Skip to main content
Get in touch


Commercial contract and trading agreement dispute solicitors in Staffordshire and the West Midlands

 

When a key commercial relationship turns sour, we help you protect the deal and your business.

Get Started
Call: 01543 263 456

Speak to our dispute resolution team

Early advice usually means a quicker, cheaper outcome. Tell us what has happened and we will set out your options.

Enquire Now
Commercial contracts 1

Resolve a commercial contract or trading dispute

The contracts that govern your trading relationships, with suppliers, customers, distributors and agents, keep your business running.  

 

When one of them breaks down, the impact can be immediate, from disrupted supply to lost revenue and a relationship that is suddenly adversarial. The aim is to protect the commercial position and resolve the dispute with as little damage as possible.

We act for businesses across Lichfield, Cannock, Sutton Coldfield, Dudley and the wider West Midlands.

We get to grips with the agreement and the commercial reality behind it, then advise on the route most likely to protect the relationship where it is worth saving, or to exit cleanly where it is not.

Make an enquiry

What our commercial contract solicitors can help with

From a supply agreement gone wrong to a disputed set of terms, we help you take the right step.

Breach of commercial and trading agreements

Supply and manufacturing agreement disputes

Distribution and reseller disputes

Agency disputes and agent compensation claims

Disputes over terms and conditions

Service level and performance disputes

Termination and notice disputes

Disputes over price, payment and variations

Exclusivity and minimum purchase disputes

Battle of the forms and which terms apply

Negotiation, mediation and settlement

Court proceedings where needed

Make a confidential enquiry

Tell us what has happened and we will put you in touch with the right person. 

How a dispute is resolved

 

Most disputes settle long before a courtroom. The courts actually expect both sides to try to resolve things first, so a structured, commercial approach is usually the fastest way to a result.

1

Early advice

We review the position, the evidence and your goals, then set out your options and the likely cost.

2

Letter before action

We set out your claim clearly to the other side, which often opens the door to settlement.

3

Negotiation

We try to agree a sensible outcome without proceedings, protecting your position throughout.

4

Mediation and ADR

Where it helps, a structured settlement process can resolve matters faster and at lower cost.

5

Issuing a claim

If settlement is not possible, we issue court proceedings and manage the case for you.

6

Resolution

The dispute ends in a negotiated settlement or, where it goes the distance, a court judgment.

How commercial contract disputes work

Most commercial contract disputes come down to what the agreement actually says and what each side was entitled to expect. That sounds simple, but trading relationships are often run on a mix of signed contracts, standard terms, purchase orders and years of custom and practice, so working out which terms govern the deal can be the first real question.

From there, the issues are familiar ones. Has there been a breach, what does the contract allow each side to do about it, and can the relationship be salvaged or should it be brought to a clean end. Termination in particular needs care, because getting it wrong can turn the terminating party into the one in breach.

Some trading relationships also carry extra legal protections. Commercial agents, for example, may have rights to compensation on termination under specific regulations, which can significantly change the picture.

Key things you should know

  • Working out which terms govern the deal often comes first, especially where there are competing sets of standard terms.

  • Termination needs care. Terminating without a proper right to do so can leave you as the party in breach.

  • Commercial agents may be entitled to compensation or indemnity on termination under the Commercial Agents Regulations.

  • Most commercial contract claims must be brought within six years, or twelve where the contract is a deed, under the Limitation Act 1980.

  • The commercial relationship often matters as much as the strict legal position, so settlement is frequently the smart route.

  • Good records of orders, communications and performance make any dispute much easier to handle.

Why getting the right advice matters, and why Ansons

Ansons checkAsset 1

Commercial advice

We keep one eye on the outcome and the other on the cost, so the strategy always makes business sense.

Ansons checkAsset 1

We aim to settle

Court is a tool, not the default. We push for the sensible outcome wherever we can.

Ansons checkAsset 1

Experienced disputes team

A team that handles commercial disputes day in, day out.

Ansons checkAsset 1

Plain English

Clear advice without the legal jargon, so you always know where you stand.

Ansons checkAsset 1

Costs explained clearly

You will understand the likely cost and the options before you commit to anything.

Ansons checkAsset 1

Local offices

Offices in Lichfield, Cannock, Sutton Coldfield and Dudley, with clients across the West Midlands.

Ready to talk to a dispute resolution solicitor?

Tell us about your dispute and we will explain your options before you commit to anything

Enquire

Frequently asked questions

Which terms apply if we both have our own standard terms?

This is the classic battle of the forms. The answer usually turns on whose terms were the last to be put forward and accepted before the contract was performed. It is very fact-specific, so the paperwork and the order of events matter a great deal.

Can I terminate the contract?

Possibly, but only if you have a proper right to do so under the contract or the law. Terminating without that right can put you in breach, so it is worth checking your position before you act, not after.

We are a commercial agent and our contract has been ended. Do we have rights?

You may. Commercial agents often have rights to compensation or an indemnity on termination under the Commercial Agents Regulations, which can be significant. It is well worth taking advice on what you are entitled to.

Your Dispute Resolution Team

Our Dispute Resolution team helps individuals and businesses deal with conflict quickly, proportionately and with as little stress as possible. From contract and property disputes to inheritance claims, neighbour issues and workplace disagreements, they focus on practical solutions, explaining your options clearly, weighing up risk and cost, and working towards the outcome that best protects your interests, whether through negotiation, mediation or the courts.

Latest Insights.

Explore Ansons Insights for the latest legal updates, case reviews, and practical advice from our team across commercial, property, family, and private client law.

Serving clients across Staffordshire and the West Midlands

 

Ansons has offices in Lichfield, Cannock, Sutton Coldfield and Dudley, supporting clients across the wider region including Tamworth, Burntwood, Rugeley, Walsall, Birmingham and beyond.

St Mary's Chambers, 5-7 Breadmarket Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6LQ

T: 01543 263 456
E: info@ansons.law

Commerce House, Ridings Park, Eastern Way, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 7FJ

T: 01543 466 660
E: info@ansons.law

316-318 Lichfield Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 2UG

T: 0121 716 3716
E: info@ansons.law

Unit 10, Castle Court 2, Castlegate Way, Dudley, DY1 4RH

T: 0121 550 0010
E: info@ansons.law

2026 Copyright. All rights reserved.  32365_Digital-badge

Ansons Solicitors Limited (trading as Ansons Solicitors and Ansons) is a UK law firm registered in England and Wales as a limited liability company No. 09425410 whose registered office is at St Mary’s Chambers 5-7 Breadmarket Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6LQ. Ansons Solicitors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA No. 627635.

A list of directors and their professional qualifications is available for inspection at the registered office. The term director in relation to Ansons Solicitors Limited is used to refer to a director of Ansons Solicitors Limited or an employee of equivalent standing and qualification.