Nicholas
Mellis

Nick joined the Hunt ADR Arb Ex programme in 2022. A Chartered Arbitrator reviewed his awards and said, “Awards were very good and a pleasure to see the commitment to sound judicial capacity”.

Nick has been practising as an arbitrator for over three years, notably with the ABTA Travel Arbitration scheme. He has arbitrated over twenty disputes, including those involving conflicts of law. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).

Nick also holds an LLM in International Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary University of London, where he graduated with Merit.

From his past career, Nick has extensive experience in banking and financial services.

He has in-depth knowledge of the UK banking and financial services regulatory landscape in which banking and financial services companies operate. This provides Nick with an ideal basis to advise banking and financial services clients.

In the past year he has represented clients in complex motor finance claims allocated to the small claims and fast track, with a primary focus on claimants.

Nick has broad commercial experience, leading detailed business analysis for complex technology projects, such as replacing high-value payments infrastructure in the financial services sector.

His experience in the financial services and banking sectors means he has an in-depth understanding of the many regulatory hurdles faced by financial services and technology companies implementing new technology in a highly regulated industry.

This gives him an insider’s view of the types of technology disputes, allowing him to provide pragmatic, commercially informed advice to potential technology and financial services clients where litigation or arbitration of a dispute is contemplated or pending.

Nick is currently a student at King’s College London, where he is pursuing an LLM in Digital and Intellectual Property law.

Nick has represented claimant and defendant companies in complex business-to-business disputes, advising them on case management strategies and representing them in court.

Nick also drafts opinions and takes on drafting work for claimant and defendant companies contemplating litigation in a commercial dispute.

Nick undertakes general civil law practice, with a focus on negligence, personal injury, credit hire, and property disrepair. He regularly handles complex fast-track claims and is respected for his robust cross-examinations of witnesses and persuasive advocacy on behalf of his client. He places a strong focus on client care, ensuring that his client is fully aware of and understands his advice and the legal consequences of following a particular course of action. His client is always at the forefront of his mind throughout the litigation process.

Nick acts for Claimants and Defendants across a range of civil law areas, including:

•          Breach of contract claims;
•         Road traffic accident claims, including personal injury and credit hire;
•         Motor finance claims against motor finance providers;
•          Consumer Rights claims for defective products, e.g. motor vehicles;
•          Breach of tenancy obligations by tenants and landlords, including disrepair and payment of rent;
•          Applications for default strike-out, summary judgment, default judgment, and other general civil applications, such as relief from sanctions and disclosure;
•         Advice and drafting in relation to claims and settlement.

Nick is Direct Access accredited and is happy to represent litigants in person.

Nick is a Trustee of the Southern England Law Centre and served as Chair of the organisation until December 2024.

Nick is a Presiding Criminal Magistrate on the Wiltshire Bench. He is also a member of the following organisations:

•         The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple;
•          The Civil Mediation Council; and
•          The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.