A David vs. Goliath case: Achieving a 92% recovery uplift against a global corporation

Taking on a multi-national corporation as an independent business owner isn’t for the faint-hearted. In fact, most contractors would baulk at the thought of doing so.

This particular case had a conventional background – an independent contractor who was working as a consultant to overhaul a corporation’s HR Department and internal processes. A fee structure was agreed and the work completed to a good standard. However, problems started when payment was withheld and the corporation stated that the consultant had not done the job correctly.

At this point, the claimant sought legal advice through lawyers using the traditional fee paying model, to no avail.

The disputed amount was £65,000, so no small sum. Most contractors aren’t in a position to simply write a dispute off like a business can, and with no finance or legal department to call upon it’s also difficult for sole traders to know where to turn for help when things go wrong.

Luckily the contractor was recommended to Nick Harvey and Escalate by a mutual friend. Having assessed the claim for its legal merits, we agreed to fund the case and were able to make a full recovery – plus interest and costs – within 3 months of being instructed.

The final settlement was £125,000 – an astonishing 92% more than the original disputed amount and far exceeding the original invoice total.

The key takeaway is that no company is too big to be taken on by Escalate

1. If a claim has a strong prospect of recovery and has passed our stringent checks, it has our full commitment to being resolved, no matter what the cost. We can do this because we’re the funder and insurer in one.
2. Stalling and delaying tactics to drag out a claim don’t work, and end up costing the Defendant far more in the long-run.
3. If the traditional fee-paying legal system truly worked, this case would have been resolved long before it reached Escalate.

The contractor was understandably delighted at the result:

I found myself facing a daunting challenge with a global multinational that consistently refused to settle their outstanding invoices. Frustrated by the lack of progress through traditional legal avenues, which not only proved unsuccessful but also demanded upfront funding, I was fortunate to be recommended to Nick Harvey and Escalate Disputes.

Nick immediately introduced me to Matthew O’Brien and from the outset, the team exhibited a level of professionalism and expertise that delighted and surpassed my expectations. They approached my case with rigour and commitment, swiftly transforming no communication into a constructive negotiation for payment in a matter of weeks. Matthew not only re-engaged where there was silence previously, but successfully navigated through the complexities of the dispute, securing a resolution that far exceeded my initial invoice total.

One aspect that truly sets Escalate apart is their unique and totally fair fee structure, one specifically designed to help the small business owner. Despite the exceptional results achieved, their fees were reasonable, in as much that they take all the pressure of what an incredibly stressful situation is away from you and the return on investment was unquestionably positive. I was not only left with the recovered amount owed to me, but after their fees I ended up with more than my original invoice total – a testament to the effectiveness of their approach.

This article originally appeared as a LinkedIn article. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help to resolve your dispute, please get in touch with us.