Most business disputes are decided in the first two weeks, long before anyone thinks about a court. What you write, what you send and what you keep in that fortnight shapes everything that follows. Here is what we tell every client who rings us on day one.

1. Write down what happened, today

Memories fade and emails get forgotten. Before you do anything else, write a plain timeline: dates, who said what, which document was signed and when. Keep it factual. This note is for your lawyer, not for the other side, and it is the most useful thing you will produce all month.

2. Do not send the angry email

Anything you write now may be read aloud later. Reply to the other side briefly, say you are taking advice, and stop there. If you have already sent something you regret, tell us. It is rarely fatal, but we need to know.

3. Find the contract and read the boring clauses

Notice provisions, dispute resolution clauses and limitation of liability decide more cases than the clauses people argue about. If the contract says disputes go to mediation first, that is where we start. If notice has to be sent by post to a registered office, an email will not do.

4. Get a written view of your position

Within two weeks of instruction every Northgate disputes client receives a short written assessment: where you stand, the realistic outcomes, and what each route would cost. Most people find that once the numbers are on paper, the sensible answer is obvious.

5. Settle early if the deal is good

Around four in five of our disputes end before a hearing. A settlement in week three is usually worth more than a win in month eighteen, once you count management time. We will tell you honestly when that is the case, and fight properly when it is not.

The first call is free and there is no obligation to go further.