William Charrington
Partner
William is a litigator who advises corporate clients, institutions and high-net-worth individuals on contentious matters including resolving complex contractual and civil fraud disputes. His practice has a strong focus on disputes involving intellectual property, art and cultural property.
William’s clients in the art world include galleries, museums, artists and collectors. He has acted in art disputes involving allegations of misrepresentation over provenance, false attribution, theft, looted artworks and contested donations.
His work in the art sector combines with his expertise in copyright infringement and misuse of trade marks. In terms of IP and commercial litigation, he regularly acts on brand disputes and disputes involving misuse of information and breaches of restrictive covenants in the employment context.
William has a special interest in civil fraud and has advised clients on applications for interim relief including freezing injunctions, asset disclosure orders and passport seizure orders.
William has extensive court experience and has conducted cases in a range of jurisdictions including the Commercial Court, Technology and Construction Court, Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and the Court of Appeal.
William advises on alternative forms of dispute resolution such as mediation and arbitration. His pragmatic approach has helped clients to settle disputes on satisfactory terms without having to involve the courts.
William recognises the burden that litigation can place on clients in terms of time and costs. He therefore encourages clients to think about managing their litigation risk at the earliest opportunity. He advises clients when contractual terms are being negotiated, counselling on potential dangers and on the inclusion of the most appropriate dispute resolution provisions.
William is an Italian speaker and runs the firm’s Italian desk.
