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Leah is an experienced partner in the commercial litigation team in Newcastle.

Leah is a very experienced litigator and is recognised for helping clients navigate their way through complex and often business-critical disputes and litigation.  

She regularly advises clients across a broad range of sectors on contractual disputes, director and shareholder disputes (including unfair prejudice claims), warranty and indemnity claims arising out of share sales and business transfers, breach of confidence and restrictive covenant claims, negligence claims, judicial review claims and emergency remedies. She also has experience of securing the sanction of schemes of arrangement for PLC clients.

Leah has particular expertise in the management and resolution of public procurement challenges, whether acting for the contracting authority, utility or the unsuccessful bidder. Having regularly advised on both sides of procurement challenges since the introduction of The Public Contracts Regulations 2006, Leah has invaluable insight as to the tactics and strategy that each side will deploy.  

Leah is an advocate for mediation and will use ADR where possible to try to resolve a dispute, whether without recourse to legal proceedings or during the litigation process.

Leah regularly delivers training on contract law and public procurement law, particularly on how to manage risk in contractual relationships and on how to manage risk during a procurement process, including under the Procurement Act 2023.

Sectors:

Services:

  • She's an excellent team leader and senior partner who is highly experienced, skilled and commercial.

    Legal 500, 2027

  • Leah offers exceptional service. She is really flexible, very responsive and made good suggestions, leading us through the whole process.

    Legal 500, 2027

  • Leah is brilliant. She's the reason I came to Weightmans in the first place - she helped me with a big case of legal advice professional negligence at a previous company - and got the win. Warm, quick to act, and the kind of partner who actually picks up the phone. She identified the right people for my matter within hours and made the introductions herself, despite being back-to-back. She treats clients as people first and lawyers second, and that comes through in everything.

    Legal 500, 2027

  • Leah Heatley was a breath of fresh air. She provided prompt and practical advice when we faced not one but two simultaneous procurement challenges arising under the same tender. She remained calm and level-headed throughout. Leah's professionalism and attention to detail helped us navigate a difficult period for the contracting authority, and her practical advice enabled us to avoid the time, cost, and resources required to undertake a fresh procurement process.

    Legal 500, 2027

  • Leah Heatley acts for large corporate clients and individuals on a range of commercial litigation matters, including contractual and shareholder disputes.

    Chambers & Partners 2026

  • Leah is super-responsive and gets back to you instantly, when she can, in an approachable manner.

    Chambers & Partners 2026

  • Leah has provided great service on a difficult case.

    Chambers & Partners 2026

  • She was extremely helpful and responsive. I don't believe that we would have achieved the positive outcome without Leah's thoughtful and informed involvement.

    Chambers 2025

  • Leah has excellent communication skills and a very calm nature which is an incredibly valuable asset to hold throughout a formal legal process.

    Chambers 2025

  • Leah Heatley is fantastic. She is our go to dispute advisor in the UK. Able to unpick complex problems, suggest strategies for resolution, and delivers difficult advice in a way which is easy to understand to get buy in from the client. Also, able to put up a good fight!

    Legal 500, 2024

  • Leah is really meticulous and forensic in her approach and is great at clearly setting out an argument.

    Chambers 2024

  • Leah is extremely knowledgeable and attentive to our needs. We feel fully supported by her and the team.

    Chambers 2024

Leah’s notable cases include:

  • Acting for a 50% shareholder of a £400m motor dealership business on an unfair prejudice claim against the other 50% shareholder, which was resolved by an agreed restructuring of the business.
  • Acting for the purchasers of a pharmaceutical business in their multi million pounds claim against the sellers for fraud, deceit and breaches of warranties.  A commercial settlement was reached following mediation.  
  • Acting for The Lakes Distillery Company plc in relation to the sanction of a scheme of arrangement to effect its takeover by Nyetimber [2024] EWHC 1535 (Ch)
  • Acting for Roche Diagnostics on its challenge of The Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust’s award of a contract for the provision of laboratory services to a rival bidder [2013] (EWHC 933 (TCC).  Roche is the leading case for disclosure in procurement litigation.  
  • Advising Kelly Park Caring Agency on its challenge of Durham County Council’s award of a contract for domiciliary care services due to various irregularities in the evaluation of tenders [2010] EWCH 909 (TCC).