disputes, including shareholder and partnership litigation. ‘Very knowledgeable’ team head Andrew Meech is integral to much of this activity. Additionally, ‘thorough and personable litigator’ David Owen has expertise in debt recovery for lender clients and contentious insolvency matters.

Now with two partners in the Swansea-based team dedicated to commercial litigation following the promotion of Steven Koukos in October 2024, Red Kite Law LLP has the critical mass and strength-in-depth to handle a significant volume and range of commercial litigation for SMEs, individuals and public sector clients. Team head Rhian Davies has an excellent understanding of internal commercial drivers/pinch-points, and provides advice to local businesses across a corporate and commercial disputes, including with regard to unfair prejudice matters and directors’ duties. Koukos is also skilled at handling core commercial contract litigation and has particular expertise in relation to fraud and deceit cases.

Darwin Gray LLP provides a comprehensive service to private individuals and corporate entities across a wide range of commercial disputes. Team head Rhodri Lewis is adept at resolving disputes using conventional litigation techniques as well as ADR methods, regularly prevailing for clients in business litigation. As well as advising on corporate and commercial disputes, Fiona Hughes has developed a strong grounding in financial services disputes, including work involving fraud and professional negligence claims. Siôn Fôn has a versatile practice that includes commercial and property litigation.

Under the leadership of the ‘highly skilled and knowledgeable’ Wayne Beynon, who joined in April 2023 from Capital Law Limited, Harrison Clark Rickerbys continues to forge a strong reputation among regional and UK-wide businesses, both for its skill in providing advice on risk management measures and across a wide array of commercial litigation and contentious IP matters. Welsh-speaking lawyer Hefin Archer-Williams is also a key member of the team with particular specialisms in disciplinary hearings for professional services individuals and for clients in the sports sector, including governing bodies, across a range of disputes.

Building on its strong public sector relationships, largely established through its leading health and safety and defendant personal injury practices, Dolmans also undertakes more traditional commercial litigation for many of these same local authority clients. Team head Peter Bennett is key to this but also handles some work for private sector clients through their insurers, as does Simon Evans, chiefly in the context of property litigation.

The ‘commercially-minded and client-focused’ team at Gomer Williams & Co provides a very personalised service to private individuals and local south Wales-based businesses across a compelling mix of commercial litigation. Key to the firm’s success in the area is ‘very professional’ team head Clare Tregoning, who has a ‘good grasp of law and procedure’, including as it relates to contractual disputes, property law, IP and contentious probate.

The ‘small and agile’ team at RDP Law represents local SMEs, partnerships and high-net-worth-individuals, as claimants or defendants, across a wide array of contractual and tortious disputes, frequently seeking early resolution of matters through an effective use of ADR techniques. As a qualified mediator, Sarah Porter has excellent insight into different litigation methods and is key to the firm’s success in handling a myriad of commercial disputes, including an increasing number of unfair prejudice petitions.