Jonathan MortimerConsultant Partner

Jonathan has a wealth of experience in civil and commercial litigation having represented clients in the Magistrates Court to the Supreme Court.  Particular areas of expertise include contract disputes, defamation, financial services disputes, franchise matters, insurance claims, partnership disputes, professional negligence claims, property disputes and shareholder claims.  Jonathan has also represented a number of individuals in respect of personal claims and brought group actions.

Cases Jonathan has dealt with include:

Of public interest:

• Acting for the Bradford & Bingley Shareholder’s Action Group and a claim for redress by shareholders following the Government’s intervention into the Bank
• Representing a Government body in judicial review proceedings
• Representing the residents of Knipe Point in Scarborough threatened by unexplained land erosion into the sea
• Pursuing the Co-operative Funeral Company in a high profile case following the incorrect cremation of two bodies in one coffin and exposing funeral company cover-up
• Acting for St Hilda’s Church, Pickering against Natural England with potential judicial review proceedings for failure to grant a licence to remove a plague of bats
• Advising the Worldspreads Action Group on options to recover a black hole in segregated funds following the downfall of the spread betting organisation Worldspreads Limited.

Of commercial interest:

• Acting for a well known cake business in a claim against a seller following the acquisition of a competitor for misrepresentation and breach of warranties.
• Defending a landlord in a claim brought for wrongful termination of a tenancy and conversion of goods complicated by a web of eight companies listed for a three day trial but at which the Claimant was  forced to abandon their claim.
• Acting for a charity to investigate mismanagement of a pension scheme for staff involving issues of authority, negligence and possible criminal proceedings.
• Representing  a property developer in proceedings issued for alleged wrongful termination of a funding agreement in a trial listed in the High Court of Justice.
• Resolving within ten days of instruction a complex insolvency dispute involving an annulment of a bankruptcy order, an application for assessment of the insolvency practitioner’s costs and an application for a sale of a property.
• Investigating on behalf of a charity a substantial hole in its finances where fraud was anticipated including instruction of forensic accountants and a criminal enquiry.
• Acting for leading supplier of kitchen parts for infringement of registered trademarks including related passing off claims.
• Representing an exclusively online retailer in a detailed claim against their IT supplier for failure to deliver a new IT system.
• Acting for an off-shore company in a derivative claim under section 260 of the Companies Act 2006
• Representing food company to defend proceedings brought for alleged misuse of confidential information to obtain a market advantage
• Defending a company against proposed fine by the OFT for alleged price fixing in the construction industry
• Representing a former director of a company for breach of fiduciary duties with a value of in excess of £1 million and proceeded to a five week trial
• Acting for business partner in dispute with the partnership as to numerous investments made in start-up businesses and a failure to account for the proceeds
• Representing in excess of 20 Prontaprint franchisees in disputes with the Franchisor.

Of private interest

• Acting for a beneficiary under two estates raising numerous issues including possession of properties, whether the wills made adequate financial provision, lack of capacity of the testator, conflict of interest and misappropriation of estate assets.
• Pursuing an accountant for acting negligently in his capacity as a trustee and obtaining repayment of missing monies.
• Representing an investor being pursued by spread betting organisation ETX Capital for alleged losses following surprise move by the Swiss National Bank to remove exchange floor.
• Acting for private landlord prosecuted by a local authority for a failure to provide residential accommodation to an appropriate standard.
• Successfully applying for a statutory will to reflect more appropriately the testamentary intentions of a retired businessman suffering from Alzheimer’s disease with total assets in excess of £3,000,000.
• Suing Leeds Building Society for breach of contract and misrepresentation in respect of a private investment.
• Defending defamation proceedings brought against private individual following speech made in public
• Pursuing a firm of solicitors for failure to account for client monies and breach of professional duties
• Obtaining a settlement for individual left destitute following death of partner with no financial provision having been made in the will.
• Pursing on behalf of investors a judgment for in excess of £2 million entered against a company providing negligent financial advice.

What drives you in your career?

I do get a kick out of resolving disputes, representing interesting clients and trying to bring parties together to broker a deal.  At the same time, I also enjoy the thrill of the Court room and fighting hard for a result.

Why did you choose dispute resolution as an area of law to specialise in?

I remember being taken to Court to attend a hearing as part of a work experience placement in the 1980s and I was immediately hooked on litigation.  I was pleased to be offered a position in my then firm’s litigation department upon qualification as a solicitor and have not looked back since.

Are you one of those lawyers that just advise clients to settle?

I hope not.  I do believe in standing up for your rights and not selling yourself short.  However, I settle more of my cases than the national average but importantly on terms which I, and more importantly my clients, believe are fair.

What have been the most interesting cases you have been involved with?

I have to say that although I have been involved in substantive commercial litigation over the years, the cases which really stand out are those in which I have represented individuals or groups with personal issues which have hit the news headlines.  The use of the media to expose wrong doing has always interested me.

What was your most embarrassing professional moment?

