Jack Steer

General

Professional negligence is Jack’s main area of practice and he acts in claims against a wide variety of professionals, with particular experience in claims against lawyers, surveyors, valuers and financial professionals. He is frequently instructed to act in complex, document-heavy cases and has extensive experience in striking out unmeritorious claims, particularly those brought by litigants in person.

In addition to acting in litigation involving professionals, Jack is experienced in advising on regulatory issues, ranging from Ombudsman complaints to FCA investigations and past business reviews. He has also acted in and advised on disciplinary proceedings commenced by professional regulators, including:

• The Architect’s Regulatory Board.
• The Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
• The SIRE Focus Group Disciplinary Committee (The disciplinary arm of the Oil Companies International Marine Forum).
• The Health and Care Professionals Council.

Jack has undertaken secondments at two leading professional negligence firms where he advised on various issues in cases against solicitors and financial professionals.

Lawyers

Jack’s lawyers’ liability practice is extensive and includes claims arising out of both contentious and non-contentious work. His recent experience includes:

• Residential and commercial conveyancing negligence claims (including claims involving stamp duty avoidance schemes and multiple-dwelling relief).
• Claims involving data protection and cyber fraud.
• Claims arising out of the conduct of family proceedings (including matrimonial finance disputes).
• Claims arising out of the conduct of personal injury and clinical negligence actions (including claims involving the Vibration White Finger compensation scheme).
• Claims arising out of the conduct of criminal proceedings.
• Lender claims.
• Claims arising from errors in preparing wills and the wrongful administration of estates.
• Jack has also successfully defended both solicitors and barristers in wasted costs applications.

Financial professionals

Jack has experience in acting in claims brought against a variety of financial professionals, including:

• Accountants.
• Auditors.
• IFAs.
• Tax advisers.
• Trustees.
• Pension professionals (in particular claims involving the duties and liabilities of SIPP operators).
• Insolvency practitioners.
• Mortgage brokers.
• Private equity clubs.
• Insurance brokers.

Jack has a particular interest in claims against accountants and IFAs arising out of investments in tax avoidance schemes. He has previously acted in a number of cases involving SDLT avoidance schemes and he is currently instructed as sole counsel in a high value claim involving a film finance scheme.

Property and construction

Jack is regularly instructed in claims against property and construction professionals. His recent cases include claims against:

• Building Surveyors.
• Valuers.
• Property management companies.
• Letting agents/estate agents.
• Building contractors.
• Quantity surveyors.
• Architects.
• Engineers.
• Contract administrators.

Jack has considerable experience acting in a variety of insurance disputes, including fire/flood/property damage claims, recovery claims and D&O disputes.

Recent instructions have included advising on coverage under business interruption and flood insurance policies.

Alongside his professional negligence practice, Jack also advises on coverage under a range of professional indemnity policies and he has particular expertise in advising on successor practice issues, aggregation and issues of non-disclosure (including fraudulent non-disclosure) and late notification.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Jack was a member of the Insurance Law Research Group at the University of Southampton.

Jack acts for both Claimants and Defendants in cases that span the whole spectrum of commercial litigation. He has extensive experience acting in deceit and fraudulent misrepresentation claims, breach of trust and breach of fiduciary duty claims, sale of goods claims, partnership disputes, shareholder disputes, insolvency claims and debt recovery actions. Jack is instructed to advise, draft statements of case and provide representation at both the mediation and trial of these disputes. He also regularly appears as an advocate in the High Court in interlocutory applications, including interim injunctions that are listed on an urgent basis.

In addition to his domestic commercial litigation experience, Jack has also acted in a range of claims in offshore jurisdictions. He is currently instructed in a shareholder dispute in Jersey.

Jack has a particular expertise in shipping law, having previously held a research post at the Institute of Maritime Law, and he is happy to accept instructions in this area.

