Chris Holliss

Practice Areas

I am a partner in the Commercial Disputes department and head up the Debt Collection & Asset Recovery team. My expertise is in:

- business to business commercial and contractual disputes;

- shareholder and partnership disputes;

- injunctions;

- claims relating to breaches of restrictive covenants and confidentiality provisions;

- banking and finance litigation;

- asset based finance litigation and recovery;

- insurance litigation;

- insolvency based disputes;

- recovery of money and assets for insolvency practitioners in the course of company administrations/ liquidations; and

- alternative forms of dispute resolution, such as mediation.

Since joining Paris Smith LLP in 2003, I have built up an impressive portfolio of clients, ranging from blue chip multinational companies and Plc’s, to no less important smaller SME’s and owner managed businesses. As recognised and acknowledged by my clients, my approach emphasises my practical understanding of my clients’ business needs, issues and risks and I balance these with cost effective and plain spoken advice.

On international, national and local platforms, I advise investment and commercial lenders, brokers, financial services businesses and corporations on the complex litigation issues that often arise in the course of lending. I recognise the need to act quickly and efficiently in securing assets and issuing various forms of proceedings where necessary in order to protect my client’s interests. I am also highly experienced in advising clients in relation to shareholder and partnership disputes.

I have also developed a niche in recruitment law and am recognised as an expert in this field. As a result of my detailed knowledge in this area of law, I attract multinational and SME recruitment companies, and not only advise on detailed litigation resulting from contractual disputes, but also advise on the Terms and Business and on various methods of protecting my client’s interests. Through the course of acting for over 140 recruitment agencies, I also have extensive experience in advising clients in relation to injunctions and measures to protect an agency upon a key employee exiting (often to a competitor), particularly in light of potential breaches of restrictive covenants and confidentiality provisions.