Ranked in Tier 1 for Commercial, Banking, Insolvency and Chancery Law – The Legal 500 (2019)
“Recommended for a broad range of commercial and contractual disputes.” – The Legal 500 (2019)
“Incisive, succinct and extremely client-focused.” – The Legal 500 (2017)
Darren Finlay is the head of our civil team.
Darren’s core work includes a wide variety of contract and commercial disputes including litigation over land, boundary and neighbour disputes, chancery matters (including insolvency). He resists or applies for injunctions and associated committal proceedings and matters relating to restrictive covenants, the administration of trusts and the dissolution of or other disputes relating to partnershipsand actions on guarantees/indemnities.
Darren also deals with wills and probate matters and Court of Protection or Inheritance Act claims, disputes within companies (such as claims by oppressed minorities), the sale of companies and shares and property, insolvency matters, fraud claims and export trade claims involving letters of credit and contractual claims in respect of a wide variety of matters from large commercial transactions down to faulty goods and services. Darren is fully literate with ICT and experienced in mediation and arbitration.
He also deals with non-contentious matters including drafting insurance and commercial contracts and heads of agreement and business plans for well-known corporate clients.
Darren is approachable and does not stand on formalities, being prepared to assist by telephone and with flexible conferencing and site-visit arrangements to suit clients and instructing solicitors alike.
Professional Negligence
Darren’s experience of professional negligence claims includes solicitor’s negligence, accountant’s negligence, and architect’s and surveyor’s negligence claims, up to and including trial. He also deals with regulatory matters that impinge on professional conduct (including disciplinary hearings). and education tribunal matters.
Common Law
Darren deals with contract cases, holiday claims, timeshare matters, suing for debts, and for breach of contract remedies (including injunctive relief) land disputes (boundary matters, neighbour disputes, rights of way and alike) and advises on trusts and commercial disputes, landlord and tenant and construction cases and many similar such common-law disputes.
Notable cases
- Close Brothers Ltd v David Taylor [2022] EWHC (Ch) 2160 – Court of Appeal case
- Anthony Pitts & Ors V Andrew Jones (2007) [2007] EWCA Civ 1301 — Court of Appeal case on collateral contracts and enforceability of an oral promise (allied to a commercial dispute) and dealing with the distinction between a guarantee and an indemnity. Darren appeared for the defendant, and the appeal against him was unsuccessful.
- Roger & Pauline Thornton V Mr Alan Burke 2012 Leeds High Court 10 July 2012 – Darren appeared for the claimants in a successful claim against a director of a company who was found guilty of misfeasance under s212 Insolvency Act in transferring all his assets out of the company to a new company but in doing so failed to consider the effect on the claimant creditors.
Public Access
Darren Finlay may accept Public Access work, where he can be instructed directly by a member of the public rather than a solicitor.
Contact Darren’s clerks
Senior Clerk – Andy Reeves on 0113 213 5252
Talia Webster on 0113 202 8609
