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 David Bridge
Partner

David Bridge

Solicitor Advocate

Languages
  • English
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David Bridge is a partner and solicitor advocate in the Commercial Disputes Team at CMS London. He has over 10 years of experience handling large and complex claims, involving litigation, arbitration and all forms of ADR.

David’s work often involves claims for breach of contract, misrepresentation and shareholder/investor disputes. He regularly advises clients across a range of industry sectors, with a particular focus on life sciences and hotels & leisure.

David sits as an observer on the City of London Law Society Litigation Committee. He is recognised as a “Rising Star” in the 2013 to 2016 (inclusive) editions of London Super Lawyers and is published in a range of industry journals. He is a co-author of the English law chapter of the CMS Guide to International Arbitration.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "David Bridge is phenomenal, having the perfect blend of legal knowledge, commercial acumen and extensive litigation experience. He is also a natural born leader."
    Legal 500, 2025
  • Quote
    "He is technically excellent, hard-working, savvy and very pragmatic. A real class act."
    Client Feedback

Relevant experience

  • A leading hotel & resort operator successfully obtaining injunctive relief preventing the termination of a long term management agreement, in support of LCIA arbitration proceedings.
  • A global pharmaceutical company in relation to a USD 500m claim for the recovery of the proceeds of patent litigation and a related shareholder tax claim.
  • A hotel owner in a USD 100m dispute with a global hotel operator.
  • A multinational corporation in relation to a large-scale fraud committed by its former senior management and related parties.
  • A commercial bank defending LCIA arbitration proceedings arising out of a disputed EUR 50 million investor option to acquire shares in a regional commercial bank prior to its merger.
  • IT corporation in relation to the defence of a claim by the UK Government concerning a significant and high-profile contract.
  • Successful settlement of a substantial joint venture shareholder dispute concerning the building of a luxury hotel in Moscow. In conjunction with CMS Moscow, David assisted the client in defending various claims for breach of contract, fiduciary duty, and fraud (with a total value of approximately USD 1bn) in addition to resisting cross-border injunctive relief in Cyprus and dealing with issues of enforcement in the British Virgin Islands.

Publications

  • 2015 - Crowdfunding litigation - power to the people? - Legal Business Disputes Yearbook
  • 2015 - No win, no fee, no problem? - The Journal
  • 2013 - Stepping into the unknown – Solicitors Journal
  • 2013 - We've got the power – The Commercial Litigation Journal
  • 2010 - The long road to non-enforcement – Global Arbitration Review
  • 2008 - Bond ‘no action’ clause: covers all claims – Practical Law Company

Memberships & Roles

  • International Centre for Dispute Resolution
  • LCIA Young International Arbitration Group
  • ICC Young Arbitrators Forum
  • City of London Law Society Litigation Committee (observer)

Lectures list

  • 2016 - Informa EU Pharmaceutical Law Forum 
  • 2016 - Hotel Owners Conference

Education

  • 2013 – Higher Rights of Audience (Civil)
  • 2003 – Legal Practice Course, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
  • 2002 – Post Graduate Diploma in Law, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
  • 2001 – BA, University of Birmingham, Birmingham

David Bridge is a partner and solicitor advocate with 18 years of experience handling claims involving international arbitration and all forms of ADR.

He typically acts on large, complex disputes, often involving shareholder/investor claims (including claims against states), M&A litigation and allegations of fraud.  David has a particular focus on the hotel & leisure sector and regularly advises hotel owners and operators on international/cross-border disputes, often involving termination of HMAs, franchise disputes and expert determinations concerning the operation of hotels and related issues. 

David is a key member of CMS’ market-leading hotels team, which is the number one law firm in Europe in the sector and the only law firm ranked in the top tier for hotels work by both Chambers and Legal 500 directories.  

Legal 500 credits him as “showing real leadership and class; he is a calming influence” and he was shortlisted as a Rising Star at The Legal Week Commercial Litigation & Arbitration Awards 2019.  Clients describe him as “Outstanding” (General Counsel of FTSE 100 company).  

David is published in a range of journals and speaks at industry events, including the UK Hotel Owners Conference on topic such as “Trust me, I’m an operator: anticipating issues before they arise”.  He is co-author of the English law chapter of the CMS Guide to International Arbitration and a member of the LCIA.  David also edits the firm’s flagship International Disputes Digest bi-annual publication and is a member of the CMS Disputes Practice Management Committee.

Relevant experience

  • The owner of a 5* Moroccan hotel in an LCIA arbitration concerning the disputed termination of the hotel management by the previous US operator of the hotel, involving allegations of fraud.  The total value of the claim was USD 150.5m.
  • The operator of a luxury golfing resort in High Court proceedings and a subsequent LCIA arbitration over a disputed termination of a management agreement for loss of trust and confidence.  The case involved securing two injunctions and an expedited LCIA arbitration.
  • The owner of a 5* London hotel in connection with the proposed termination of a hotel management agreement operated by a US hospitality company and an expert determination regarding the fees charged to the owner.
  • Approximately 200 investors in a bilateral investment treaty dispute regarding the alleged mishandling of a UAE-based residential and hotel development.
  • An owner of a UK hotel in a disputed termination of its franchise agreement with a leading US hotel and resort chain.
  • Successful settlement of a substantial joint venture shareholder dispute concerning the building of a luxury hotel in Moscow. In conjunction with CMS Moscow, David assisted the client in defending various claims for breach of contract, fiduciary duty, and fraud (with a total value of approximately USD 1bn) in addition to resisting cross-border injunctive relief in Cyprus and dealing with issues of enforcement in the British Virgin Islands.
  • The owner of a luxury hotel in Dubai on terminating its hotel management agreement with one of the world's largest hotel companies.
  • A credit hire company in a GBP 127m claim for unlawful means conspiracy, in what has been described as the largest ever fraud on the civil justice system and one of the largest and most complex matters recently before the Commercial Court. 
  • Advising a federal republic on a challenge under section 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 of a USD 70m award made in an UNCITRAL arbitration pursuant to a bilateral investment treaty.
  • Advising the owner in relation to claims in connection with its flagship 5* European hotel, operated by a US multinational operator, and substantial renegotiation of its portfolio of European HMAs and franchise agreements. 

