Karen Elder

Karen has over 30 years’ experience in commercial dispute resolution in the areas of construction, corporate/commercial and property matters in the Business and Property Courts and specialist divisions. Karen is an accredited mediator having undertaken mediations for clients for over 20 years. Karen mainly represents SMEs, individuals and insurers.

Karen’s particular area of expertise lies in the following:

• construction disputes covering complex breaches including scope of work/fees disputes and final account challenges
• professional negligence claims involving solicitors and construction professionals
• disputes on Leases and Agreement for Leases for both landlords and tenants
• shareholder and partnership disputes for SMEs and GPs
• Breach of post-termination restrictive covenants in both contracts of employment and shareholders’ agreements
• Breaches of supply and distribution agreements
• contentious probate matters including challenging Wills, claims under the Inheritance (Provisions for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and Executor issues.
• cross border disputes on commercial contracts both within the EU and worldwide.

In addition to Karen’s contentious practice, she has also gained a reputation in the non-contentious construction area of contract drafting and advice to developers, owners, landlords and tenants in the Education, care home and gaming sectors. She also advises construction professionals on contractual matters on a variety of projects.

Karen maintains an excellent relationship with clients, working with them rather than for them to achieve their objectives, listening to their concerns and striving to provide expert, commercial and pragmatic advice.

Notable cases

DR Jones Yeovil Ltd v Drayton Beaumont Services Ltd [2021] EWHC 1971 (TCC)

Languages spoken

French