Breach of Contract Claims
- Failure to perform and defective performance
- Non-payment, late payment and withheld fees
- Anticipatory breach and repudiation
- Goods, software and services that are not fit for purpose
Breach · Interpretation · Termination · Media & Technology Disputes
Welcome To PAIL Solicitors’ Contract Litigation Service
High-stakes commercial contract litigation, built on sector expertise.
When a counterparty fails to perform, refuses to pay or misreads a signed agreement, we act quickly to protect your revenue, your rights and your business. From London, we act in UK and cross-border disputes across media, entertainment, technology and commercial supply.
We Draft Contracts Knowing How They Fail
Contract drafting and contract litigation are separate services. But knowing what happens when an agreement breaks down is what makes a contract robust, and knowing how agreements are drafted is what wins disputes about them.
Preventing a dispute?
If you need contract drafting, risk analysis or pre-signing review for a production, licensing, talent or technology agreement, see our Media & Entertainment Commercial Contracts service.
Media & Entertainment Commercial Contracts →
Facing a breach or a claim?
If a contract has been breached, payment is being withheld, or you are facing a threat of legal action, you are in the right place. This page explains how we enforce and defend your position.
Assess Your Dispute →Contract Disputes We Handle
Interpretation Disputes
- Ambiguous or conflicting terms
- Payment milestones and delivery obligations
- Royalty, revenue-share and profit-share calculations
- Whether a binding contract exists, and on whose terms
Termination & Exit Disputes
- Wrongful or unlawful termination
- Material breach and termination-for-cause clauses
- Enforcing restrictive covenants and confidentiality
- Disputes arising on the exit of a shareholder, founder or partner
Media, Entertainment & Technology Disputes
- Distribution and licensing agreement breaches
- IP ownership and chain-of-title disputes within commercial contracts
- Production delivery defaults and force majeure claims
- Talent, influencer and agency agreement enforcement
- Software development, SaaS and hardware supply disputes
Commercial Outcomes, Not Open-Ended Litigation
We start with what you need commercially: payment, performance, an exit or protection of your rights. Then we choose the quickest credible route to get there.
Early Risk Assessment
At the outset we assess the merits, the evidence, likely recovery and the financial and reputational cost of pursuing or defending the claim.
Negotiation & ADR
Many disputes are best resolved through without-prejudice negotiation, mediation or arbitration, quietly and without a trial. The courts now expect ADR to be considered seriously.
Court Proceedings
Where a negotiated outcome is not possible, we issue and conduct claims in the County Court, the High Court and the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, instructing specialist counsel for hearings where appropriate.
Sector Knowledge From Day One
We Already Know Your Market
Our clients work in media, entertainment and technology. You do not pay for us to learn how distribution, licensing or software delivery works.
Principal-Led Attention
Your dispute is led by our principal solicitor from first review to resolution, not passed down to a junior team.
Technology Court Experience
Peter Adediran has acted for claimants and defendants in over 112 hardware and software disputes in the technology courts, and in more than 150 cases in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.
How Fees Work
Fees are agreed upfront, so you know the cost of each stage before it starts.
Agreed Fees for Defined Stages
Initial case assessments, letters of claim and responses can be carried out for an agreed fee, quoted before you instruct us.
Staged Estimates for Proceedings
For contested litigation, we provide a stage-by-stage estimate, partner-led billing and regular updates against the budget.
Funding for High-Value Claims
For larger claims, we can discuss whether third-party litigation funding or after-the-event insurance may be available.
We do not offer free initial consultations, legal aid or no-win-no-fee arrangements.
Selected Contract Disputes
JC v Northampton Council EDS
Our client had two contracts to supply PE staff and expertise to schools. Months into the second contract, the trust announced it would cancel both unilaterally. We brought a claim for anticipatory repudiatory breach of contract, and our client succeeded.
IPI v Kindertons
Our client came to us with hardware that was not fit for purpose. Our litigation strategy brought the supplier to the negotiating table.
Past results do not guarantee a particular outcome in any future matter.
