Clerks Details
- Clerk Name: Russell Porter
- Clerk Telephone: 020 7583 8055
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
- Clerk Name: David Fielder
- Clerk Telephone: 020 7583 8055
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
Commercial
Richard Owen-Thomas is an experienced commercial litigator specialising in disputes arising from the workplace, contracts for goods and services, consultancy arrangements and professional liability. He has over 25 years’ experience of trial advocacy in courts and tribunals throughout the UK, including notable successes in the Court of Appeal.
His practice includes both contentious and non-contentious commercial work, including:
- Directors’ duties and corporate governance
- Share capital and shareholder rights
- TUPE and business transfers
- Directors’ indemnities and D&O insurance
A significant part of his practice concerns business protection disputes, including defamation, privacy, restrictive covenants and confidential information. He regularly advises on jurisdiction, serious harm, Chase levels, available defences and quantum.
Defamation and Reputation Management
Richard regularly acts for claimants and defendants in defamation and reputation management matters. In the past practice year alone, he has advised on over 150 potential defamation actions, including matters arising from:
- Newspaper reporting
- Social media publications
- Election campaign materials
- Documentary broadcasts
- Online reviews and hacked websites
He advises from pre-publication and early-stage risk through to trial and appellate proceedings.
Non-Contentious Commercial Work
Richard advises companies, directors and shareholders on:
- Directors’ duties and corporate governance
- AGMs and statutory reporting
- Share capital, class rights, transfers and conversions
- Directors’ indemnities and D&O insurance
- The Bribery Act 2010
He also advises on:
- Company formation and administration
- Shareholders’ and partnership agreements
- Business sale and purchase agreements
- Public-sector-sensitive contracts
- Athlete, musician and talent agreements
Recent work includes advising suppliers on public and private sector procurement, including compliance with domestic and EU regimes, disclosure obligations, timetables and judicial review, and advising a start-up online jewellery business on share issues and shareholders’ agreements.
Other notable cases include:
In Amenas Inquest [2015] – leading counsel for the family of a victim of the Al-Qaeda terrorist attack in Algeria
Begum v Hafiz & Hai [2015] – leading authority on TOLATA powers
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