Partnership & LLP

Ten Old Square’s Partnership & LLP team is top-ranked, and comprises a number of leading, widely respected practitioners in the field.

Our expert barristers are involved in many of the leading Partnership and LLP cases, as well as providing advice to firms and individuals in many highly confidential matters which never come to court.

Ten Old Square has been ranked as Band 1 set for Partnership in Chambers UK Bar for 20 years.

Contact Us

For more information or to instruct our barristers, please contact our clerks.

Call:: +44 (0)20 7405 0758
Email:: clerks@tenoldsquare.com

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Experience

The partnership team comprises experienced barristers, highly-ranked in both legal journals and described as “the best in the field of partnerships and LLPs”, “phenomenally good”, “[providing the] highest service level I have ever experienced… thoroughness, intellectual rigour and sheer determination”, “like gold dust”, “clever and approachable”, “very responsive, client-friendly and bright”, ”authoritative, thorough and reliable”, “absolutely fantastic”, “always willing to go the extra mile”, “frighteningly efficient”, “a real pleasure to work with” and “extremely bright, with a deep and detailed knowledge of all things partnership and LLP”.

Our barristers deal with partnerships, LLPs and limited partnerships of all types: from professional services, private equity and hedge funds to agricultural, medical and family property partnerships. Members regularly appear in court, arbitration and mediation as well as advising management on internal issues and dealing with non-contentious advisory work.

Recent notable cases include:

Suzui v Suzui [2024] EWHC 457 (Ch): Acting for a 50% shareholder/director of numerous quasi-partnership companies to obtain financial documents.
Re Dermamed Solutions Ltd [2023] All ER (D) 78 (Oct): Unfair prejudice petition concerning a quasi-partnership in an application to obtain an injunction to prevent the respondent opening up bank accounts, for monies to be paid into a specified bank account and for ongoing disclosure to enable the policing of a freezing order.
Humphrey v Bennett [2023] All ER (D) 03 (Dec): High value derivative claim in a complex joint venture property dispute, on an appeal from a summary judgment application.
Boyle v Burke [2020] Bus LR 220: Key case on partnership dissolution; whether a transfer of business had resulted in dissolution and the impact on partnership annuities.
Schillings International LLP v Scott [2019] EWHC 1335 (Ch), [2018] EWHC 1210 (Ch): Injunction on behalf of the firm against departing member in advance of arbitration.
Shah v Shah [2019] EWHC 872 (Ch): Long running partnership dispute between brothers who carried on numerous business interests in India and England, including running oil tankers, property development and share portfolios.
Muniment Ltd v Priestley Homes Ltd and ors [2019] 11 WLUK 34: Joint venture dispute re incorporation of a new company and conspired with his associate, purported exercise of chargee’s power of sale to ‘sell’ the property to the second defendant’s new company.
Brierley v Otuo [2019] EWHC 2145 (Ch): Long running partnership dispute; summary judgment obtained against the defendants who were seeking to assist the first defendant (the claimant’s former partner) to make himself judgment proof.
Galloway v Independent Films Ltd [14.11.18, unreported]: Film based joint venture dispute, trial as regards alleged repudiation of the agreement.
Dr B v Dr B [23.10.18, unreported]: GP partnership dispute as regards exclusion from the partnership and partnership accounting, settled following day one of the trial.
Horlick v Taylor and Rockpool Investments [2018] EWHC 4034 (Ch): Acting for the defendants in resisting an application restraining an LLP from holding a meeting for the purpose of passing resolutions to dilute voting rights.

Areas of Expertise

Examples of areas which our Partnership and LLPs barristers regularly deal with include:

Partner and member exits: expulsion and compulsory retirement
Team moves and lateral hires
Partnership property and assets (including goodwill)
LLP and partnership agreements: drafting and construing key clauses
Status of partners/members (employee versus partner/member)
Duties and decision making within partnerships and LLPs
Unfair prejudice in LLPs
Restrictive covenants and garden leave in partnership disputes
Firm mergers
Dissolution and termination of partnerships and taking accounts
Partnership and LLP insolvency
Discrimination issues in partnerships
Partnership regulatory issues (including advice about investigations by the SRA and Legal Ombudsman, and representation before the SDT)
Sexual misconduct complaints and/or general internal disciplinary processes involving partners and members, both on behalf of firms and individuals

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you appear for firms and individuals?

Yes. The partnership barristers at Ten Old Square regularly advise firms (often liaising with managing partners, General Counsel and management teams on exits, team moves, post termination breaches and internal issues of all types) but we also act for many individuals who face partnership issues with their firms.

Do you advise on partnership / LLP agreements?

Our expert team of partnership barristers often assist in reviewing and updating agreements to bring them into line with current best practice and law. We draft entire agreements, as well as giving existing agreements a ‘refresh’ and advising on specific clauses. We also advise on ‘conversions’ from partnership to LLP status both in England and offshore.

Can you assist with injunctions and other urgent hearings?

Yes. Our experienced partnership barristers often appear on urgent injunctions and other court and arbitration hearings that require speedy action.

Do you appear in arbitrations?

Absolutely. We regularly represent clients in arbitrations and our team includes two Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Jonathan Gavaghan and Jeremy Callman).

Do you attend mediations?

Yes. Our partnership barristers often represent clients in confidential partnership/LLP mediations which can provide, if handled correctly, a highly productive and cost-effective method of resolving disputes.

Can we instruct a barrister directly on a partnership dispute?

We can accept your instructions if you are a solicitor and hold a current practising certificate under our usual terms of business. We may also accept instructions from other professional clients under the “licensed access” rules. If you are not a solicitor or professional client, then we cannot accept your direct instructions, but our experienced Clerks can recommend appropriate solicitors who can assist you and through whom you can instruct us.

At what stage do your partnership barristers get involved in a dispute?

Our expert partnership barristers can help at all stages of an LLP or Partnership dispute. We have a huge amount of experience in dealing with disputes within LLPs and partnerships and can therefore add significant value in giving early guidance long before litigation or arbitration proceedings begin. Most disputes are best dealt with early and we are able to provide useful input before matters escalate and also help you draw up a strategic plan to protect your interests and avoid pitfalls. Our experienced team of Clerks can discuss with you how (and if) we might help.

"Ten Old Square is one of only two sets that has genuine broad expertise in LLP and partnership law across a number of individual barristers, and in my view Ten Old Square has the greater number of experts in this field."

"Real experts in partnership law."

"A fantastic chambers, full of the brainiest barristers."

"Specialist depth in partnership law. Always willing to deliver bespoke in house training sessions and at the forefront of developments in this area."

"Jeremy Callman is the pre-eminent barrister of his generation in partnership and LLP law. He is a superb advocate with sound judgement and commercial acumen."

"Keith Plowman is terrific to work with and someone who builds strong relationships with instructing solicitors."

"The clerks are always very quick to respond and they readily provide information upon request."

"Jeremy Callman is an out-and-out expert in partnership law. He makes himself available, is very thoughtful in his approach and proves reassuringly strong in all he does."

"The clerks are courteous, very friendly and always willing to help."

"Deputy senior clerk Marc Schofield is very efficient and first junior clerk Fay Bennett is really helpful."

Partnership & LLP Barristers

Paul Stafford

Call 1987