Jonathan Eatough

Partner

About

Jonathan has been helping clients to solve their complex legal problems for over 25 years. He advises all types of organisations on managing legal risk and resolving commercial disputes, often with an international or cross-jurisdictional element. Jonathan’s work spans many sectors including food & drink, manufacturing & industrial, retail, infrastructure, PFI, and technology & communications. He regularly works in collaboration with specialists in other disciplines and jurisdictions to help clients investigate, mitigate and manage the risk of disputes and claims.

Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and Investigations

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

LCIA arbitration advising the shareholder in a well-known beverage company in a dispute arising from the exercise of a £15 million put option.
Advising an international brewer in relation to its long-standing agreement to brew and sell under license a well-known continental beer in the UK and ROI. Managing the licensor’s attempts to find grounds to break the contract, threatening litigation as a consequence and eventually agreeing a significant settlement and agreed termination on confidential terms without the need for litigation.
Advising an international waste management company regarding its dispute with a local authority customer over its 10 year contract for the supply of waste and recycling services.
Advising a private jet operator in relation to a dispute over the supply and refurbishment of a private jet to a high net worth individual customer of our client, involving allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation, complex tri-partite proceedings in the Business and Property Courts and a claim against our client’s insurers. Agreeing terms of settlement alongside a significant contribution from insurers, after exchange of witness statements and avoiding the significant cost of a trial for our client.
Advising a co-operative Bank on its dispute with Capita over the £335 million 10 year outsourcing agreement for provision of the Bank’s mortgage services.
Advising a public body responsible for coordination of transport services in its region, in relation to a failing main IT contractor, working alongside our Projects team and eventually supporting the client in without prejudice negotiations with the contractor, agreeing terms of settlement for termination of the main contract with a financial value of £15 million plus commercial agreements for transition of services to new contractors.
Advising an international facilities operator on its internal investigation into an employee expenses fraud and subsequent civil proceedings against that employee and associated parties.
Advising an engineering services company in relation to its internal investigation into allegations that illegal payments had been made to customers by its self-employed sales agent and arising from a whistle blowing incident by a director of the company.
Advising Compass Minerals on its judicial review challenge to the development of an underground gas storage facility in close proximity to its Cheshire salt mine.
Advising nine related judicial review applications arising from the execution of search warrants by HMRC and the police at premises of our clients and their solicitors and successfully quashing the warrant obtained in respect of material held by our client's solicitors Faisaltex Ltd & Ors, R (on the application of) v Crown Court Sitting At Preston & Ors.
Advising an international manufacturing business in relation to claims following its £200 million acquisition of a US business which has subsequently been the subject of significant US class actions against our client and the seller.

Education

Durham University, BA Law

Awards

Legal 500 2020/21 – Leading Individual; “Jonathan Eatough is very skilled, very sound judgment”
Chambers 2020/21: "He is very approachable and client-friendly. He is very experienced and shows considerable strategic insight."
Acritas Star 2020/21 (independently ranked lawyers)