Dispute Resolution
Our approach
We are not a litigation machine. We bring senior strategy to shape the outcome.
What we handle
And more. If it is a commercial dispute that matters to your business, ask us. Not small claims, though, where the cost of doing the job properly outweighs what is at stake.
Ask us to helpHow a dispute moves
Every dispute is different, but they move through the same four stages. The earlier we are involved, the more options you have, and the less it costs. Scroll through to see how it unfolds.
This is where most disputes are decided. We assess the legal position accurately, gather the right evidence, and identify the strongest route forward, before you commit and before the other side knows what is coming. That includes honest advice on whether a dispute is worth pursuing at all.
A letter before action is a formal legal document, setting out the claim, its basis, the relief sought, and what must happen to avoid proceedings. Drafted correctly, it resolves more disputes than most people expect, often the first time the other side sees the full exposure they face.
If the letter does not resolve matters, proceedings may become necessary. It is not always the right choice, and we will tell you clearly if it is not. Where it is, we manage the process, the documentation, and, where required, the instruction of Counsel. Fee for each step is agreed before we take it.
Resolution takes different forms, settlement, judgment, discontinuance or mediated outcome, each with different implications. We advise on the right outcome for your position, negotiate the terms, and make sure it is properly documented, so the dispute ends in a way that protects you going forward.
Examples
The same judgement applies whether a dispute is modest or substantial. Two outcomes, anonymised.
Scope
We are a legal consultancy, not a regulated law firm. We can advise you on nearly all litigation matters, including drafting, correspondence and strategy. We will manage a barrister during your engagement and help you interface with them. You would go on the Court record.
The honest bit
Most people typing those words want an outcome - a dispute handled properly, by someone senior - and assume a law firm is the only shape it comes in. It is not, and explaining our setup is the first thing we do: Silva is a legal consultancy, not a law firm. For most commercial disputes it is a better model. You get senior judgement on the strategy, the evidence and every letter, a barrister instructed directly when the work needs one, and a fee agreed before each step rather than a clock running behind you.
Where a regulated firm genuinely matters, we say so plainly. Some court steps are reserved: if proceedings are issued you go on the record, we manage Counsel and the strategy alongside you, and an advocate appears where advocacy is needed. That division suits commercial disputes well, because the strategy and the paperwork are the bulk of the work - and they are exactly what we do.
If you are weighing it up, read how a dispute actually unfolds before anyone commits to anything.
Not necessarily. What you need is the legal position assessed accurately, the strategy set early, and correspondence written by someone the other side takes seriously - none of which requires a law firm. Silva does exactly this work as a consultancy. Where a step genuinely needs a regulated lawyer, such as advocacy in court, we manage the instruction of a barrister directly, which is often faster and less expensive than the traditional chain.
Yes, with a clearly drawn line we show you before you commit. We advise on nearly all litigation matters - strategy, evidence, drafting and correspondence - and most disputes resolve there, before any formal step is taken. If proceedings become necessary you go on the court record and we manage Counsel alongside you. You always know who is doing what, and what each step costs, before we take it.
It depends on the stage, which is why we agree the fee for each step before we take it - no running clock. Most disputes resolve pre-action or at the letter before action, where costs are lowest and options widest. We will also tell you plainly when a dispute is not worth pursuing: winning and being better off are not the same thing. The initial conversation is free.
You do, if proceedings are issued - Silva is a consultancy, so we do not go on the record the way a firm would. In practice you act with us behind you on the strategy, the documents and the instruction of Counsel. The structure is straightforward, we walk you through it before anything is filed, and nothing about it changes who does the thinking.
Discuss Your Situation
Every dispute is different. The starting point is always the same: understanding your position clearly. Get in touch and describe the situation, and we will tell you honestly whether we can help, what the options are, and what it is likely to cost. Not sure where you stand? A Legal Discovery Day maps your position in a single fixed-fee day.
Initial conversation is free. No obligation.