Greg’s practice incorporates contractual disputes, business sale agreements, joint ventures, service and framework contracts, sale of goods (including technology disputes and cases of a scientific nature). Greg regularly appears in the High Court (TCC, Mercantile and QBD), Court of Appeal and in domestic and international Arbitration.

He is regularly instructed to deal with issues of both Contractual interpretation and termination. In tandem with issues that arise in relation to shares and business sales, he has expertise and regularly litigates and advises upon claims against and by directors, shareholder claims and Civil Fraud matters. Greg has dealt with matters of misrepresentation of prospects, agreement clauses, breaches of warranty amongst other common issues that arise in business sale and share purchase matters.

He has a science and mathematics background and therefore understands and is interested in scientific issues and has particular strength in cross-examining experts both scientific and forensic accountants.

He works well with experts and clients and has developed a practice of advising forensic accountants involved in expert determinations on contractual interpretation. He undertakes expert determinations and has done so in disputes including disputes between PLCs in the energy sector.

He advises in-house counsel within PLC clients on the interpretation and effect of contracts and is often called in to advise on tactics leading to and the rights in relation to termination. He understands the commerciality of litigation and looks to achieve outcomes which are geared to a client’s best advantage. He works closely with solicitors, clients and experts to achieve this.

Greg’s experience spans many industries. Recent examples of his industry specific work include:

• Aviation – dispute regarding helicopters and aircraft components.
• Technology – software dispute specifically relating to e-commerce and data management. Hardware matters specifically concerning e-commerce and computer systems for retailers.
• Telecoms – cases concerning mobile networks (network failures and merger incompatibility issues).
• Utilities – Issues in the utility and telecoms industry in terms of defective cabling, delays, incompatibility, severance, rental and expert determination of contractual issues between blue chips.
• Energy – Greg has advised in relation to disputes regarding the build, installation and management of turbines and generators in power stations.
• Manufacturing – Production facility failures ranging from printing machines, to equipment in the food industry to heavy machinery manufacturing.

Greg’s Shareholder claims practice includes matters involving issues of unfair prejudice, just and equitable winding up, derivative action and the interpretation of articles of association. He regularly advises on share sale & shareholder agreements.

Recent instructions have thrown up issues of interaction and conflict of shareholder agreements with the company’s articles, breaches, specific performance and derivative claims.

He is regularly bought in to assist with matters concerning Joint Ventures and the complete spectrum of issues they can give rise to. Recent cases have involved allegations of conspiracies, misrepresentations, fraud as well as questions on partnership and agreement clauses.

Greg also deal with breaches of fiduciary duty by JV company directors and shadow directors. He is also often asked to assist with matters concerning breaches of director’s duties and other forms of prejudicial conduct.

Greg is often instructed in relation to shares and business sales, he has expertise and regularly litigates and advises upon claims against and by directors, shareholder claims and Civil Fraud matters. Recent matters include advising on a multi-million misfeasance and wrongful trading claim.

Greg has significant experience of both statutory and common law procurement processes leading to the formation of contracts.

• Sector wide experience from energy structure including renewable energy infrastructure contracts to healthcare.
• Procurement under the 2015 Regulations including:
  • commercial supplies/services;
  • professional services;
  • aspects specific to the healthcare sector;
  • light touch procurement;
  • advising and acting on an emergency basis;
  • tactical considerations and strategy leading up to and within procurement exercises
  • valuing loss.
• Alternative healthcare regime challenges
• Common law pre-contractual processes, injunctions and damages:
  • ‘Blackpool’ claims for an implied contract that a particular process would be followed including:
    • Injunctions to prevent exclusions/ the agreed process not being followed;
    • Specific performance;
    • Quantification of loss of chance claims;
    • Damages claims.
  • Enforcement of express contractual process provisions/damages claims (as above).

Greg is routinely asked to seek injunctive relief in matters across his practice areas. He is experienced in all manner of commercial injunctions, delivery up and disclosure orders. Some recent examples include:

• Interim injunctions in relation to cessation of services, preservation of assets and goods, preservation of records confidentiality, trade secrets, compliance with shareholders agreements and articles of association, directors’ obligations privacy and secrecy.
• Mandatory injunctions
• Freezing Injunctions
• Delivery up of goods, records, company documents and computer systems
• Doorstep delivery up.
• Norwich Pharmacal Orders
• Specific disclosure application

Cases

A selection of reported cases include:

