Adam Chaffer

Adam is a pragmatic, commercially minded Dispute Resolution practitioner with a breadth of experience in all aspects of business disputes. He thrives on the analytical nature of dispute resolution and has assisted clients on a range of commercial, construction, intellectual property and insolvency disputes.

Prior to joining the firm, having acquired his Higher Rights of Audience (Civil), Adam spent eighteen months specialising in trial advocacy for clients in the energy, water and commercial waste management sectors including case management, interim applications, and trial advocacy. Adam has also worked in corporate and commercial law including drafting and advising clients on shareholder and partnership agreements and preparing terms and conditions. In 2019, Adam led a multi-disciplinary team on the disposal of City Hall from Theatre Royal Newcastle to the O2 Academy Group.

Adam takes pride in his ability to draw on his commercial experience gained through various public and private positions he has held including as a Governor at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust (2013 – 2018) and as Company Secretary of Newcastle Cricket Club CIC (2015 – 2016).

Adam is the author of the Litigation Handbook (Law Society, 2021), and regularly has work published with the Construction Law Journal and the Company Lawyer. He is currently working on further publishing projects.

Experience

Dispute Resolution

• Advising clients in a contract dispute where the provision of services was disputed and resolved through a successful interim application for summary judgment.
• Representing a client in a dispute for unpaid invoices and successfully defending a counterclaim brought on the basis of the Torts Interference with Goods Act 1977.
• Advising on a cross-jurisdictional dispute involving unfair prejudice and containing allegations of civil fraud.
• Advising on a breach of confidential information dispute relating to the dismissal of a former employee.
• Advising on the interpretation of an Option Agreement and Deed of Variation in respect of the exercise of the option.
• Representing client’s as minority shareholders in an unfair prejudice petition resolved through joint settlement meeting.
• Acting for the executors of an estate in a section 6 Human Rights Act 1998 claim concerning a death of an individual suffering from mental illness whilst detained by the police.

Commercial

• Advising on a construction contract for the installation of lighting in a historic Grade 1 listed building.
• Advising on the disposal of a commercial asset way of an Asset Purchase Agreement.
• Advising an international shipping company on an acquisition

Outside of the office

Adam enjoys been outdoors and can be often found paddle boarding, cycling or running. He is a keen gardener and also enjoys cooking and the theatre.