About Us

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Francis Wilks & Jones is a London-based firm of commercial lawyers specialising in insolvency, dispute resolution, litigation, and tax. Since 2002, we have helped thousands of business owners, directors, shareholders and private individuals resolve complex financial and commercial problems quickly, effectively, and with minimal disruption.

We act for UK and overseas clients across all major sectors, combining technical excellence with practical, people-focused advice.

Who we are

We are an independent law firm built on collaboration and results. Our partners and senior lawyers bring experience from leading City and regional firms but share one aim to provide top-tier legal expertise with the responsiveness and personal service of a smaller practice.

We are known for our strength in commercial disputes, director defence, and company rescue work. Every client benefits from direct access to senior lawyers who understand the pressures of running a business and the importance of cost control, reputation, and outcomes.

Our offices are based in central London, serving clients across England & Wales.

Who we work for

Our clients range from small and medium-sized businesses to private individuals and professional advisers. What they share is the need for clear, confident advice from lawyers who understand how legal problems affect real-world goals.

• SMEs, Directors & Shareholders – we support owner-managed businesses, directors, and shareholders facing commercial or financial challenges. This includes commercial litigation and dispute resolution, company rescue, debt recovery, shareholder disputes, HMRC tax claims, director defence and director disqualification work.
• Private clients – we help individuals manage financial and legal difficulties, often linked to their business interests. Our services include assistance with HMRC tax issues, debt recovery for private clients, bankruptcy help, private commercial litigation and dispute resolution, and professional negligence claims.
• Accountants and their clients – we work alongside accountancy firms and other professional advisers, providing legal support for their clients in contentious situations. This includes defending winding-up petitions, handling director and tax-related claims, and advising on insolvency risks and recovery actions.
• Insolvency Practitioners – we advise officeholders on asset recovery, misfeasance and antecedent transaction claims, director conduct reports, and court applications under the Insolvency Act 1986. Our team also assists with complex director disqualification proceedings and connected public interest winding-up petitions.

Each relationship is built on trust, responsiveness, and practical problem-solving.

What we do

We help SMEs, directors, and business owners resolve financial and commercial challenges efficiently. Our core service areas are:

• Bankruptcy & personal insolvency: advising private clients and insolvency practitioners on bankruptcy petitions, annulments, and trustee disputes.
• Company rescue & insolvency: guiding businesses and directors through companies in financial distress, administration, liquidation, and restructuring.
• Debt recovery & enforcement: recovering unpaid debts for SMEs, individuals, and creditors, including county court claims, statutory demands, winding-up petitions, and judgment enforcement.
• Director defence & disqualification: advising company directors facing Insolvency Service enquiries, threats of disqualification or defending claims from HMRC, liquidators, administrators or fellow directors and shareholders.
• Dispute resolution & commercial litigation: handling contract, business, and shareholder disputes through negotiation, mediation, or court proceedings in the County Court and High Court.
• Freezing orders & injunctions: applying for, defending, or discharging urgent court freezing orders to protect or release assets, including defence of HMRC account freezing orders.
• Professional negligence claims: pursuing or defending negligence actions involving accountants, tax advisers, and other professionals.
• Shareholder & partnership disputes: resolving issues such as deadlock, unfair prejudice, director removal and successful business exit.
• Tax disputes & HMRC investigations: representing companies and individuals in HMRC enquiries, COP8 and COP9 investigations, winding up petitions, R&D claims, MTIC & VAT fraud actions and tax-related insolvency actions.

Our lawyers work seamlessly across these areas, ensuring every case is handled by the right combination of specialists.

How we work

Our approach is straightforward: early assessment, practical solutions, and open communication. We keep clients informed at every stage and focus on achieving the best commercial result, not simply the legal one.

We offer flexible pricing including fixed fees and staged arrangements, giving clients clarity from the outset. Many of our instructions come through long-term relationships with accountants, insolvency practitioners, and other professionals who trust us with their clients.

Why choose FWJ

Clients choose Francis Wilks & Jones for our combination of deep legal knowledge, hands-on experience, and commercial judgement. We understand that disputes and financial pressures can be stressful, so we work quickly, discreetly, and always with your business objectives in mind. We are also easy to get on with.

If you need clear, practical advice on a business dispute, director issue, tax claim or insolvency problem, contact our team today to see how we can help.