Graham Small, Senior Partner

Professional Profile

Graham specialises in commercial matters and most particularly commercial litigation and dispute resolution, where he heads up the team at Lewis Hymanson Small.

He has gained enormous experience and success with clients in substantial contractual disputes, cross-border litigation, professional negligence, property and defamation matters.

Professional Memberships

• Law Society
• British Association for Sport and Law

Awards & Accolades

• Regularly featured in both Chambers and Legal 500 Directories
• Chambers & Partners Directory 2008
  Widely perceived as "far sighted and sensible".
• Mohammed Al Fayed and Others v Metropolitan Police Commission, Jeffrey Rees and Others [2004] CA (Civ Div) LTL 25.11.04, QVD (Creswell J) 13.8.02, CA (Civ Div) LTL 29.5.02
  Successful defence of a claim for wrongful arrest and detention arising from the break in of Tiny Rowlands safety deposit box at Harrods. Matter proceeding to the Court of Appeal on two occasions and trial lasting 2 weeks.
• Douce v Staffordshire City Council [2002] LTL 19.4.02
  Successfully argued that a Defendant Counsel owed a duty of care to residential care home. The issue of fact and interpretation were justiciable and necessitated trial.
• Bridges Network, Inc v Bridges TV UK and others [2006] United States District Court, Western District of New York [unreported]
  Defended a multi million dollar claim brought in the United States (together with threatened parallel UK proceedings) against a UK based TV company. Personally attended and conduct Court appointed mediation in state of New York resulting in a binding settlement.
• Horton v Sadler [2006] UK HL 27 (2006) 3 All ER 1177
  Part of the legal team that obtained a successful House of Lords ruling overturning a rule of law that had stood for nearly 30 years and thereby reversing the Rule in Walkeley

Career History Timeline

• 1987 - Admitted
• 1987 to 1989 - Solicitor at DWF
• 1989 to 1997 - Partner at DWF
• 1997 to 2005 - Partner at Rowe Cohen
• 2005 to 2007 - Managing Partner at Rowe Cohen
• 2007 to present - Partner at Lewis Hymanson Small

Personal Profile

Graham is married with 2 children and would like to consider himself a retired sportsman. When not watching his beloved Everton FC he is a member of Heswall Golf Club. His sporting achievements include playing amateur rugby for New Brighton Rugby Club and football in the old Northern League for South Liverpool. He is particularly proud of having played in both senior rugby (Pilkington) and football (FA) cup competitions in his formative years. He is the best player never to play for Everton FC.