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susan howe

Susan Howe

Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution

Ade Dietz
Ade Dietz is Susan's PA
uk leading individual 2024

About Susan

Susan heads up our Dispute Resolution team and is recognised by the Legal 500 UK as a Leading Individual.

As one of the region’s leading litigators she has extensive experience in managing large-scale, complex multi-party disputes and cross-jurisdictional litigation and emergency remedies, regularly advising a number of regional, national and international clients to resolve conflict and achieve successful results.

Susan is not only one of the most respected litigators in the North East but is acknowledged by the UK’s leading legal directories as someone who 'you want on your side in a dispute.' Chambers and Partners state that she is a notable practitioner who is ‘very effective’ and ‘has a fine track record in complex commercial disputes.’ Clients note that she 'provides excellent leadership and brings a wealth of commercial experience.'

Acting for regional, national and international clients, Susan and her experienced team focus on resolving disputes – whatever the sector.

Although Susan’s strength lies in complex, heavyweight litigation, she also regularly helps businesses to find alternative ways out of conflict to preserve a working relationship including mediation, early neutral evaluation and expert determination wherever possible. 

Susan Howe provides excellent leadership and brings a wealth of commercial experience to this very strong team.

Legal 500 UK, client quote
Financial Institutions

Susan has extensive experience in large-scale, complex multi-party disputes and cross-jurisdictional litigation, particularly financial asset tracing and freezing orders. She led the team which recovered $42 million for the Argo Fund in the landmark case which clarified the term “bank or financial institution”

More recently, Susan has advised on Financial Services Authority regulatory issues including advising pension scheme trustees on breaches by fund managers, acted for an appointed representative in a multi-million-pound dispute for payment of a guarantee and defended a complex pension scheme claim on behalf of a specialist actuarial and employee benefits company.

I have worked with Susan Howe for years now and not only is she technically excellent but she understands the commercial realities of business better than any litigation lawyer I have ever come across.

Legal 500 UK, client quote
Energy

Susan regularly provides advice to key energy providers and is currently advising on a multinational subsea, onshore and offshore and surface technologies business in relation to disputes with a contractor and subcontractor arising out of the construction of a complex structure for holding umbilical cabling. Susan also acted for EDMI Limited, a global provider of smart metering solutions.

“We initially instructed Susan Howe at Muckle LLP through our operations in Singapore to advise on a potential dispute.

“This required extremely urgent action which Muckle’s team responded to straight away. 

Their actions ultimately led to a satisfactory outcome that allowed the business to continue its growth. As a result of Muckle’s expertise and service in managing this potential dispute, EDMI then instructed Muckle LLP to assist in setting up our first UK office in Newcastle upon Tyne. 

“We enjoyed the commerciality of the team at Muckle who made themselves available to suit our timelines and helped us achieve our objectives.” 

Ken Forster, EDMI Europe
General Manager
Manufacturing

Susan regularly advises leading manufacturers on all aspects of contractual, logistical and procurement issues.

She recently acted for a manufacturer to defend a £60million warranty claim following the acquisition of its business. The matter included complex claims surrounding the warranties given, particularly aspects of the accounting warranties. Susan’s track record for innovation and creativity lead to her becoming a pioneer in the region using AI-based technology-assisted review and predictive coding to reduce over one million documents by more than 90% which provided significant cost and time savings in this multimillion-pound costs assessment.

Banking & Finance

Susan has extensive experience in large-scale, complex multi-party disputes and cross-jurisdictional litigation, particularly financial asset tracing and freezing orders. She led the team which recovered $42 million for the Argo Fund in the landmark case which clarified the term “bank or financial institution”

More recently, Susan has advised on Financial Services Authority regulatory issues including advising pension scheme trustees on breaches by fund managers, acted for an appointed representative in a multi-million-pound dispute for payment of a guarantee and defended a complex pension scheme claim on behalf of a specialist actuarial and employee benefits company.

“Susan has a clear grasp of commercial realities and her strategic approach gets positive results quickly without wasting her client’s money.”

Alick Campbell, Moneygate Group Ltd
Head of Investment Management
Construction & Engineering

Susan has extensive experience in heavyweight multi-party litigation, arbitration and adjudication in complex construction and engineering disputes. She advised a contractor in relation to the Grenfell Inquiry on the Inquiry process and how to respond to requests for information, prepare submissions and witness evidence and correspond with the Inquiry on the client’s behalf. Susan also recently advised a national house builder in respect of a £1m group action multi-party claim in the Technology and Construction Court brought by several purchasers on a high-end residential development. The claims include various disputes concerning pay less notices, claims in tort, breach of contract and claims under the Defective Premises Act 1972.

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