• Fisken v Carl [2019] EWHC 3360 (Comm) (late amendments)
• Walsh v Walsh & Ors [2019] EWHC 2761 (Ch)
• Hague Plant Limited -v- (1) Martin Hartley Hague (2) Jean Angela Hague (3) MHH Contracting Limited [2018] EWHC 2517 (Ch)
• Colm Gerard Corran v (1) Simon Victor Butters (2) Mark Robert Butters (3) Energy ExpressLtd (4) Greendealexpress Ltd (5) Haus Living Ltd (2017) [2017] EWHC 2294 (Ch) unfair prejudice in circumstances where the alleged quasi partner was an undisclosed bankrupt and the question of whether a quasi partner has the same obligations of utmost good faith as a partner.
• Wilton Uk Ltd (Suing On Behalf Of Itself As Shareholder In Banks Mount Oswald Ltd, The Fifth Defendant) v (1) John Michael Shuttleworth (2) Graham Smith (3) Harry James Banks (4) Banks Group Ltd (5) Banks Mount Oswald Ltd (2017) [2017] EWHC 2195 (Ch)determining that the Court had jurisdiction in a derivative claim to retrospectively validateservice.
• Hague Plant v Hague [2017] EWHC 2021 late attempts at amendment in circumstances where the claimant had previously issued a second set of protective proceedings covering the ground of the amendment.
• Hague Plant Ltd v (1) Martin Hartley Hague (2) Jean Angela Hague (3) MHH Contracting Limited [2016] EWHC 2663 (Ch)
• Hague Plant Ltd v Hague & Ors [2014] EWCA Civ 1609 a leading case on amendment and the structure and form of statements of case.
• Bank Leumi (UK) Plc v Akrill [2014] EWCA Civ 907 principles applicable to summary judgment under CPR 24.
• Hague Plant Ltd v (1) Martin Hartley Hague (2) Jean Angela Hague (3) MHH Contracting Limited [2014] EWHC 568 (Ch)
• Hague Plant Ltd v (1) Martin Hartley Hague (2) Jean Angela Hague (3) MHH Contracting Limited [2014] EWHC 3383 (Ch)
• JW Grant and Co v Troy Foods Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 1702, a leading case on the admissibility of new evidence on an appeal

Commercial Dispute Resolution – London (Bar): “Gregory Pipe is an excellent cross-examiner, who engages well with the judge and is extremely intelligent.” “Gregory Pipe is very client focused.” Chambers UK, 2024

Commercial Litigation: “Very much the complete general commercial litigation barrister – he is very bright and with a deep knowledge of contract law, in addition to which he is an excellent court advocate, has a really good bedside manner with clients, and will also bear in mind the client’s commercial objectives.” Legal 500, 2024

Company: “Very bright with an excellent knowledge of the Companies Act and surrounding case law, he is a truly capable court advocate and a great strategist.” Legal 500, 2024

Commercial Dispute Resolution – London (Bar): “Greg is a very bright barrister and an effective trial advocate.” “He is very commercial and always thinking of things from the client’s perspective.” “Greg is an absolute guru in contract law, who thinks very creatively when framing his cases.” Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2023

Commercial Dispute Resolution – London (Bar): “Very thorough, very good with clients and a good team player.” Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2022

Commercial Dispute Resolution – London (Bar): “He is highly experienced and his strategising is superb.” “A safe pair of hands, who has very good legal knowledge.” Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2021

Commercial Dispute Resolution – London (Bar): “Greg is a good advocate on his feet, who is very tactical and very strategic. He’s excellent on the really heavy stuff and very good with clients.”Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2020

Commercial Dispute Resolution – North Eastern (Bar):“He is brilliant and involved in big cases.” Chambers UK, 2020

“Greg is a superb advocate who is great on his feet.” Chambers UK, 2019

“If you want a lawyer who gets down to the minute detail on a contract case, he’s your man.” Chambers UK, 2018

“Very experienced in shareholder and business sale disputes.” Legal 500, 2017

“He is brilliant – he’s very good at getting your case organised, an excellent and astute advocate, and someone who’s very good tactically and strategically.” “He is very smart, ruthless and fearless and as good a barrister as you are ever going to find.” Chambers UK, 2017

“A heavyweight commercial practitioner.” Legal 500, 2016

“He allies incisive advocacy to marshalling the material and evidence with skill.” Legal 500, 2014

“He is a thorough and extremely well-prepared advocate who leaves no stone unturned.” “He is the guy to go to for a complex and technical contract dispute – frighteningly clever.” Chambers UK, 2014

“A sharp, well-prepared advocate.” Legal 500

Greg is a team player, having been a keen oarsman and sculler for decades. He remains competitive albeit he rows and sculls more slowly than he once did, and is Chairman of York City Rowing Club.

To get away from all things work-related, he goes tall-ship sailing.

In such spare time as he has, he enjoys opera, travel and, of course, his family.

• MA Jurisprudence, St John’s College, Oxford University; LLM, Hughes Hall, Cambridge Barrister, Lincolns Inn, Called 1995, Sunley Scholar at Lincoln’s Inn.
• Lecturer in Law (contract, commercial and restitution; he created and introduced the restitution course at the university) University of Leeds 1990-95