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Equal ownership can feel like the fairest starting point for a new venture. Two founders contribute time, capital and ideas, and share the upside equally. Yet the symmetry that attracts many entrepreneurs brings a distinctive governance risk: when decisions require agreement and neither side has a majority, a disagreement can become a deadlock. Understanding how 50/50 ownership works in practice, and putting the right documents in place early, can protect value and avoid disruption.

For most businesses, the decision to litigate is rarely just about whether a claim exists. The more important question is whether issuing proceedings will improve the client’s commercial position. That assessment requires more than a view on legal merits. It involves timing, leverage, cost, enforceability, reputation and the practical realities of the counterparty’s conduct.

It is in moments of crisis that professional advisers get the chance to show their true value to their clients, and a complex dispute is a crisis. When the stakes are high, the timetable compressed, and internal resource stretched, clients most value advisers who combine legal excellence with commercial awareness, clarity of thought and expression, and calm execution. The best litigation and investigations teams operate as an extension of the business, aligning strategy to effective outcomes: protecting enterprise value, preserving relationships, minimising risk, and maintaining operational resilience.

Construction projects begin with a clear vision. Disputes arise when expectations, paperwork, and the realities on site fall out of step. Most problems cluster around three themes: who pays what and when, whether the works finish on time, and whether the finished site meets the agreed standard. Getting the basics right early prevents small issues turning into costly disputes.

When a dispute arises, the immediate question is often whether to settle or fight. In practice, the better question is: which route best protects the business, having regard to risk, cost, timing, commercial relationships and the likelihood of recovery?

A new Practice Note for the Commercial Court and London Circuit Commercial Court was issued on 6 June 2025. This Practice Note raises the value thresholds at which cases will generally be transferred out of the Commercial Court to the London Circuit Commercial Court and the County Court.

The changes reflect a concerted effort to manage judicial resources more efficiently, ensuring that the Commercial Courts can focus on the most complex and high-value cases.

There is a growing issue of adjudicator fees in construction disputes, highlighting concerns around proportionality and fairness. Court of Appeal decisions — Systech v PC Harrington and Steve Ward Services v Davies — take contrasting approaches to whether adjudicators are entitled to fees in different circumstances. Julian Critchlow offers practical insights for legal professionals, contractors, and referring parties navigating adjudication processes.