Our top 10 tips for handling business disputes

Mar 20, 2024

Leverets’ top 10 tips for handling business disputes.

Business disputes are commonplace. Situations in which two parties have opposing views will inevitably arise in the natural course of doing business, whether it disputes with customers, employees, partners, suppliers or other stakeholders. However, a small disagreement can quickly escalate if not handled promptly and effectively.

When an issue cannot be resolved without legal intervention these disputes can carry significant business risks – financial costs, reputational damage, loss of business, inability to attract and retain talent, damage to supply chain or partner relationships.

Our top tip is always to seek legal advice as soon as possible. But what else can businesses do to help settle disputes in a way that isn’t detrimental to success?

Here are our 10 top tips:

Get your record-keeping in order and ensure policies and procedures are up-to-date and compliant with all relevant legislation
Always be objective, don’t let emotion or bias cloud your judgement or dictate your behaviour
Whenever possible act in ways that will help defuse tension. Often fulsome apologies and recognition of fault can unlock a problem
Use independent assistance from solicitors or accountants, HR professionals or workplace investigators
Speak to your insurers to ensure you have relevant protection – employer’s liability, public liability, directors and officers, professional indemnity etc
Hand over all relevant material, for good or ill, at the outset
Try to forecast the endgame and see where cost and risk lie, so that you can be better prepared to head off roadblocks to resolution
Plan, plan, and plan again – create a strategy and a budget and stick to them
Use mediation, adjudication and early neutral evaluation as alternatives to litigation – always cheaper, quicker and more effective
Contact Leverets – we will act quickly and effectively, no matter the complexity or scale of requirements, to secure the best possible outcome and value for money

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