Shareholder Disputes
Disputes between shareholders are at best an unwanted distraction, and at worst a threat to the company’s existence. We have the expertise and experience to resolve them with minimal damage to the business’s operations or its value.

There’s no such thing as a good shareholder dispute. And some – depending on the nature of the dispute and the company’s stage of development – can destroy the whole business. We have extensive experience of resolving them successfully, having represented shareholders, directors, and companies ranging from private SMEs to large PLCs. We have also resolved partnership disputes, acting for members and partners.

Shareholder disputes can take many forms. The most common types, all of which we have acted on, are:

Unfair prejudice petitions arising from breach of a shareholder agreement or the company’s articles of association, exclusion from management or decision-making processes, shareholder dilution, misappropriation of company assets, excessive remuneration, or failure to pay dividends
Director’s breach of fiduciary duties or fraud
Enforcement of share purchase or sale claims arising from share purchase agreements, put and call options, or good and bad leaver clauses
Breach of joint venture agreement, shareholder agreement or partnership agreement claims
Derivative actions

Whatever the specifics, our dispute resolution experts can find a way through that protects our clients’ interests, keeps the business going, and maximises its value. When necessary, we call on the knowledge and insight of other specialists from around the firm, such as those in our corporate finance, tax or employment teams. We also often bring in reliable and skilled experts from outside the firm, such as forensic accountants.

We are also recognised for managing dispute costs, including creating innovative structures that de-risk our clients’ exposure using third-party funding, insurance, and contingency agreements.

Meet our key contacts

Ben Pilbrow

Partner

Meet our full team

Leonore Dupont

Director

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Alec Fair

Associate

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Christopher Garden

Director

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Ben Pilbrow

Partner

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Related articles and insights: Shareholder Disputes

Stack of paperwork held together by colourful paper clips next to calculator

27 February 2026

5 Key business disputes cases from 2025

Contributor: Alec Fair

A summary of five important cases relating to the management of businesses, highlighting some key takeaways for directors and shareholders.

5 May 2020

How to resolve disputes with business partners

Contributor: Gillian Carty

Recent events have put a strain on my relationship with my business partners and we cannot agree on how to proceed. What are my legal options?

30 March 2020

COVID-19: Should I negotiate via video-link?

Contributor: Leonore Dupont

Should you negotiate with counterparts when working remotely as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic? Leonore Dupont details best practice for doing so and the potential pitfalls to avoid.

3 May 2019

Negotiations: Why do we avoid uncertainty?

Contributor: Leonore Dupont

Most of us know that it is important to understand our own motivations in any negotiation-type setting, but how many of you are aware of the natural cognitive biases that we are all prone to? And how these biases can influence both your decision-making processes and those of other people with whom you interact?

5 March 2019

Negotiations: Why do we hate to lose?

Contributor: Leonore Dupont

Negotiating is a part of life. Whether it’s a two year old toddler trying to ‘negotiate’ her way out of eating those vegetables at dinner, a tourist haggling in a bazaar, a salesperson trying to seal the deal or a business executive attending a mediation to resolve a dispute, it permeates every aspect of our lives. Everyone needs to negotiate for something at some point, be it when asking for a salary raise or trying to clinch a multi-million pound buy-out contract. But how effective a negotiator are you?

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