David Crawley

David is a Solicitor and cross-qualified from the Bar (Inner Temple, Called 1999) and specialises in litigation and dispute resolution and private client work.

David has considerable experience in dealing with complex, high-value legal costs disputes and has dealt with a number of high-profile cases.  David is an experienced advocate and regularly attends costs management, detailed assessment and appeal hearings.  David regularly advises on retainers and litigation funding issues and is instructed by a number of the country’s top law firms to assist with legal costs issues.  David has considerable experience in solicitor and own client costs disputes and is regularly instructed in more novel costs matters, including costs issues in family, probate and employment cases.

David is an active racing cyclist to international amateur medal standard and has extensive experience in the field of cycle sport and acts for professional and amateur racing cyclists and triathletes with contractual and regulatory matters and personal injury cases, including civil assault and battery cases.

David enjoys the challenge of a broad litigation practice and his wider dispute resolution work includes contractual, construction, insurance, franchise, commercial agency disputes and professional negligence. David is experienced in private client matters and can deal with contentious probate matters.

Notable cases David has been involved in include:
Utting v McBain [2007] EWHC 90085 (Costs) – enforceability of conditional fee agreement
Utting v McBain [2007] EWHC 3293 (QB) (Costs) – enforceability of conditional fee agreement
Collett v Smith & Middlesbrough Football & Athletic Company Ltd [2011] EWHC 90208 (Costs) – hourly rates and success fees
Hervia Ltd v Vivienne Westwood Ltd [2012] (ChD) – acted for franchisee in high-value franchise dispute, widely reported in the national press

C v S [2022] EWHC 800 (Fam) – a rare decision in the family court concerning costs orders for unreasonable conduct

Harrison v University Hospitals of Derby & Burton NHS [2022] EWCA Civ 1660 – QOCS