Jack Dillon

Areas of expertise

• Commercial dispute resolution

  Commercial dispute resolution

  Jack is a well-established commercial junior, with experience across all aspects of commercial dispute resolution, including big ticket litigation and international arbitration. While he is often led, Jack is equally comfortable appearing on his own, often against much more experienced opponents. He regularly deals with multi-million pound disputes for major multinationals.

  Jack particularly specialises in partnership and joint venture disputes, franchising, fraud, fiduciary duties, directors’ duties and shareholder disputes including unfair prejudice petitions, contractual good faith, conflict of law and foreign law, insurance, sale of goods, and banking and finance. Jack is well-placed to handle enforcement and asset tracing because of his property practice.

  Jack’s recent and current work includes:

  • Claim over a £1.8m investment into a collective investment scheme to re-develop a golf course (2024).
  • LCIA arbitration over the armed robbery of a warehouse in Guatemala (2024).
  • Defending claim against steel manufacture over production delays (2023).
  • Franchising dispute over patented lifting equipment and H&S legislation (2023).
  • Manti etc v. Intertek – opposed disclosure applications in support of US proceedings under the Evidence (Proceedings in Other Jurisdictions) Act 1975, against two applicants represented by a silk and senior junior – before Senior Master Fontaine (2023).
  • UNCITRAL arbitration over a director’s letter of indemnity – against parties represented by silks (2022).
  • Countrywide v. BluePrometheus – franchising claim for interim relief to enforce covenants in restraint of trade – before Nicholas Isaacs KC (DHCJ) (2021).
  • La Cotte v. Sovereign [2021] EWHC 1517 – three-week Chancery Division trial (fully remote), defeating claims for fraud, conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duty and good faith, breach of confidence, procuring breach, unlawful interference, and successfully counter-claiming for conversion with indemnity costs. Led at trial by David Lewis KC. Before HHJ Davis-White KC (HCJ).
  • GMS Chemedica v. Persons Unknown & HSBC – obtained interim relief against cybercriminals: a proprietary injunction coupled with a Bankers Trust order – before HHJ Gore KC (HCJ) (2021).
  • Ad hoc arbitration of a dispute over a dentistry practice (2021).
  • Dispute over defective compacting machinery (2020).
  • Robelen Enterprises v. Bluebird – franchising appeal over termination of social care franchise and good faith – before Spencer J (2002).
  • Sheikh Tahnoon v. Kent [2018] EWHC 333 (Comm) and [2018] EWHC 614 (Comm) (costs) – four-week Commercial Court trial, defeating a claim based on a demerger agreement and promissory note relating to an international hotel business and online travel business on grounds of blackmail, physical intimidation and economic duress, breach of good faith. Led by David Lewis KC. Before Leggatt J.
• Property

  Property

  Legal 500 recommend Jack as a leading junior in property litigation. He acts in substantial and high-value property disputes, often against much more senior opponents. Jack gives clear and pragmatic advice and is a persuasive advocate.

  Jack’s real property expertise spans ownership and registration disputes (including boundary disputes, co-ownership and TOLATA disputes, adverse possession), use of land (easements, restrictive covenants, nuisance, right to light, Party Wall cases etc), and other interests in land such as mortgages.

  His commercial landlord and tenant practice covers 1954 Act leases, forfeiture cases, dilapidations, rent reviews etc. On the residential side, Jack acts in leasehold cases involving management issues, collective enfranchisement and lease extension, cladding and forfeiture.

  Jack’s clients include major property firms and funds, investors, banks and other lenders, government departments and local authorities, charities and high net worth and other individuals.

  Jack’s recent and relevant work includes:

  • A £1m claim between local authorities concerning negligence in the context of planning permission concerning a new village development in Norfolk, against a silk (2024).
  • Right to light dispute over upwards development of flats (2024).
  • Acting for beneficial co-owner in dispute against legal owner and lender, involving priority of interests and accounting for development expenditure (2024).
  • A £3-4m claim following a fraudulent sale of a development property (2024).
  • Claim in a family co-ownership dispute involving sham, duress and undue influence (2024).
  • Family proprietary estoppel dispute over residential property (2023).
  • Adverse possession of common land in London (2023).
  • Boundary dispute over paper boundary and adverse possession (2023).
  • Assignment of a racehorse trainer’s right to train on a nearby gallops (2023).
  • Co-ownership dispute over sale of business premises held in a SIPP (2023).
  • Forfeiture trial over unauthorised alterations – before HHJ Parfitt (2023).
  • Dispute over the closure of a casino in Newcastle for fire safety reasons, against a silk (2022).
  • Common intention constructive trust trial – before HHJ Walden-Smith (2022).
  • Opposed sale of property following a joint venture development (2022).
  • Opposing unreasonable refusal of consent to alterations in a shopping centre (2021).
  • Challenging transfer to children on grounds of undue influence/forgery (2021).
  • Co-ownership trial – before HHJ Evans (2019).
  • Numerous urgent High Court (QBD and Chancery Division) possession proceedings against trespassers, fly tippers and rave organisers on public and private sites.
• Professional liability

  Professional liability

  Legal 500 recommend Jack as leading professional negligence junior. Jack has a great deal of experience in claims against legal professionals, particularly in relation to property transactions and misconduct of litigation and especially divorce claims, and financial cases involving IFAs, tax advisers, accountants, brokers etc.

  “Jack is an extremely promising junior whose expertise in the twin disciplines of property litigation and professional negligence make him an ideal choice for property-based negligence claims.” (Legal 500)

  He combines his sector-specific expertise and eye for detail with a sense of the bigger picture to help his clients settle well or succeed at trial. He acts for both claimants and defendants and is frequently instructed by and on behalf of professional indemnity insurers. He also often advises insurers on coverage.

  Jack’s recent and relevant work includes:

  • Claim against tax adviser about de-grouping and the substantial shareholder exemption (2024).
  • Claims against solicitors on behalf of local authority in relation to planning obligations (2024).
  • A P&P/Dreamvar £3-4m claim against solicitors following fraudulent sale and sub-sale (2024).
  • Claim for purchaser of land designated for development into a quarry (2024).
  • Defending numerous claims against divorce solicitors for under-settlement in relation to financial remedies, especially pension sharing orders. Recently successfully applied to strike out a claim on limitation grounds in Wells v. DPA – before Deputy Master Fine (2023).
  • Claim against conveyancer in relation to lapsed planning permission (2023).
  • Claim for landlord against letting agent and referencing agency (2023).
  • Claim against solicitors concerning residential property without listed building consent prior to its purchase (2022).
  • Claim against surveyor over missed asbestos (2021).
  • Defending claim against solicitor for misconduct of defence in commercial proceedings (2020).
  • Claim concerning assignment of a business lease without car parking spaces (2019).