Louise Wilson
Partner
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‘Louise Wilson has an extraordinary ability to get to the core of a matter right away, with an analytical approach which leads to direct and clear advice. Louise is extremely effective and gets results.’
(The Legal 500, 2024)
Louise advises on a wide range of commercial litigation and insolvency matters; specialising in professional negligence claims, contractual disputes, pensions litigation, corporate governance and directors’ duties.
Louise acts for a broad range of clients and pension funds in respect of negligence claims against their advisers – dealing in particular with solicitors, actuarial and investment claims. She also deals with wide ranging and complex contractual disputes, including supply and distribution agreements, software licence and development agreements and commercial agents.
Louise also has particular experience of dealing with cases involving complex investment schemes, tax planning schemes, carbon credits and land banking.
Louise provides advice both pre and post action and on dispute resolution methods, including mediation and without prejudice discussions. She has significant court and trial experience and has acted on a number of leading and reported cases, in particular, within the directors’ disqualification and insolvency sphere. At the heart of Louise’s advice is obtaining the best, solutions-focussed results for her clients in the most time and cost-efficient manner.
Louise is listed as a Recommended Lawyer and Leading Individual in The Legal 500 (2024 edition) for Commercial Litigation.
Legal Services
Claims against Professionals
Louise is an expert in acting for both Claimants and Defendants in professional negligence disputes, across a wide range of professions and for claims seeking damages up to £400 million.
Recent Work
- Acting for Philips Electronics and Philips Pension Trustees in bringing £300 million claims against Aon Hewitt and AllianceBernstein for the negligent design and implementation of the pension fund’s investment strategy in 2007. The claim follows on from an earlier claim for £100 million, which Louise acted on against Hewitt in relation to actuarial negligence, which settled successfully following a second mediation.
- Advising a large pension fund in respect of claims for losses suffered as a result of securities lending managed by their custodian, for failing to identify risks associated with the investments, failing to comply with investment policy guidelines, resulting in a significant over exposure to mortgage backed securities, and suspending redemptions.
- Advising a pension fund and sponsoring employer in respect of negligence claims against their solicitors and actuaries in relation to changes to the Fund’s benefit structure.
- Acting for a property development company in relation to its claim against its solicitors for failure to complete a property transaction, leading to a loss of chance claim in respect of the development opportunity.
- Defending a licensed conveyancer in respect of a claim brought against him for allegedly negligent advice in respect of a share sale.
- Advising an individual in a multimillion pound claim against his previous solicitors for advice in respect of the enforceability of restrictive covenants; and advising an individual and a company in respect of their claim against their solicitors for professional negligence, which resulted in the individual and company losing the opportunity to develop and manage a leading, and highly lucrative, car dealership.
- Advising a pension fund and sponsoring employer in respect of the assignment of claims for professional negligence against their advisers, as part of a wider buy-out transaction of the pension benefits.
Commercial Contracts
Louise has a wealth of advising commercial clients and individuals on a broad range of contractual issues, including pre-action advice, commercial negotiations and dealing with formal legal proceedings. She also has expertise in advising on software issues, both in respect of the development agreements and licensing disputes.
Recent Work
- Advising in respect of companies’ obligations under the Commercial Agents Regulations (including advice on how to mitigate the effects of the Regulations and reducing the principals’ overall exposure).
- Advising a nationwide builders’ merchant in respect of their obligations pursuant to a contract with an outsourcing provider.
- Acting for a distributor in respect of its dispute for unlawful termination of the supplier agreement with its German supplier.
- Advising various commercial clients in respect of software licensing claims brought for alleged under-licensing and also in respect of breaches of development contracts by software developers.
Restructuring & Insolvency
Louise has acted for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (and its various predecessors) for over 12 years in investigating and pursuing directors’ disqualification proceedings and winding up live companies in the public interest. Louise is an expert in advising on disqualification proceedings and duties of directors.
Recent Work
- Acting on the leading and reported case of Instant Access Properties Limited, an application under the Company Directors Disqualification Act, for permission to issue proceedings outside of the two-year limitation period.
- Acting in the leading case of Mea Corporation Limited, which involved a detailed examination of what is required to prove de facto/shadow directorship.
- Acting for the Official Receiver in obtaining section 236 Insolvency Act orders for production of documents in order to trace pension monies which had been transferred out of a pension fund, including the leading judgment dealing with the extra-territorial effect of section 236, Omni Trustees Limited.
- Advising a number of liquidators and devising a process in order to recover carbon credits which have been mis-sold to investors and which are held under various complex trust structures, and advising on action against the directors of the companies.
