We provide the complete commercial debt recovery service; from outsourced early arrears collections through to expert litigation, all handled in-house by a multi-award-winning law firm.
We provide the complete commercial debt recovery service; from outsourced early arrears collections through to expert litigation, all handled in-house by a multi-award-winning law firm.
Partner & Head of Dispute Resolution|Derby
People
Nick Wells specialises in commercial litigation and has gained a significant reputation for his analytical ability and judgement on commercial disputes, quickly getting to grips with the most complex of issues.
He has been praised by major commercial clients for his tactical advice and commercial approach to dispute resolution.
Nick’s ability to grasp complex and technical issues has seen excellent results in several high-value and complex matters and he has now established himself as one of the leading commercial litigation lawyers in the Midlands, often handling multi-million-pound High Court cases against major national firms.
The Legal 500 UK 2023 comments:
“Nick Wells – very diligent and very commercial.”
“Nick Wells and Ian Beardmore go out of their way to understand clients’ requirements.”
“‘Absolutely first rate’ Nick Wells ‘provides excellent advice combined with assured strategic and tactical management of cases’ that is ‘always spot on’.”
The Legal 500 UK 2022 comments:
“Nick Wells is calm, collected and has gained considerable in-depth knowledge of new legislation which significantly impacts our industry’s way of working. He has developed an expertise which is invaluable to us. His judgement is always sound.”
“Wells is one of the foremost experts in the statutory Pubs Code, having represented Marston’s in statutory arbitrations and a judicial review claim relating to the legislation.”
“Nick Wells is a star – he is always there to help out and gives crisp, sensible, advice. He’s my go-to guy.”
Chambers UK 2022 comments:
“Nick is extremely knowledgeable, understated and able to provide concise advice when dealing with complex matters. An excellent litigator who is incredibly thorough and hard-working. His advice is clear and I feel he represents our interests very well, adapting his negotiation and presentation style to the circumstances.”
People
Nick frequently deals with high-value, complex commercial disputes, including High Court, Chancery, Mercantile, Commercial Court and Technology and Construction Court cases.
He has represented in such cases well-known names such as Bowmer + Kirkland Group, Land Registry, Food Standards Agency, Henry Boot PLC, LexisNexis and Derby County Football Club, and acted in the reported High Court cases:
Nick has also enjoyed success in the Court of Appeal, representing the successful claimants in Butcher & Anor v Pike & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 1407.
He also has significant experience in commercial property litigation, handling several disputes involving development agreements and conditional contracts or leases. Also supervising the firm’s licensed trade property litigation team, Nick is one of only a handful of lawyers in the UK to specialise in the Pubs Code, having handled numerous statutory arbitrations for national pub company giant, Marston’s Plc.
Nick has also developed a niche specialism in matters involving public and private law interaction under EU law, through his repeat work for the Food Standards Agency. Nick has handled a number of matters of this nature and has also worked with the FSA’s in-house legal team and specialist counsel to advise on the wording of a UK government policy and legislation in this field. A particular highlight of working with them was an instruction to represent the FSA for an intervention in a case before the Court of Justice of the European Union (Exportslachterij J. Gosschalk en Zn. BV and Others v Minister van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit C‑477/18 and C‑478/18).
He has been recognised as a ‘Leader in their Field’ by Chambers & Partners since 2017 and has been recommended by The Legal 500 for several years for his work with commercial litigation, property litigation and professional negligence. Nick was also invited to join the firm’s management board during 2018 and is one of three partners to sit on the board alongside the Chief Executive.
Nick completed his Bachelor of Laws at Newcastle University and completed his Legal Practice Course at Nottingham Law School.
Testimonial
“Nick, you have kept us sane with your calm approach to the dispute. You have been like a rock throughout this whole process and your advice has been unwavering and of the highest standard against the might of a huge firm. It felt like such a battle, but we got there in the end – thank you for your superb support and advice.”
Quote by former owners of a large financial services business
“Nick Wells has a good eye for technical and legal detail whilst remaining focused on commercial objectives”
“Flint Bishop has a strong team which combines legal acumen and a robust and commercial approach to litigation.”
“I have no hesitation in referring our clients to Nick Wells and his team at Flint Bishop for disputes arising out of corporate transactions. Nick is commercially astute, great with clients, and really understands the often complex nature of the structure and detail.”
David Nelson
Senior Partner
“Flint Bishop distinguishes itself in industry-shaping and high-profile matters, as evidenced by its recent appearances at the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union. ‘Skilled negotiator’ Nick Wells specialises in handling commercial disputes in specialist lists of the High Court. The firm’s client roster is reflective of the high esteem in which its dispute resolution team is held, with UK and multinational companies, government agencies and public sector bodies turning to it for advice. Qamer Ghafoor has a standout reputation in all areas of commercial dispute resolution, including professional negligence claims, banking litigation and insurance-related claims. Ghafoor has also developed a niche in litigation connected with the waste management sector.”
“Nick Wells takes a strategic approach. He is always ready and capable of drilling down into the detail of the legislation and the facts. He listens to concerns/objectives and provides commercial advice accordingly. He is very much on top of the detail of a matter.”
“Flint Bishop has a well-respected property litigation practice. It generates a large volume of high-value and complex work, which includes dilapidations claims, issues arising from lease renewals, easements, restrictive covenants and beneficial interest claims, among many other areas. Qamer Ghafoor handles a broad-cross section of cases and has a particular interest in emergency remedies proceedings and property-related negligence claims. Nick Wells and Andrew Cochrane are noted for their experience of acting for clients in the licensed trade sector; Wells, in particular, is increasingly being sought-out for advice on matters connected with the new statutory Pubs Code. Senior associate Jo Milward-Hyde has also developed a specialism in the licensed trade industry and, in addition, she has developed a new offering in relation to estates management. Lorna Trueman is also heavily involved in property litigation matters.”
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