Joint venture and partnership disputes

Members of Wilberforce Chambers are regularly instructed in disputes involving joint venture or partnership arrangements of all types (including contractual, LLP, corporate and trust).  Instructions include disputes of the highest value, and range from those including individual joint venture partners to those involving extremely substantial international businesses and highly complex structures. Many matters in which members act involve a multi-jurisdictional or offshore element, and the assets which are at the heart of disputes range from complex corporate or financial investments to land and high-value chattels.  Members also have particular experience in asset-tracing, insolvency and civil fraud work, as well as shareholder disputes and the termination and winding up of joint venture and partnership arrangements.  Members appear in offshore jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Nevis, Bermuda, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Notable cases

Lazarichev & Ors v Lyndou [2024]

[2023] EWHC 1487 (Ch)

This case presented what is believed to be the first opportunity to consider the question of whether “resident” within the meaning of r25.13(2)(a) means “lawfully resident”.

Read the full judgment

Say Chong Lim v Francis Ong et al [2023]

[2023] EWHC 321 (Ch)

A claim pertaining to a property portfolio worth in excess of £10million, relating to a fraud perpetrated by the defendant over a number of years through a corporate structure designed to facilitate the fraud. The case was commenced by worldwide freezing order, both parties being of Malaysian origin.

Read the full judgment

International MR Pty Limited v Bonafide Holdings Inc

Joint venture dispute in the BVI worth many hundreds of millions of dollars, relating to businesses in Hong Kong. Settled (in 2022) shortly before a nine-week trial.

Naggar v Morgan

Acting for the Defendants in a major High Court dispute relating to the artworks of Robert Indiana (famous for his “LOVE” sculptures).

(Confidential names due to being an arbitration)

An LCIA arbitration concerning a major joint venture dispute relating to a mine, between a major metals group and its trading partners. With a value of up to $500 million.

Garnet Commerce Ltd v VRFB Holdings Ltd [2022]

[2022] EWHC 481 (Ch)

6 day High Court trial over alleged breaches of JVA in connection with $30m fundraising for Austrian vanadium battery manufacturer.

Read the full judgment

Acting for the respondents to an unfair prejudice petition relating to a property development business valued at £50 million

Acting for a company defending claims brought in arbitration for US$50 million alleged to be owed to a co-joint venturer arising out of investment in an oil field in Iraq

Acting in relation to a dispute between the members of a farming partnership concerning amongst other things the terms of the partnership

Acting in relation to a dispute between the members of a property development partnership in which allegations of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty have been made by one partner against the other

Advising trustees of property unit trusts and property developers in relation to their property portfolio assets and disputes with joint venture partners

Advising pension fund trustees in relation to assets held in joint venture and partnership arrangements

Acting for the petitioner in proceedings seeking the just and equitable winding up of a property development business

Advising limited partners in pensions regulatory matters

Acting for shareholders of hedge funds where partnership remedies are sought against other shareholders

Representing members of LLPs in relation to property investment/developments

Acting for the general partner of an offshore limited partnership facing a petition for winding up on the judge and equitable ground – based on wide-ranging allegations of misconduct limited partners in offshore partnership disputes where breach of fiduciary

Insights View all thought leadership

  1. Placeholder

    Articles

    Gateways for Chabra freezing injunctions: Gilbert v Broadoak

    In this article Philippe Kuhn analyses the recent decision in Gilbert v Broadoak concerning novel jurisdictional arguments about gateways for service out in the context of worldwide freezing orders against Chabra respondents.

    By Philippe Kuhn
    Thursday 26 February 2026

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  2. PlaceholderBobby Friedman and Jack Watson

    News

    Bobby Friedman and Jack Watson to be appointed King’s Counsel

    Wilberforce Chambers is pleased to announce that Bobby Friedman and Jack Watson are to be appointed King’s Counsel. Bobby, called to the Bar in 2011, specialises in general commercial disputes, with a particular emphasis on civil fraud, as well as... Read more

    Friday 23 January 2026

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    Recent Cases

    Judgment handed down in Titanium Capital Investments Limited v Jonathan Hughes [2025] EWHC 682 (Ch)

    Commercial disputes, Civil fraud and asset recovery, Company law, Joint venture and partnership disputes

    Alan Gourgey KC | Lexa Hilliard KC
    Thursday 3 April 2025

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    News

    Leading Property Barrister Joins Wilberforce

    Wilberforce Chambers is delighted to announce that Mark Galtrey has joined Chambers from 4th March 2025. Mark is a specialist property barrister with an outstanding reputation in real estate litigation, agriculture, and partnership disputes. Brian Green KC (Head of Chambers) said, “We are... Read more

    Tuesday 4 March 2025

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