This has to be the time I was conducting a trial in South Yorkshire when the seam in my trousers decided to give up.  I had to run out during the lunchtime adjournment and buy a new suit.

What else do you do at Raworths?

I take a particular interest in the firm’s marketing and social events.  I have also set up our Corporate Responsibility Programme called Raworths Responds in which we put in a team of helpers into the local community to make a difference.

What interests do you have outside work?

I have always had an interest in politics and I stood in the General Election in 2005.  Nearly 9,000 people voted for me but it was not sufficient to get elected.  I will therefore stick to being a solicitor.

A client says:  “He is tenacious, thorough and exceptionally experienced in his field. We have always felt very confident following his recommendations and believe he has gone the extra mile with his proactive approach.”

Chambers UK 2019 (Litigation – Yorkshire)

“Jonathan has an excellent grasp of the legal aspects, a fine eye for detail but also keeps his eye on the bigger picture and the financial and human aspects of a case.  Through close teamwork, our tenacity, determination, attention to detail, sound legal arguments and faultless logic led again to a successful outcome.  A job very well done.”

Gerard Verdino, UK Group Chairman, Mademoiselle Desserts UK

“Jonathan has outstanding commercial acumen and is a first-class lawyer. He puts his clients’ objectives at the forefront of his dispute resolution strategy, bringing great focus and creativity to achieving those objectives”.

Mr Charles Samek QC and Mr David Lascelles, Littleton Chambers, London

“It was a pleasure to work with Jonathan in a complex and high value construction claim.  Jonathan’s drafting of the legal proceedings and an application to the Court were both excellent and thorough resulting in a very successful outcome for the client and a recovery of legal costs claimed in full”.

Alexander Hickey QC, 4 Pump Court, London

“Calm but authoritative, inspiring complete confidence in clients” and “work is always within budget and clients’ expectations are effectively managed”

The UK Legal 500 Guide 2017

Seasoned litigator Jonathan Mortimer is acknowledged for his strength in corporate and commercial litigation and regularly handles shareholder and director disputes, professional negligence claims and contract disputes. He wins praise from sources, who describe him as “very pragmatic and practical.”

Chambers 2017

Raworths dispute resolution head Jonathan Mortimer is held in high regard by clients, who “wouldn’t have any hesitation recommending him – he knows the law and the commercial aspects.” He frequently advises businesses on contractual, financial services and professional negligence claims among others.”

Chambers 2016

“The best advice we received from Jonathan Mortimer was “do not blink first”. We held a clear position from the beginning until the conclusion of the trial and ended up completely defeating the claim brought against us. The way that our legal team carried out a forensic examination of the evidence in the claim was exceptional. No stone was left unturned by Jonathan Mortimer.”

Mr David Rawlings

“I referred a complex and long running matter to Jonathan Mortimer. Jonathan had to pick it up with only 2 weeks to go before an important Court hearing. Jonathan’s commitment to the matter in those two weeks was exceptional. He was like a dog with a bone until we reached a resolution which exceeded our expectations.”

Ms P Abbas

“Although faced by a mountain of paper work and a complicated contractual position, Jonathan Mortimer found a clear path through the issues. Our matter was resolved more easily and quickly than I had thought possible. In my eyes, he is a legend.”

Michael Artis, 20.20 Limited

“Jonathan recently advised GSM on a ‘passing off’ dispute. His practical legal advice and direct approach got an immediate result we were delighted with. He quickly understood the issue and responded timely with clear advice.”

John Perry, GSM Group Limited

“As a medium size business we did not want to expose ourselves to litigation with an unpredictable outcome, timeframe or clear budget. Jonathan Mortimer provided a funding solution for our dispute which had no impact on our cash flow. We were also able to obtain an early settlement which has enabled us to move on and develop our business instead of being involved in a lengthy Court battle. We would certainly recommend Jonathan Mortimer for his proactive and commercial approach.”

Chris Booth, Graphics Direct Limited

“Fast, prompt service to all queries and correspondence. Helpful at all times through a long negotiation.”

Mr John Gregory

“I was very satisfied and felt that Jonathan Mortimer played a crucial role in bringing proceedings to a conclusion. Without Jonathan’s initiatives the proceedings would not have been so satisfactorily concluded.”

Mr Simon Greenwood

“In order to achieve a satisfactory outcome Jonathan had to be extremely persistent in pushing for progress during a long process.  We are confident that Jonathan achieved the best outcome for us”.

Mrs Barbara Sutcliffe

“Our case was small and minor to your company but major to us. We almost gave up at the sight of the Court papers. We cannot thank you enough for your help.”

Mr & Mrs E. Barker

“Nobody expects to need a lawyer but when it happens, you want the right lawyer and we had that with Jonathan Mortimer.  Jonathan was clear from start, defining the process and more importantly, explaining the possible outcomes so that we could make informed decisions along the way.  His experience was invaluable, giving us the confidence to progress matters and reach an agreement that worked for our business.  Thank you Jonathan”

Julie Jones, Managing Director, Myddleton Croft Investment Managers