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Shareholder, partnership and director dispute solicitors in Staffordshire and the West Midlands

 

When a business relationship breaks down, we help you protect your stake and find a way through.

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Call: 01543 263 456

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

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Resolve a shareholder, partnership or director dispute

 Disputes between the people who own and run a business are some of the most damaging there are.  

 

They affect the business itself, the working relationship and often a lot of personal value tied up in the company or partnership. The aim is to protect your position and resolve things in a way that lets the business, or your exit from it, move forward.

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

We advise on rights and options under the company's or partnership's documents and the law, and we focus on a practical resolution rather than a war of attrition.

Make an enquiry

What our shareholder and partnership dispute solicitors can help with

From a falling out between co-owners to a director being forced out, we help you understand and protect your position.

Shareholder disputes and deadlock

Unfair prejudice petitions

Breach of shareholders' agreements

Director disputes and removal

Breach of directors' duties

Partnership and LLP disputes

Partnership dissolution and exit

Disputes over profit share and drawings

Buyouts and share valuation disputes

Derivative claims

Quasi-partnership disputes

Negotiated exits and settlements

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 shareholder and partnership disputes work

These disputes usually turn on two things. The documents that govern the relationship, such as a shareholders' agreement, the company's articles or a partnership agreement, and the law that sits behind them. Where there is a good agreement in place, it often sets out how disagreements and exits are dealt with. Where there is not, the law fills the gaps, and that can lead to a less predictable outcome.

For companies, a shareholder who feels the company's affairs are being run unfairly to their detriment may be able to bring an unfair prejudice claim, which can lead to their shares being bought out. For partnerships, the focus is often on the partnership agreement or, in its absence, the default position under the Partnership Act 1890, which can include dissolving the partnership altogether.

In most cases the real goal is a clean, fairly valued exit or a workable way to keep the business running, so we always weigh resolution against the cost and damage of a full dispute.

Key things you should know

  • The governing documents usually come first. A shareholders' agreement, the articles or a partnership agreement often dictate the outcome.

  • A shareholder treated unfairly may be able to bring an unfair prejudice claim under the Companies Act 2006, often leading to a buyout.

  • Without a partnership agreement, the Partnership Act 1890 fills the gaps, and its default rules can surprise people, including the ability to dissolve the partnership.

  • Directors owe legal duties to the company, and breaching them can have serious consequences.

  • Share and business valuation is often the real battleground, so the basis of valuation matters.

  • Early, commercial advice can prevent a dispute from destroying the value everyone is fighting over.

Why getting the right advice matters, and why Ansons

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Commercial advice

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

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We aim to settle

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

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Experienced disputes team

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

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Plain English

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

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Costs explained clearly

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

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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

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Frequently asked questions

What is an unfair prejudice claim?

It is a claim a shareholder can bring where the company's affairs are being conducted in a way that unfairly harms their interests. A common outcome is an order that the other shareholders buy out the petitioner's shares at a fair value.

There is no shareholders' agreement. Where do we stand?

You fall back on the company's articles and company law, which are less tailored to your situation and can make outcomes less predictable. It is still possible to resolve the dispute, and we will work with what is in place.

Can a director be removed?

A director can usually be removed by the shareholders following the right process, but removal can interact with employment rights, shareholdings and any agreement in place, so it needs handling carefully to avoid further claims.

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

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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.