Me in a minute

Peter Wood

Partner

Peter is a partner in the litigation and arbitration team and CEO of the dispute resolution team.

He has 30 years of experience and is currently the lead partner in a number of cases in which the amount at stake totals nearly £700 million. Peter specializes in commercial litigation and arbitration, restructuring, insolvency, credit and asset recovery, particularly in regard to company disputes, often advising on shareholder and joint-venture issues.

Peter leads the firm’s global dispute resolution teams comprising over 60 partners, spanning commercial litigation, international arbitration, criminal litigation and white collar investigations, employment, trust and inheritance disputes, family and divorce, with teams based in litigation centres across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Americas.

Peter is fluent in Italian and specialises in advising Italian clients, he is a member of the British Italian Law Association and the Italian Chamber of Commerce.

He is ranked in Chambers Global and Legal 500 and is ‘…praised for his good judgement and client-handling skills’.

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Full profile

Secretary Federica Spagnoletti

+44 20 7597 6438
‘‘

Withers have represented us and our clients, both insurers and collectors, on major and complex cases, all successfully resolved, and are our lead London lawyers.

Julian Radcliffe, Chairman - Art Loss Register
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Peter is ‘…praised for his good judgement and client-handling skills. He is the global head of litigation and regularly handles work for Italian clients … a member of the British Italian Law Association and the Italian Chamber of Commerce, for which he acts as honorary legal counsel.’

Chambers Global, 2016
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The ‘phenomenal’ Peter Wood is ‘very good at identifying arcane points of law and identifying the potential traps before the client walks into them’. Peter is ‘very impressive’.

Legal 500 UK, 2017
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Peter is a true leader and an excellent lawyer and deal-maker.

Legal 500 UK, 2018
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Peter is based in London and typically acts for clients on Italy-related commercial litigation, utilising his fluent Italian. He is someone who can deal with tough clients extremely well and who gets things done. Peter has a sharp mind with an overall view of the big picture in litigation with strong experience in handling commercial disputes on behalf of high net worth individuals, and has notable expertise in matters of Italian law.

Chambers Global 2019
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Peter Wood is a great name in international commercial litigation.

Legal 500 UK, 2020
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Peter Wood is massively experienced and has a real global view over a multitude of jurisdiction. He is an extremely astute litigator, who gives very shrewd and incisive advice.

Legal 500 UK, 2020

Focus areas

Private companies

Public companies

Brands

Italy

Europe

Singapore

United Kingdom

Fashion

Families and family offices

High-net-worth individuals

Leaders and senior executives

Track record

Admissions

Memberships

Acting against an Italian listed multinational for breach of an exclusive agency agreement before the ICC in Paris where issues of illegality, corruption and international public policy were found.

Advising in Arbitration before ICC arising out of termination of an agency agreement between an Italian firm and an Iranian company.

Acted for Greek clients in substantial LCIA arbitration (under the LCIA rules) in respect of a proposed merger in Greek Pay TV market.

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England and Wales, 1988

British Virgin Islands, 2013

British Italian Law Association - ex-President

Member of the London Court of International Arbitration

Italian Chamber of Commerce, London- Honorary Legal Counsel

Association of Business Recovery Professionals

British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce

Business Club Italia

Me in a minute

I enjoy getting to know my clients and their businesses

I have always enjoyed a good argument and finding solutions where others have failed and in the past 25 years have come to enjoy taking clients through the inevitable strains and stresses of commercial disputes and out the other side.

Since I grew up in Italy and speak fluent Italian I have for almost all of my professional life acted for Italian companies and investors and enjoy getting to know my new clients and their businesses.

I am often asked to help mediate between the competing Anglo Saxon approach to disputes and the more ‘commercial’ approach taken by European clients and crossing that divide is a real joy.

I get a real kick out of seeing those I interviewed as potential trainees finally qualify into my department and in some cases even making partner so I must along the road have got something right.

When not in the office I try to guide a small white ball into 18 holes in a number of shots which is ideally less than 90 …as a means of relaxation.

Me in a minute

Education

Warwick University, B.A. (Hons) Law & Sociology

Languages

  • English
  • Italian

Dates

Joined

1995
Partner

1995

Recognition

Regularly works with...