header-logo header-logo

15 October 2020 / George Sim
Issue: 7906 / Categories: Features , Expert Witness
printer mail-detail

Forensic accounting: Unscrambling partnership disputes

29207
George Sim looks at the financial aspects of partners falling out

In brief

  • Types of disputes which may arise.
  • Identifying the issues to address.

A Statistical Release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in October 2019 notes that there were approximately 405,000 partnerships in the UK at the start of 2019. Partnerships are easy to set up, and combine ownership with control. Another advantage is that there are no statutory administrative requirements for most partnerships: unless they are limited liability partnerships, they do not have to provide information to Companies House about their ownership, management or financial position or comply with the other requirements of the Companies Acts.

The extent to which partnerships document the relations between partners varies: some have complex partnership deeds whereas others work less formally. Disputes between partners may arise in any partnership, however, and a partnership deed may not address the cause. Although disputes may arise for reasons such as the direction of the business, financial considerations will often be

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gardner Leader—Charlotte Botham & Belinda Sinnott

Gardner Leader—Charlotte Botham & Belinda Sinnott

Law firm strengthens real estate team with two new partners

DR Solicitors—Sarah Cook

DR Solicitors—Sarah Cook

DR Solicitors strengthens primary care expertise with appointment of legal director

Womble Bond Dickinson—David Varney

Womble Bond Dickinson—David Varney

Womble Bond Dickinson appoints David Varney to strengthen digital practice

NEWS
A deputy costs judge correctly exercised his discretion to allow late service rather than strike out the point of dispute, the Court of Appeal has held
Prince Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and five others have lost their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, in Various Claimants v Associated Newspapers [2026] EWHC 1637 (KB)
Public confidence in the justice system is being undermined by a lack of accessible, useable data, magistrates have warned
The Sentencing Council has launched draft guidelines for facilitation and endangering another person during a sea crossing to the UK
Government proposals to make independent written legal advice a prerequisite for workplace non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) may prove unworkable, according to a senior employment lawyer
back-to-top-scroll