Pensions Law
Throughout her career, Louise has acted in a number of significant and high profile pensions litigation cases, advising in respect of the duties owed to Pension funds and sponsoring employers by actuaries and solicitors and advising on the assignment of claims during a scheme buy out.
Recent Work
- Acting for Philips Electronics and Philips Pension Trustees in bringing £300 million claims against Aon Hewitt and AllianceBernstein for the negligent design and implementation of the pension fund’s investment strategy in 2007. The claim follows on from an earlier claim for £100 million, which Louise acted on against Hewitt in relation to actuarial negligence, which settled successfully following a second mediation.
- Advising a large pension fund in respect of claims for losses suffered as a result of securities lending managed by their custodian, for failing to identify risks associated with the investments, failing to comply with investment policy guidelines, resulting in a significant over exposure to mortgage backed securities, and suspending redemptions.
- Advising a pension fund and sponsoring employer in respect of the assignment of claims for professional negligence against their advisers, as part of a wider buy-out transaction of the pension benefits.
Sectors
Clean Energy, Waste & Sustainability
Louise has acted for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (and its various predecessors) for over 12 years in investigating and pursuing directors’ disqualification proceedings and winding up live companies in the public interest. She has particular experience of dealing with cases involving complex investment schemes, tax planning schemes, carbon credits and land banking.
Automotive
Louise has been instructed, and has taken the lead role, on a number of significant matters for high profile businesses and private individuals which include the following:
Cases
- Successfully obtaining an injunction for a leading car component manufacturer in a claim against a former employee and their new employer for breach of restrictive covenant and misuse of confidential information.
- Advising high-profile organisations in respect of claims from customers in relation to allegations concerning defective products and workmanship and negligence, including claims under the Sale of Goods Act, the Supply of Goods and Services Act and the Consumer Rights Act.
- Successfully defending a claim against the UK’s largest builders’ merchants and one of its subsidiary companies by a supplier who alleged fraud, breach of contract and inducing a breach of contract, seeking damages in excess of £6m.
- Acting for a former Formula 1 World Champion in respect of various sponsorship and television presenting agreements and other ongoing business matters.
- Acting for a household name in relation to a claim against its software development company for breach of contract and misrepresentation.
- Acting for a high net worth individual, the former owner of one of the world’s leading classic car restoration companies, in respect of a claim brought by administrators of a company, alleging breach of warranty, breach of duties and fraud, seeking damages in excess of £50m.
Latest
- Motor Dealer Commission Disclosure – Case Update
- Mercedes-Benz UK appoints Shoosmiths and Freeths to new legal panel
- When legal professional privilege isn’t privileged
- Protecting confidential information – a welcome clarification from the Court
- Why undertaking inhouse disclosure could be costly
- Professional negligence claims – the role of insurers in settlement
- Tension in your supply chain – how to ensure that the price is right?
- Supreme Court Judgment clarifies when director’s duties to creditors will be triggered
- The Supreme Court delivers a landmark judgment that may impact thousands of business interruption insurance claims relating to COVID-19 losses
- Business Interruption Insurance and COVID-19
- Disclosure of documents – how remote is control?
- Coronavirus: Force Majeure or not Force Majeure, that is the question…
- The Perils of Poor Planning
- When does limitation arise in contracts for services / works performed?
- Take note of notice provisions
To contact Louise or for more information…
Call: 0345 073 8583
Mobile: 0782 462 1141
Or email: Send an email
“Her understanding of the highly complicated, technical issues…have been excellent; her communications around those issues have always been very clear.”
“In providing her advice, she is always very mindful of considerations other than the purely legal, e.g. the commercial, financial and even personal, and her advice is accordingly rounded.”
“Exceptional.”
(The Legal 500, 2022)
“Louise Wilson is the lead partner. Louise is very bright and innovative, I have complete trust in her advice. Louise is also very engaging which makes working with her a positive experience. Louise knows exactly who within the wider team is the right person for the specific job in hand.”
(The Legal 500, 2021)
“Louise Wilson is an excellent litigator with sound judgment, and very nice to work with.”
(The Legal 500, 2021)
“Louise Wilson brings a clear head and well-thought-out strategic advice.”
(The Legal 500, 2020)
“a very good instructing solicitor and a sensible, considerate and independent-thinking team player.”
(The Legal 500, 2019)
Client service
‘Doing the right thing’ is at the heart of Freeths. Find out more about our excellent client service and the strong set of values that guide the way we work.
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Contact: 03301 001 014