Andrew Perkins

Biography

Andrew is a Partner and head of our Commercial Disputes team.

Andrew advises and represents companies; shareholders; directors; PE, VC and other investors in relation to shareholder litigation and in disputes relating to commercial contracts, particularly joint ventures, finances, claims arising from business and share sales, and contracts concerning the supply of goods and services..

He regularly advises directors in relation to statutory and fiduciary duties.

Andrew pursues professional negligence claims against lawyers, accountants and financial advisers, particularly those relating to business and share sale transactions and to tax advice.

Andrew has advised in relation to a wide range of injunction applications and has extensive experience of seeking and opposing freezing orders and search orders, with particular expertise in relation to the enforcement of restrictive covenants in commercial contracts.

He has been in practice since 1996 and has advised on well over 200 shareholder disputes involving entities ranging from privately owned family ventures through to FTSE 250 companies.

Andrew has been recognised as a leading practitioner by both the Legal 500 and the Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession for many years and is praised for his “commerciality” and ability to find “practical solutions to client's problems”.

He is also an accredited mediator.

Relevant experience

Founder Shareholder: Assisting founder shareholder in opposing exercise of Bad Leaver provisions in Shareholders Agreement for alleged breach of shareholder obligations. £3.5m
Directors and majority shareholder: Representing directors and majority shareholder of company holding high-level tech' IP rights, following challenge by investor shareholder and allegations of breach of warranties contained in Investment and Shareholders Agreement, breach of director's fiduciary duties and unfairly prejudicial conduct. Value approx. £10m.
Professional Negligence – Company Restructure: Representing company, MBO team and founder shareholders in relation to accountant’s failure to properly devise a management buy-out scheme creating additional tax burdens. Pursuing claim through High Court. £2.5m
Confidentiality Injunction: Representing significant private investor in breach of confidentiality action against former officer.
Minority shareholder: Representing minority shareholder in tech co, in relation to claims of unfair prejudice, seeking reconstruction of company accounts, recompense for unlawful dividends and purchase of interest at fair value. Value approximately £4.5m
Professional Negligence – Failed tax mitigation arrangements: Claim against accountant in relation to additional tax and cost burdens arising through the improper execution of tax mitigation creating unnecessary tax burdens. Restructure to overcome difficulties
Company and shareholder: Representing company and shareholder in relation to attempts to set-aside a complicated demerger transaction and addressing allegations of breach of fiduciary duty. £8m.