Neil Berragan

Practice Areas

Neil practises mainly in the Business & Property Courts (Circuit Commercial Court, Chancery Division and TCC) in Manchester, Leeds & Liverpool, in London and on appeal from those courts. He specialises in commercial and chancery litigation and is frequently instructed in urgent interim applications. His practice includes all types of business, company and shareholder disputes, insolvency, partnership, commercial fraud, sports law, and associated professional negligence. He also appears in domestic and international arbitrations. His injunctive work covers freezing injunctions and search orders, confidential information, restrictive covenants, protection of property and other rights.

Recent cases illustrating his practice include:

Walleys Quarry v Wint & ors [2022] EWHC 1486 (Ch) obtaining injunctions against a large group of protestors;

Rapid Displays Inc v Ah-kye [2022] EWHC 274 (Comm) successful claim against recipient of international payment secured by fraud;

Smith v Smith [2022] EWHC 1035 (Ch) obtaining a buy-out order for a minority shareholder in a quasi-partnership company;

Monaghan v Gilsenan and Euro Accessories Ltd [2021] BCC 401 favourable interpretation of “fair value” in company articles;

Various Angelgate & other Claimants v Key Manchester & others [2021] successful professional negligence claims on behalf of hundreds of purchasers of apartments in failed developments;

Glossop Cartons and Print Ltd v Contact (Print & Packaging) Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 639 establishing measure of damages for misrepresentation on sale of business;

Massey v Massey (2020) successfully defending a substantial claim for damages by a shareholder for alleged breaches of implied terms requiring co-operation in disposal of the business;

Guest Services Worldwide Ltd v Shelmerdine [2020] EWCA Civ 85; enforcement of restrictive covenants against a shareholder / employee;

Dore v Fairhome Investments Ltd and Sterling Enterprises Ltd (2019) shareholder dispute involving issues over perfection of share transfers;

Higgins v TLT [2017] EWHC 3638 (Ch) demonstrating serious misconduct to override solicitor’s lien;

Kings Court Trust Ltd v Lancashire Cleaning Services Ltd [2017] Bus LR 1255 establishing a precedent for executors to obtain rectification of a company’s register of members prior to grant of probate where single shareholder / director has died.

Career

University: Oxford (Pembroke College); Degree: Jurisprudence (MA); Called: 1982 (Grays Inn).

Professional Memberships

Northern Chancery Bar Association, Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association, Chancery Bar Association, Professional Negligence Bar Association, Bar Pro Bono Panel.