Led by Our Principal Solicitor
Contract disputes are led by Peter Adediran, founder and principal solicitor, who has advised on commercial, intellectual property and technology law for over 25 years.
Internet Lawyer Since 1999
Over 25 years in commercial, IP and technology law
Published Author
A Practical Guide to Business, Law & the Internet (Kogan Page, 2002)
MBL Seminars Partner
International CPD training for 286,000+ professionals across 73 countries
SRA Regulated
Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (No. 827265)
Three Steps to a Clear Strategy
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Submit Your Enquiry
Send a short summary of the dispute, the parties and any deadline, with the contract if you have it.
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Conflict Check & Initial Review
We check for conflicts of interest and our principal solicitor reviews the matter.
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Strategy Consultation
A focused session on your options, immediate risks and estimated costs, with fees agreed upfront.
Contract Dispute Questions
How long do I have to bring a breach of contract claim?
In England and Wales, a claim for breach of an ordinary contract must usually be issued within six years of the date of the breach. For a contract made as a deed, the period is twelve years. Different rules can apply to claims for latent damage, fraud or concealment, and many commercial contracts shorten the time for bringing claims, so check the contract and take advice early.
What is an anticipatory breach of contract?
An anticipatory breach happens when one party makes clear, by words or conduct, that it will not perform its obligations before performance is due. The innocent party can accept the repudiation, end the contract and claim damages straight away, or affirm the contract and wait for the date of performance. The choice needs to be made carefully and communicated clearly.
What remedies are available for breach of contract?
The usual remedy is damages, which aim to put you in the position you would have been in if the contract had been performed. Alternatively, you may recover wasted expenditure. In some cases the court can order specific performance or grant an injunction, and a serious breach can entitle the innocent party to terminate. Interest and costs may also be recoverable.
Do I have to send a letter of claim before starting court proceedings?
Yes. The Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct expects the parties to exchange key information and documents, and to consider settlement, before proceedings are issued. A letter of claim should set out the facts, the basis of the claim and what is sought, and allow a reasonable time to respond: often 14 days for a straightforward claim and up to three months for a complex one. Ignoring the process can lead to costs penalties.
Can the court make us try mediation?
Yes. Following Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council in 2023, the courts can order parties to engage in alternative dispute resolution, and the Civil Procedure Rules were amended from 1 October 2024 to reflect this. An unreasonable refusal to mediate can also be penalised in costs, so ADR should be considered at every stage.
What should I do if I receive a letter of claim?
Do not ignore it, and do not admit liability before taking advice. Note the response deadline, preserve all relevant documents and correspondence, including emails and messages, and avoid discussing the dispute publicly. We can assess the claim, prepare a considered response and advise whether a counterclaim or early settlement is in your interests.
How are fees for a contract dispute agreed?
Fees are agreed upfront for each stage, such as an initial case assessment, a letter of claim or a response. For contested proceedings we provide a staged estimate and keep it under review. We can discuss whether third-party funding or after-the-event insurance may be available for a high-value claim. We do not offer free initial consultations, legal aid or no-win-no-fee arrangements.
Can you act in disputes involving overseas parties?
Yes. We advise on contracts governed by English law and disputes involving overseas counterparties, including jurisdiction and governing law clauses, arbitration agreements and service of proceedings abroad. Where another country's law applies, we coordinate with local counsel so you have one point of contact.
Assess Your Dispute
Speak directly with our principal solicitor. Every enquiry is treated in strict confidence.
- Whether you are bringing or defending a claim
- The contract, and any variations or side agreements
- Key correspondence, invoices and evidence of the breach
- Any deadline, such as a letter of claim response date or court date
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7305 7491
Email: peter@pailsolicitors.co.uk
23 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6HE
Fees are agreed upfront. We do not offer free initial consultations, legal aid or no-win-no-fee arrangements.
Make an appointment
Contact us today to learn how we can help safeguard your success.
Contact Us Today!
+44(0207)305-7491
*Charge Rates May Apply and May Vary For an Initial Consultation