David Hoffman

Call: 1997 

‘His knowledge of commercial law is first class.’

Legal 500 2018

"Very experienced across the spectrum of Chancery law."

Legal 500 2017

Practice Summary

David specialises in business and property work, primarily on the Northern Circuit. He is listed in the Legal 500 which for 2017 recommends him as ‘Very experienced across the spectrum of Chancery law.”

He undertakes a broad range of business and property work, including contract drafting as well as litigation, and general commercial work such as insurance, construction, IT and e-commerce and professional negligence. His property practice includes property disputes, insolvency, trusts and wills and other general succession matters. He is also experienced working as a junior to QCs and as part of a team on larger or more complex matters.

David is qualified as an arbitrator and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a CEDR accredited mediator.  David was trained and accredited by CEDR in 2017 and has been appointed mediator in various cases since.

He is an experienced advocate both in mediation and arbitration and has an excellent record of settling cases by ADR. David has experience in a wide variety of areas of law, including commercial contracts, property disputes, wills, trusts and succession, partnership and company disputes. He has a great deal of experience as a mediation advocate and is now qualified as a mediator. He takes mediation work through the public access scheme and offers reduced prices for small cases.

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Commercial

  • contract litigation including sale of goods and services
  • professional negligence
  • construction
  • insurance and banking
  • company disputes and partnerships
  • intellectual property: copyright, trademarks and passing off
  • drafting commercial contracts and standard terms

Some notable cases

Lavin v Hawayek (2017) setting aside default judgment; partnership dispute


Waterfall v HSBC (2008, HC) LTL 13/1/2009

professional negligence in provision of financial services



Coupers Partnerships Ltd v Basarik (2007, CA) [2007] EWCA Civ 40

contractual interpretation of a ratings agency contract and the condition upon which fee is due
 

T&N v Royal Sun Alliance (2003, HC, CA) [2003] EWHC 1016 (Ch)

asbestos insurance case; CA – successful case management appeal, led by Christopher Moger QC and Jeffrey Terry.

Also acted in substantial commercial arbitrations which can’t be named for reasons of confidentiality, including as a junior to leading commercial silk Clive Freedman QC in particular regarding biotech contracts, other commercial contracts and partnership disputes.

 

Property

David acts in a range of property matters ranging from neighbour disputes, through to commercial property and conveyancing.

  • land and real property
  • conveyancing disputes
  • landlord and tenant and housing
  • partnerships
  • breach of fiduciary duty and civil fraud
  • insolvency
  • equity and trusts
  • family provision, wills and succession

Some notable cases

Wild v Wild (2018) EWHC 2197 (Ch), [2018] All ER (D) 04 (Sep) Represented successful party in dispute about partnership account

Hitchen v Hitchen (2012)
series of successful contempt of court regarding partnership dispute.

Acacia Securities Ltd v Sukhram (2011)
freezing injunction, breach of fiduciary duty

Parker v Snyder (2004-5, HC)
civil fraud, led by Clive Freedman QC

 

David has also acted in a arbitrations which cannot be named for reasons of confidentiality, including as a junior to leading commercial silk Clive Freedman QC


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