Richard Coates

Richard is National Head of Automotive. As part of his work within that sector, Richard works with a significant number of retail motor clients, manufacturers and third party accountancy practices.  Our Automotive team offers a truly national service across all of our key sectors, providing automotive clients with a one stop shop for all of their legal needs. Richard and the Automotive team are proud to act for some of the country’s largest automotive businesses and are always on hand to provide advice ranging from contractual disputes, acquisitions and mergers, regulatory and employment to name but a few.  Please contact Richard should you wish to discuss this sector.

Third party funding

There is no hiding from the fact that litigation is an expensive emergency purchase. Richard is able to advise upon various funding options for clients in circumstances where the proposed claimant might not have the resources to bring an otherwise good claim.

Richard has strong links with a variety of UK and internationally based funders and brokers and can often fund claims which otherwise may not be capable of being pursued.

Recent work

• Acting for various individuals in professional negligence actions against solicitors, accountants and surveyors.

Richard’s work has particular emphasis on large and complex chancery/commercial and corporate disputes (including corporate governance, fiduciary/director duty issues).

He regularly provides advice on the drafting and terms of warranty and indemnity clauses as well as advising on and prosecuting warranty and indemnity claims post completion.

Richard has recently concluded a dispute relating to the duties owed by a finance director to his fellow board members and shareholders. That claim related to the recovery of 40% of the equity in a large corporate operating within the shipping industry.

Richard has significant experience in acting for employers and employees in relation to the enforcement of restrictive covenants in contracts of employment in the High Court.

Recent work

• Recently provided advice relating to the removal of confidential information by an employee leading to injunctive proceedings.

Richard has extensive experience of injunctive applications, including search and seizure orders (for applicants and respondents, as well as supervising those applications) and interim applications for delivery up and continuation of supply.

Richard has conducted numerous injunctions over his career. He specialises in injunctions to compel compliance with restrictive covenants, but has also obtained orders for the continuation of supply of goods to manufacturers (specifically, in the luxury motor industry).

Richard provides practical advice in relation to the realities of litigation. He believes that the exit strategy can often be lost. As such, he advises upon and has represented clients at numerous settlement meetings and mediation. Richard is not afraid of difficult conversations with his opponents to achieve the right results for his clients. He will provide commercial astute advice to achieve those results as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Richard has run numerous partnership disputes, both acting for the firm and individual partner(s). He is able to provide, often time-critical, advice in relation to matters arising from issues unique to partnerships.

During his time in practice, Richard has obtained a strong reputation for his involvement with the prosecution and defence of disputes relating to partnerships across all sectors of the commercial world.

Recent work

• Richard acted for a national firm of accountants in a partnership dispute. It was alleged by an outgoing partner that, as a result of the fact that one of the partners had failed to sign an addendum to the partnership deed, the firm (with over a thousand staff) should be wound up. That element of the claim was successfully struck out at an interim stage and the case settled in favour of the firm.
• He has also represented a solicitor equity partner in relation to his exit  from a firm. The case was complex because of the nature of the partnership created in law. Richard successfully exited his client and later commenced proceedings against his client’s former partner for monies owed following his exit.

Richard is regularly instructed in relation to claims against other solicitors. He is currently involved in claims exceeding £60 million for various clients, including one present claim with a value of in excess of £40m.

Richard is an expert in claims between shareholders. He has acted for both corporate and individual clients, with many of the disputes relating to multi-million pound cases between shareholders.

Recent work

• He recently concluded a claim between shareholders involving allegations of breach of fiduciary duties. The claim involved a dispute over 40% of the equity in a maritime and naval architecture business worth circa £80 million.
• He has also recently acted for multiple defendants (including corporate and individual) in relation to a multi-million pound, multi-jurisdictional shareholder dispute
• Acting for a director summarily removed from his position and the consequential dispute arising over his shares
• Richard has recently dealt with the exit of a finance director/shareholder from a company which dealt with the issue of good leaver/bad provisions in the Articles of Association. The question dramatically altered the value of the shareholding. The case settled in favour of Richard’s client at mediation.