Jon is the head of Shoosmiths’ mobility sector, overseeing the firm’s growth across automotive, rail, logistics and the future of transport.

He also leads the firm's commercial litigation practice advising on complex, high value commercial disputes and is recommended in the 2024 Legal 500 Guide and Chambers and Partners 202.

His practice has a particular emphasis in:

• IT and outsourcing disputes;
• contract and supply chain litigation; and
• corporate and shareholder disputes.

Jon has a particularly strong reputation in the automotive and technology sectors and works with a number of leading automotive manufacturers and global IT companies including Volkswagen Group, Mercedes Benz and Honda. Jon is also a member of the Society for Computers and Law.

Recent work includes:

• acting for a global automotive manufacturer in a £35 million breach of contract claim in the High Court;
• pursuing claims for a US technology company in respect of a multi-million pound dispute arising from a global IT outsourcing agreement;
• advising a leading FTSE 100 company in respect of a £40 million supply chain dispute involving a leading retail chain;
• defending a leading IT company from claims exceeding £20milllion arising from an complex software development project; 
•  defending one of the world's leading automotive brands from a $19 million multi-jurisdictional contractual claim; and
• acting in the matter of HHH v GGG in defending a £40 million claim arising from the payment of bribes to a foreign public official, which are the subject of a parallel criminal investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.

Jon is regularly asked to contribute to leading publications and is the author of the Lexis Nexis chapter on “Termination of Distribution Agreements” and co-author of the first edition of the Artificial Intelligence Country Comparative Guide for Legal 500.

Testimonials

“Jon Smart is an exceptional partner who fights hard to secure the best outcome for … his clients and has led the team on a number of impressive cases.” - Legal 500

‘‘Jonathan Smart is a standout partner. He is bright, likeable, efficient and an excellent legal strategist.’’- Legal 500

"Jonathan Smart is exceptionally bright and provides sound advice. He is able to look beyond the legal elements of a case and advise with his clients’ business needs and commercial interests in mind” - Legal 500

“Jonathan Smart is a very hands-on partner. He can parachute into cases at short notice and lead counsel as necessary in the absence of his associates.” - Legal 500

“Jonathan is commercially astute, with the client's interests at his core.” - Chambers UK

Education
LLB (Hons), First - University of Surrey
LPC, Distinction - College of Law, Guildford

• You can Rely on Me…. Or Can You? High Court Clarifies Criteria for Misrepresentation Claims

  By Jonathan Smart, Thomas Wilkinson |March 2021

• Coronavirus: Applying Force Majeure

  By Jonathan Smart |March 2020