Publications

  • 2015 - Crowdfunding litigation - power to the people? - Legal Business Disputes Yearbook
  • 2015 - No win, no fee, no problem? - The Journal
  • 2013 - Stepping into the unknown – Solicitors Journal
  • 2013 - We've got the power – The Commercial Litigation Journal
  • 2010 - The long road to non-enforcement – Global Arbitration Review
  • 2008 - Bond ‘no action’ clause: covers all claims – Practical Law Company

Memberships & Roles

  • International Centre for Dispute Resolution
  • LCIA Young International Arbitration Group
  • ICC Young Arbitrators Forum
  • City of London Law Society Litigation Committee (observer)

Lectures list

  • 2016 - Informa EU Pharmaceutical Law Forum 
  • 2016 - Hotel Owners Conference

Education

  • 2013 – Higher Rights of Audience (Civil)
  • 2003 – Legal Practice Course, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
  • 2002 – Post Graduate Diploma in Law, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
  • 2001 – BA, University of Birmingham, Birmingham

David is a Partner and Solicitor Advocate with 18 years of experience handing large and complex claims, involving litigation, arbitration and all forms of ADR. 

David has a particular focus on the life sciences sector and regularly acts for global pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment manufacturers and private healthcare providers on international/cross-border disputes. 

Legal 500 credits him as “showing real leadership and class; he is a calming influence” and he was shortlisted as a Rising Star at The Legal Week Commercial Litigation & Arbitration Awards 2019.

David is published in a range of industry journals and a past speaker at the EU Pharmaceutical Law Forum in Brussels. He is a co-author of the English law chapter of the CMS Guide to International Arbitration, edits the firm’s flagship International Disputes Digest publication and is a member of the CMS Lifesciences Sector and Disputes Practice Management Committees.  

Relevant experience

  • A global research based company on a £500m+ shareholder dispute arising out of an acquisition of a global pharmaceutical company.
  • A leading US provider of medical devices and procedure based solutions in disputed termination of key distributorship agreements relating to networks in the EMEA region and claims for compensation.    
  • A global healthcare company in successfully defending a claim by an Israeli distributor for breach of a pharmaceutical exclusive distributorship agreement and for a mandatory injunction requiring the client to continue to supply.
  • A UK private healthcare provider in connection with allegations of fraudulent invoicing claims for treatments provided to insured patients, including investigating the allegations and defending the claims brought by insurers.
  • Medtronic in relation to lobbying regarding Directive (EU) 2020/1828 on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers and its impact.
  • A global lifesicences company in a substantial manufacturing dispute regarding drug development.  
  • Various clients in relation to group litigation orders or threatened group litigation orders arising out of product liability claims.
  • A European care services group in successfully resolving breach of warranty and other claims arising from a GBP 120m acquisition of a UK luxury care homes business.  
  • A global pharmaceutical company on investigating allegations of fraud and bribery in a Russian business. 
  • A credit hire company in a GBP 127m claim for unlawful means conspiracy, in what was described as the largest ever fraud on the civil justice system and was one of the largest and most complex matters before the Commercial Court in recent years. 
  • A global entertainment business in defence of a USD 3bn unfair prejudice petition, involving injunctive relief, an expert determination and ongoing High Court proceedings in relation to the exploitation of sports data rights.  
  • A leading UK health provider in relation to a GBP 26m claim arising from the disputed exercise of a call option to acquire shares in a marked leading business providing teleradiology services to the NHS.
  • A specialist medical services company providing response services for clinical trials and medical information in defending complex High Court representative proceedings commenced on behalf of all its former, current and future employees in relation to its alleged failure to make contributions to an employee benefit trust.  

Publications

  • 2015 - Crowdfunding litigation - power to the people? - Legal Business Disputes Yearbook
  • 2015 - No win, no fee, no problem? - The Journal
  • 2013 - Stepping into the unknown – Solicitors Journal
  • 2013 - We've got the power – The Commercial Litigation Journal
  • 2010 - The long road to non-enforcement – Global Arbitration Review
  • 2008 - Bond ‘no action’ clause: covers all claims – Practical Law Company

Memberships & Roles

  • International Centre for Dispute Resolution
  • LCIA Young International Arbitration Group
  • ICC Young Arbitrators Forum
  • City of London Law Society Litigation Committee (observer)

Lectures list

  • 2016 - Informa EU Pharmaceutical Law Forum 
  • 2016 - Hotel Owners Conference

Education

  • 2013 – Higher Rights of Audience (Civil)
  • 2003 – Legal Practice Course, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
  • 2002 – Post Graduate Diploma in Law, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
  • 2001 – BA, University of Birmingham, Birmingham