We’re here to help you make confident, informed decisions - every step of the way.

When your business is involved in a dispute, you need more than legal advice - you need a strategic partner who understands your commercial priorities. At Porter Dodson, our Commercial Dispute Resolution team delivers clear, pragmatic guidance to help you resolve disputes efficiently and protect your business interests.

Whether you're bringing a claim or defending one, we act quickly to assess the facts, explain your options, and implement a strategy that supports your goals.

How we help

We advise businesses across all sectors, from agriculture and construction to finance and professional services, on a wide range of commercial disputes, including:

Insolvency & Restructuring
Strategic advice for directors, creditors, and insolvency practitioners - including asset recovery, winding-up petitions, and director claims.
Commercial Contract Disputes
Resolving disputes over procurement, finance, joint ventures, and corporate transactions.
Commercial Fraud
Pursuing and defending claims involving mis-sold investments, professional negligence, and financial misconduct.
Debt Recovery
Efficient, cost-effective recovery of unpaid invoices - with flexible funding options and early resolution strategies.
Intellectual Property Disputes
Protecting and enforcing your IP rights, including trade marks, copyright, patents, and confidential information.
Shareholder, Director & Partnership Disputes
Resolving internal business conflicts, including unfair prejudice claims, breaches of duty, and partnership breakdowns.

Why Porter Dodson?

Recognised excellence – Ranked in both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for our expertise in Corporate Commercial, Mergers and Acquisitions for SME/Owner-Managed businesses

Clear, cost-effective advice – We speak your language, not legal jargon, and tailor our guidance to your business circumstances.

Joined-up legal support – Our team works seamlessly across corporate commercial, property, employment and litigation to protect your business interests.

Trusted by generations – With deep roots in the community, we’ve supported families and business owners across the South West and beyond for decades.

The Contentious Trusts & Probate team is excellent. It is highly knowledgeable while bringing a very pragmatic and commercially sensitive approach, which is particularly important given the often personal, emotional, and high-stakes nature of these disputes.

Legal 500 2027

The team has a justifiably strong reputation in the field of contentious probate disputes. They fight hard on behalf of their clients.

Legal 500 2027

The team has a justifiably strong reputation in the field of contentious probate disputes. They fight hard on behalf of their clients.

Legal 500 2027

Ralph Wheeler is an outstanding senior associate. He combines impressive technical knowledge with a very pragmatic, commercially minded approach. He is strategic, very organized, and communicates clearly with clients and opponents alike, guiding clients confidently through sensitive or challenging disputes. He is also very effective in coordinating advice across multiple areas of law. Clients trust him for both the quality of his judgment and the practical, solutions-focused way he approaches each matter.

Legal 500 2027