Thom has close to two decades of experience dealing with a broad range of property, employment and commercial litigation matters, including contractual disputes, agency matters or those arising from professional negligence.

Prior to founding VC LAW, Thom was a solicitor and then partner in a leading northwest law firm for over a decade.

He has acted in group litigation cases for over 100 clients in three separate matters, one of which commenced in the High Court and concluded in the Supreme Court. These matters included a claim against conveyancing lawyers acting on a high-risk development for overseas buyers wishing to invest in residential apartments in northwest England, a claim against a car manufacturer for breach of an agreement that had evolved over a century, and a claim against an architect and local authority for negligently producing completion certification.

Thom is an advocate of conditional fee agreement funding (“no win no fee”) so that any party with a meritorious case can pursue litigation, regardless of their means. A good claim should not be stifled by finances.

Thom was a senior solicitor acting for family members in the Hillsborough inquest that concluded in 2016. The inquests were the longest in English legal history.

He is highly regarded in commercial agency law circles, having been lead counsel for the Professional Sales Association for over a decade. This work was undertaken within an established employment law team. Thom offers a fast turnaround employee settlement agreement service, allowing parties to conclude their relations with a minimum of fuss.

As a solicitor advocate Thom can pursue a claim all the way from initial instructions to the court room. As a big believer in alternative dispute resolution, Thom can negotiate or mediate for parties.

Thom’s practice covers:

Professional negligence
Supply of goods and services
Commercial agency claims
Breach of lease covenants
Break notices
Business tenancies (contentious)
Dilapidations
Forfeiture
Rent, non-payment of rent and rent review
Service charges
Residential landlord and tenant
Assured shorthold tenancies
Enfranchisement and lease extensions
Right of first refusal
Tenancy deposit schemes
Real property
Party walls
Rights of light
Enforcement and remedies
Possession of land and buildings
Trespass
Employment law – advising on settlement agreements

Recognition

Thom obtained a Masters Degree in International Law from the University of Helsinki in 2003 and was an Erasmus scholar at the University of Amsterdam in 1998/1999 gaining the International Law Certificate. He spent 6 months as an intern for the United Nations in Geneva during 2002.

Thom completed the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in London in 2004 and qualified as a solicitor in October 2005.

Commercial Dispute Resolution

Thom has conducted numerous negotiations and settlements of commercial disputes. He has advised clients in formal mediation conferences involving not just the disputing parties but impartial mediators. Thom’s dispute resolutions skills extend over the entirety of the pre-litigation stage through to conclusion of court proceedings.

Key Achievements

Thom’s Commercial and Property Dispute Resolution experience includes:

• Recovering a six-figure sum for a commercial agent from his principal following a hearing in the High Court at which expert evidence was given.
• Defending and counterclaiming in adjudication proceedings arising from a construction contract;
• Succeeding in a professional negligence claim against an architect and city council officer who wrongly signed off a multimillion-pound development of hotel rooms as practically complete;
• Mediating a neighbour dispute about a disputed strip of land between adjoining properties;
• Resolving an adverse possession claim in respect of valuable inner-city development land;
• Forfeiting a commercial lease for breach of tenant covenants;
• Obtaining relief from forfeiture in connection with a high street shop;
• Defending international arbitration proceedings in a case concerning super glue produced in China, sold to an English company by a Spanish company;
• Defending proceedings for a tenant’s lease extension under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954;
• Acting for a landlord and resolving a six-figure dilapidations claim in connection with a city centre public house;
• Pursuing proceedings for an account of profits following the conclusion of an accountancy practice run by estranged business partners.

Thom’s non-contentious practice focuses on:

• Lease assignments;
• Settlement agreements for employees. This service focuses on a high-speed turnaround to enable parties to secure an agreement with a minimum of fuss;
• Advising on shareholder and partnership agreements.​