Chambers’ Professional Liability Group acts for professionals and their insurers and claimants in every type of claim or other form of dispute involving professionals, whether the dispute is between claimant and professional, insurer and insured, or regulator and professional.
Over many years members of Hailsham Chambers have appeared in the cases which have shaped the law relating to the liability of professionals. The breadth of experience across all call bands permits chambers to service clients’ dispute resolution needs from the smallest complaint to an ombudsman, through to pre-action protocol letters of claim and response, to hearings in the County Court, the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. We often provide both leader and juniors for larger cases, and have the capacity within chambers to handle document-heavy disputes involving claims over £100 million.
Besides having the highest academic qualifications, members of the Professional Negligence Group pride themselves on being approachable to clients, commercially astute, well-prepared, and open-minded.
Instructions to act for or against lawyers have been the mainstay of the team’s caseload for as long as professional negligence has been a specialism within chambers. As a result of this vast experience, many of Hailsham’s barristers are considered to be leaders in this field.
The expertise of Hailsham’s members is re-enforced by the fact that Solicitors’ Negligence and Liability, the bible for this specialist area, is co-authored by William Flenley QC of Hailsham Chambers and has chapters contributed by members of Chambers.
Hailsham’s barristers frequently appear in £multi-million claims and have been responsible for seminal judgments in this area. They have had significant experience of claims involving allegations ranging from outright fraud including conspiracy to breach trust, breach of fiduciary duty, and ordinary negligence.
Members of Chambers are also often instructed to advise on liability and coverage issues arising between lawyers and their insurers.
Our counsel have been instructed in many significant cases. Recent examples include:
Hailsham Chambers offers particular expertise relating to claims against financial professionals, be they actuaries, IFAs, banks or product providers.
Members of chambers at all levels of call are equipped to handle the diverse and challenging issues presented by such claims.
Counsels’ experience covers the full spectrum of dispute resolution in this area including:
Members of the Hailsham team have great experience of claims arising from the work of surveyors and valuers in a range of contexts including:
Members act frequently for and against accountants and auditors in High Court claims and before a variety of disciplinary bodies.
With particular expertise in cases involving breach of duty (including breach of accountancy standards), Counsel have been involved in cases about the failure to give appropriate, taxation or investment advice and failures to detect fraud or in relation to company restructuring.
Members of Hailsham's Professional Liability Group are specialists in the full range of construction and engineering claims concerning construction professionals. Our members have experience in complex, multi-party and high-value disputes including claims against architects, engineers (civil, structural, and geotechnical), quantity surveyors, project managers and design and build contractors. Our experience spans bringing and defending claims in adjudication, arbitration and the Technology and Construction Court.
Members of Chambers have acted for or against insolvency practitioners and LPA receivers in many High Court claims, including where receivers are alleged to have failed to realise the true value of assets following bankruptcy or corporate insolvency. Counsel also have substantial experience of coverage disputes between insolvency practitioners and their insurers, including in cases where dishonesty is alleged against the insured.
Members of Chambers advise extensively on liability issues relating to professional trustees in many jurisdictions.
Barristers at Hailsham act for or against insurance brokers where there are allegations of breach of duty, including failures to select appropriate cover or to advise as to the scope and limitations of cover under different policies, failures to obtain the necessary information from clients or to give appropriate advice on disclosure of material facts, and the failure to give notice of claims.
Members of Chambers also have expertise in relation to allied insurance and broking issues. Coverage issues are a staple feature of the work undertaken, as well as wider professional indemnity and other insurance disputes, and broker claims aring out of insurance difficulties. Hailsham can also offer advice and support in relation to business interruption claims and Directors and Officers’ Liability.
Members of Chambers are skilled in assisting clients in a range of dispute resolution environments, including arbitration and mediations, where members act either as mediators or as constructive contributors to settlement. The Professional Liability Group is also a supporter of the PNBA Adjudication Scheme and indeed members were closely involved in its formulation and launch.
"Everyone from the receptionist to the QCs is extremely nice and very helpful, and the chambers as a whole is just a pleasure to deal with."
Chambers UK, 2022"a premier set for professional negligence and liability work, offering suitable high-calibre counsel"
Legal 500, 2022"Always delivers a high class service in a user friendly way"
Legal 500, 2022"A pleasure to work with. Lots of excellent counsel in the professional negligence field"
Legal 500, 2022
