Richard Colbey is a commercial and competition law barrister who advises and litigates on contract disputes, regulatory issues, competition law, and regulatory enforcement. He works with businesses, regulators, and individuals, and is available for Direct Access instructions across England and Wales.
commercial contracts, breach, misrepresentation
competition law & antitrust cases, market investigations
regulatory enforcement & compliance
dispute resolution: arbitration, alternative process, court litigation
advising businesses, public bodies, individuals
Richard handles matters including:
contract disputes, interpretation, remedies
competition law: abuse of dominance, cartel, merger control
regulatory law: sector regulation, compliance, enforcement
commercial agency agreements, distributorship, franchising
alternative dispute resolution: arbitration, mediation
claims in court, pre-action strategy and applications
Richard Colbey has developed a reputation for combining strong legal analysis with commercially minded strategy. He regularly acts for clients in high-stakes and regulated sectors, guiding them through complex legal and regulatory challenges.
Commercial & Contract Work
He drafts and defends pleadings, advises on performance, termination, warranties, risk allocation, and manages disputes from pre-action through trial and appeal.
Competition & Regulatory Practice
Richard advises on competition compliance, investigates potential breaches, and defends clients in regulatory investigations and enforcement actions across regulated markets.
Dispute Resolution & Advocacy
He appears in court and arbitration for trials, interim relief, injunctions, and appeals. His advocacy is focused, precise, and persuasive.
Working Style & Reputation
Clients value his clear communication, pragmatic approach, and responsiveness. He aligns legal strategy with business objectives and works closely with instructing solicitors and in-house teams.
Notable Cases & Recent Work
Acting for a Yemeni government agency in a £5m dispute over the price of a cargo of oil
ARC v Gunvor [2019] EWHC 3555 (Comm) — acted for an Ecuadorian lawyer in High Court committal proceedings; most allegations defeated and costs limited to under 10% of the other side’s
Schwartz v VGV and others [2020] EWHC 2227 (Ch)
Hodges v Aegis [2014] EWCA Civ 1449 — reported case on the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977
Intermedia v Ashia Centre and others [2020] EWHC 473 (Ch) — family dispute over ownership of valuable development land on the North Circular Road
Winter v TCC [2006] EWCA Civ 1740 — authority on variation of restrictive covenants
Laskar v Laskar — leading case on joint acquisition of property by family members
For more information on Direct Access, Commercial Law and working with our team visit our blog.