Jack gained considerable experience in medical law during his pupillage whilst sitting with Dr Tejina Mangat. This included exposure to high value cases involving multiple experts from a variety of fields and as a result Jack is comfortable in acting in complex cases.

In his own practice, both Claimants and Defendants instruct Jack to advise on liability, limitation and quantum and to draft pleadings. His recent cases include claims alleging negligence in relation to hip replacements, late diagnoses and amputations.

During pupillage Jack also gained experience in inquests, particularly those arising from the use of pharmaceutical products and he is happy to accept instructions in this area.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Jack sat on an NHS Research Ethics Committee assessing and advising on the legal and ethical validity of a wide variety of research, including clinical trials of investigative medical products.

Jack regularly appears in the County Court and High Court for both Claimants and Defendants in personal injury claims. In particular, he is experienced in representing parties in road traffic claims and is well versed in all matters relating to quantum, in particular credit hire.

He has recently acted in a number of cases involving the vicarious liability of insurers for injuries allegedly caused by the negligence of contractors appointed to carry out work under home insurance policies.

Jack is also experienced in acting in claims that involve occupier’s liability and the various health and safety regulations.

Jack is currently instructed by HM Government as a junior in the Kenya Emergency Group Litigation, which concerns claim by numerous Kenyan nationals who allege that they were mistreated during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950’s.

Karis Developments v Howard Kennedy [2022] EWHC (Ch)

Paul Langley v (1) GMB (2) Katharina Koester (3)Trade Union Legal LLP T/A Trade Union Law [2020] EWHC 3619 (QB)

UK Acorn Finance Ltd v Markel (UK) Ltd [2020] EWHC 922 (Comm)

Rehman v Duncan Lewis Ltd [2019] EWHC 1678 (QB)

Frederick and others v Positive Solutions (Financial Services) Ltd [2018] UKSC 2018/0067

Rashid v Oil Companies International Marine Forum [2018] EWHC 659 (QB)

Goddard-Watts v Burgess Salmon and others [2017] EWHC (QB)

Kaplan v Super PCS LLP (formerly Chancery (UK) LLP) [2017] EWHC 1165 (Ch)

“He gives excellent and thorough legal advice which looks at the whole issue and the wider impact of everything.” Chambers UK, 2022

“He’s quick, clever, very easy to get on with and an unstuffy, effective advocate.” Chambers UK, 2022

“He manages all the expectations, and his drafting is very good. He explains things very well, and he’s great with difficult clients. Destined to be instructed on the more complex cases.” Chambers UK, 2022

“A junior who is always very calm, and handles complex matters in a straightforward and sensible way.” Legal 500, 2022

“He has strong technical ability and is always willing to give a firm and clear view. Very thorough and excellent drafting skills – does not miss anything.” Legal 500, 2021

Education

• 2012-2013 Kaplan Law School, Bar Professional Training Course, Very Competent
• 2009-2012 University of Southampton (LLB), First Class (hons), Ranked 2nd in the year.

Scholarships

• Lord Denning Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn). Eastham Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn).
• Hardwicke Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn).
• Kaplan Advocacy Scholarship (Kaplan Law School).
• Award for Academic Excellence (University of Southampton). Thomas Eggar Mooting prize (University of Southampton).

Publications

• Bek, Mateusz and Steer, Jack (2014) Reino Unido: Nuevos Avances en Derecho Maritimo: jurisprudencia y bibliografia. Anuario de Derecho Maritimo.
• Steer, Jack(2013) The muddy waters of ancient mooring rights. Shipping and Trade Law, 13, (9), 1-4.
• Steer, Jack(2013) Trafigura Beheer BV v Ravennavi SpA (The “Port Russel”) [2013] EWHC 490 (Comm). Shipping & Trade Law, 13, (8), 7-8.
• Serdy, Andrew and Steer, Jack (2014) The Continental Shelf, Westlaw Insight.

ICO Data protection registration number: ZA129170. 

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