Top-Tier Recognition for Machins in Legal 500 2026
Machins Solicitors continues to set the standard for legal excellence, securing its place as a leading firm in family law for the seventh year running in The Legal 500 2026 rankings.
Neil O’Callaghan
Dispute Resolution, Commercial Litigation, Debt Collection
Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution Team
Contact Information
Testimonials
In terms of what makes the firm unique, having Neil O’Callaghan means that clients can get the same quality of service as they might expect from a specialist City firm, without paying City prices.
Legal 500 2025
Neil O’Callaghan is an excellent solicitor with a great command of the relevant legal framework and the facts of this case. During a conference with the client, Neil was very helpful in bridging the complex legal advice given and the commercial objectives of the client.
Legal 500 2025
Neil O’Callaghan is an excellent and knowledgeable lawyer and a pleasure to work with. He is a specialist in this area and a real asset to the firm. I wish to take this opportunity to thank those involved in my case for their wisdom and professional guidance throughout my case period.
Legal 500 2025
Neil O’Callaghan has great tactical and legal instincts, and is thorough and focused on getting the outcomes his clients want and need
Legal 500 2024
You were straight with me about the possible costs and you stuck to the agreed budget.
Machins Solicitors LLP handles a range of contentious matters, including partnership and property disputes, insolvency litigation, and disputes arising from breach of fiduciary duty. Neil O'Callaghan heads the team, which recently acted for the defendant in a multi-party High Court bankruptcy claim. Other recent work includes acting in a High Court claim for damages in excess of £1.6m relating to faulty products connected to the oil industry, and successfully defending a client against claims for damages arising from allegations of harassment.
Legal 500
Neil O'Callaghan has 'excellent communication skills' and 'a great wealth of experience to draw upon'.
Legal 500
Neil O'Callaghan leads a very strong team of commercial litigators who punch above their weight. Always a pleasure to deal with and great with clients for whom they go above and beyond in securing good commercial resolutions to disputes.
Legal 500 2022
I take this opportunity to thank you and Janice for the sterling work your team has carried out on our behalf and achieved excellent results.
I'd like to thank you for your excellent services and the professional manner in which you handled this matter.
Assistant Manager, Haines Watts
Exemplary professionalism
We have just finished using Neil and team at Machins Solicitors for a business related legal matter - we found them to be extremely efficient, thorough and helpful. We would definitely recommend their services.
Google 5* Review
Neil O’Callaghan is an excellent lawyer and negotiator. A very good strategist and able to get great deals for his clients. On top of the detail, always well prepared, easy to work with and clients seem to love him. Also good at working with opponents despite getting the best deal possible for his own client.
About Neil
Neil heads up the Dispute Resolution team and has substantial experience as a litigator dealing with a vast array of commercial disputes. He has a broad commercial practice covering contractual disputes, director and shareholder disputes, joint venture and partnership disputes, professional negligence, corporate and personal insolvency, and aviation disputes.
Neil is commended by clients for being “user-friendly, down-to-earth and commercial”. His stellar reputation as a seasoned litigator has resulted in frequent instructions from numerous insolvency practitioners, accountancy firms, and other law firms.
Neil regularly deals with cases in the County Court, different divisions of the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Over the years, Neil has built up a vast amount of experience in many different areas of law which he now uses for his clients’ benefit to gain early and commercial settlements where appropriate. He provides pragmatic, commercially sensible advice to provide added value to clients.
Specialist practice areas
- Commercial litigation and mediation
- Professional negligence
- Corporate and personal insolvency litigation
- Aviation litigation
- Shareholder disputes
Latest news by Neil O’Callaghan
UK Business Insolvency Trends 2025: More Companies Struggling Amid Rising Costs
In April 2025, UK corporate insolvencies rose by 2.9% month-on-month, highlighting the growing pressure on businesses amid rising costs, policy shifts, and global trade tensions. This article explores the latest data, expert commentary, and the broader economic context affecting business resilience.
Disclosure Letter Misrepresentation Claim to Proceed to Trial
A High Court ruling confirms that statements in a draft disclosure letter during a corporate sale may support a fraudulent misrepresentation claim, allowing the case to proceed to trial.
Directors Banned for Accepting Orders They Couldn’t Fulfill
George and Williamina Hay, directors of DWH Trading Ltd, were banned after continuing to accept orders they couldn’t fulfill, despite knowing the company was insolvent.
In Memoriam: Robert Bedford
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Robert Bedford, a former partner of Machins Solicitors LLP, who passed away on Saturday, 15th February. Robert joined Machins in 1993 from Penman Johnson, a firm based in Watford. During his time with us, he specialised in employment and personal injury law, working on
Compulsory company liquidations soar by 66% in year to January
The number of compulsory company liquidations soared by 66% in the year to January, according to the latest figures from the Insolvency Service. The number of all company insolvencies was 5% higher than the number in January 2023. Of the 1,769 registered company insolvencies in January 2024: Nicky Fisher, President of R3, the UK’s insolvency
Sharp rise in number of firms facing insolvency and financial distress
The number of firms going out of business or facing serious financial distress has risen sharply this year, according to the latest figures. The Insolvency Service says there were 5,629 corporate insolvencies in Q2, an increase of 12.7% compared to Q1’s figures of 4,995, and an increase of 81.3% compared to Q2 2021 (3,105). Meanwhile,