Richard Hedley

Year called:

1983

Email:

richardhedley@ropewalk.co.uk

Qualifications:

LLB (Hons), University of Leicester, Diploma in Notarial Practice (Cantab). Accredited Mediator

Practice areas:

Business and Property, Employment, Local Government, Mediation

Richard Hedley was called to the Bar in 1983.

He was appointed a Recorder in 2002 and is ‘ticketed’ to hear criminal, civil and family cases.

He is also an accredited mediator and is experienced in alternative dispute resolution.  He frequently represents parties at commercial mediations and arbitrations.

Business and Property

Richard specialises in commercial and property disputes and he has extensive experience of commercial litigation, not only at trial (including frequent appearances in the Mercantile Courts and Chancery Division) but also on interim applications and injunctions (for example freezing and restraint of trade injunctions).

Particular areas of expertise:

• Banking, including bills of exchange, documentary credits, and he enforcement of securities such as guarantees and mortgages (and the issues of undue influence often said to arisen in relation to them.
• Professional negligence (in particular solicitors’, surveyors’ and accountants’ negligence) acting both for and against allegedly negligent professionals.
• Contracts and sale of goods, including construction contracts.
• Company law, including shareholder disputes and s.994 Petitions, breaches of directors duties, directors’ disqualification.
• Partnership law, including the winding up of partnerships and the taking of accounts.
• Insolvency - both personal and corporate including transactions at an undervalue.
• Land ownership and rights over land.
• Landlord and Tenant, including claims under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, dilapidations and repairs.
• Wills, probate, intestacy (including application under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 and the administration of estates.

Employment

Richard regularly advises both employers and employees with regard to restraint of trade provisions (such as non-solicitation of customers and non-competition covenants) and the misuse of confidential information, and drafts and appears on applications for urgent interim injunctions in relation to such matters.

He also has experience of appearing in Employment Tribunals in unfair dismissal and discrimination cases including sports bodies.

Local Government

Richard has advised and appeared for various Local Authorities on many property and business related disputes.  Examples include:

• The enforceability of easements relating to the use of allotment land and sports grounds where the local authorities have wished to sell or develop the land.
• Claims relating to charges for care and nursing homes and residential accommodation.
• Contracts with the providers for the provision of such accommodation.