Accountants,Pensions,Actuaries
Our market leading team specialises in dealing with claims against accountants and actuaries and advising on risk management, both in the UK and throughout the world. We act for the majority of the top 20 accountants firms, with instructions coming direct from firms that have self-insured excesses or from London market insurers. We also act for a significant proportion of the top 30 international networks of accountancy firms, advising on a range of structural and constitutional matters as well as on all aspects of liability risk management. Our unique cross-discipline and cross-office teams offer cost effective solutions for defence work and provide regulatory and disciplinary, and risk management advice.
Our experience
Defence
- Bethell Construction Limited v Deloitte & Touche (audit negligence, claim struck out)
- Acting for a Europe-wide firm of actuaries in defending a £10m claim
- Successfully defending a top 20 firm at trial (tax mitigation scheme)
- Defending claims from the small and straightforward to the high value and complex, covering actuarial, audit, tax, trustee, corporate finance, insolvency and general accountancy claims
Regulatory and disciplinary
- Acting for two top 25 accountancy firms in AADB investigations
- Representing a top 10 firm's IFA arm in FSA disciplinary action
- Defending ICAEW and ACCA complaints and investigations for firms and individuals
- Providing ongoing compliance support; designing and auditing systems and controls
Risk management
- Drafting and reviewing terms of business for top 30 firms
- Negotiation of auditor hold harmless letters and non-disclosure agreements
- Defending document access requests made by clients, third parties and regulatory and other authorities
- Advising on ethical and independence issues, including auditor resignation
