Commercial Disputes

Are you involved in a business dispute?
Are you faced with a dispute where financial issues are key?
Do you need advice on how to approach the matter?

Most businesses will face a dispute situation at some point – whether it is a dispute with a supplier, a customer, a regulator, or a whole range of related issues. We can assist you throughout the process, whether in an informal forum or in litigation, mediation or arbitration. We help clients at any stage of a dispute, for example by providing independent advice to those contemplating a dispute, by investigating and analysing evidence related to the dispute, providing expert witness reports or advising on dispute resolution.

More about this service

We can provide an unrivalled range of industry expertise and access to a number of specialists, including valuation experts and economists – drawing on both our local team and PwC's global network of firms. Our forensic services experts are experienced in giving evidence in court as well as in arbitration hearings and other forums.

Potential issues

• You are involved in a business dispute or a commercial dispute involving the execution of a contract
• You are involved in litigation/arbitration and require an expert witness or an independent investigation of facts
• You have uncovered an intellectual property infringement
• You have a post acquisition warranty claim
• You are involved in an insurance claim dispute
• You are involved in a dispute involving management of licenses and royalties
• You need an independent evaluation of loss and damage arising from a breach of contract or breach of law

How we can support you

• Provide independent advice to assess and evaluate the merits of a dispute
• Analyse financial material
• Evaluate loss and damage suffered as a result of the dispute
• Utilise proprietary computer forensic techniques to capture, manage and analyse data for disclosure/discovery
• Support at mediations including:
  - Quantification of loss and damage
  - Financial, economic and accounting analyses
• Assist and advise on dispute resolution
• Provide expert witness evidence in legal proceedings

Our commercial disputes services cover

• Breach of contract or breach of law claims
• Disputes with directors or employees
• Competition enquiries
• Actions against professional advisers

An important and sometimes necessary facet of commercial dispute is the need for an expert to testify in court on the evidence.

Complex business disputes can arise anywhere in the world over a diverse set of circumstances. Organizations are beleaguered by litigation from competitors, customers, suppliers, subcontractors, employees, shareholders, business partners, regulators, and the public at-large. In these disputes, it is often the testimony of an expert witness that decides who will prevail.

Simply stated, the role of the expert witness is to provide objective opinions to the court on technical matters that require specialized knowledge or expertise. To be persuasive, an expert witness must be both experienced and knowledgeable in their field and must also be perceived as independent and objective.

Disputes vary by country, region and geography, so knowledge of local business customs and the related legal environment is crucial. With offices around the globe, we deliver the power of our firm with a local accent. We also understand the technical language of industry and how to translate it to local settings.

The PwC brand combined with our expert’s personal education, training and experience is a powerful combination. Many of our clients believe that we are the most credible source for expert testimony when it comes to their business affairs. In fact, jurors may even perceive our absence negatively, possibly indicating management’s desire not to be forthcoming with the true facts of their business.