Wes is an English-qualified lawyer specialising in complex commercial disputes. He has deep experience across the full range of dispute resolution mechanisms and has a particular focus on clients operating in the life sciences sectors. He regularly advises clients on pre-litigation strategy and has handled large-scale commercial litigation before the High Court and the Court of Appeal in the UK as well as in arbitrations under various institutional rules.

As well as regular advisory mandates for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, Wes’ recent representative experience includes:

• Acting for the Touchlight group of companies in the defence of entitlement claims before the Patents Court concerning their core synthetic DNA manufacturing technology, dbDNA, securing a complete dismissal of all claims following a three-week trial.
• Acting for a global aerospace business in connection with claims for breach of a call option agreement and breaches of an exclusivity arrangement for the supply of complex parts. Successful in recovering ca. $120m following a four-week trial in the Commercial Court.
• Defending a Japanese pharmaceutical company in an ad hoc arbitration seated in London in connection with the development and subsequent commercialisation of a blockbuster monoclonal antibody therapeutic.
• Acting for the world’s largest advertising group in defence of a claim concerning the meaning and effect of an earn-out provision in a sale and purchase agreement for complex software responsible for administering programmatic advertising campaigns. Trial in the Commercial Court.
• Acting for a global technology brand providing specialised mining systems and equipment in an ICC arbitration seated in London in connection with alleged breaches of contract and intellectual property infringement.
• Acting for a major global electronics manufacturer in an ICC arbitration seated in London in connection with alleged breaches of a licensing agreement for the supply of chips.
• Defending a South African sales and merchandising company in an arbitration concerning the meaning and effect of various commercial contracts.
• Acting for a life sciences business in dispute with its CRO over the running of Phase II clinical trials.
• Advising an aerospace manufacturer in connection with a series of disputes with airlines over the supply of parts.
• Acting for an IT services provider against HM Government in connection with historic claims of significant overcharging (ca. £70,000,000) under a long-term IT services contract.
• Acting for an IT services provider faced with complaints of producing allegedly faulty code during the implementation of a complex IT system.
• Advising an app developer in connection with claims for indemnification arising out of alleged breaches of third-party intellectual property rights.
• Advising an IT services provider in connection with quality complaints arising out of the development of a bespoke IT system.

Wes trained and practised at a magic circle firm and at a leading US firm before joining Bristows in 2017. Wes speaks English, German and Welsh.