Practice Overview
John’s outstanding experience and success as a solicitor means he is very well placed to act as a mediator and settle a full variety of disputes at all stages of the litigation process. He prides himself on providing a practical and efficient problem-solving approach. John is a ‘people person’ with excellent commercial acumen. An earlier career working in sales and marketing combined with his in-depth legal knowledge and experience, enables him to bring a highly empathetic but commercially pragmatic approach to his work . He ‘gets’ the need for matters to be resolved on sensible commercial terms at an early stage and will always work extremely hard during the mediation process to bring often stressful and expensive legal disputes to a sensible conclusion.
Professional Background
John is a Partner and Head of the Litigation Department at Band Hatton Button LLP, Coventry’s largest law firm. He has been a solicitor for 16 years and a mediator for 13 years. He has great experience of dealing with legal disputes of all values/importance both large and small. John is particularly adept at dealing with disputes in the following areas of law:
- Contract/Consumer
- Shareholder/Partnership
- Professional Negligence
- Probate/Wills/Inheritance Disputes
- Trustee Disputes/TOLATA
- Property especially boundary disputes and landlord/tenant matters
- Employment including Restraint of Trade
- Environmental (Noise Abatement/Health and Safety)
- Regulatory (Planning/Building Regulations)
Before qualifying as a solicitor in 2005, he solved thousands of legal problems as a telephone based advisor for nine years for First Assist Legal Services Limited, a then leading provider of telephone legal advisory and counselling services.
Prior to this, John had a sales/marketing career including stints for Coca-Cola and Schweppes Limited as well as Carlsberg-Tetley Limited that helped develop his commercial acumen.
Endorsements
"I should like to take this opportunity to thank Mr French for his sterling service in assisting the two parties to resolve what, at certain times, has appeared to be an intractable neighbour dispute…In short, I would like to express my thanks to Mr French for his expertise in handling these parties, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend his services to other people in need of a skilful mediator." - Civil Litigation Solicitor
Other Experience
- President of the Warwickshire Law Society 2018/19
- Qualified Barrister (called 1996) and a member of Lincoln’s Inn
Personal Interests
John is married with one daughter, lives in Coventry and enjoys all sports particularly football and cricket. He is a member and player for Stoke Golding Cricket Club which plays in Leicestershire Senior League. John is also a lifelong supporter of Liverpool FC and enjoys reading political and sporting biographies.