Lawyers

Our work for legal practices (and their insurers) is widely known.  We act for most of the Qualifying Insurers (QIs) and for many of the top 100 firms, both in England & Wales and the Far East, in all stages of a claim – from initial notification, claims handling, through the Protocol to litigation.  We have also helped new QIs come to the market providing both wording advice and claims management.  Our work increasingly deals with both regulatory and discipline issues – our regulatory practice in particular is at the forefront of implementing the LASPO changes, such as external investment in law firms and the creation of ABSs.

Our recent experience is set out below.

Defence

• Haugesund commune v Depfa ACS Bank (claims arising from swaps transactions)
• Norwich & Peterborough v Gillies (contribution claim between professionals)
• Hadley Law v Joseph (recovery action against fraudster)
• Many confidential matters in all areas of practice including corporate finance, banking, swaps, tax, litigation, property, probate, family and criminal

Coverage

• Aggregation advice – "mis-selling" of conveyancing product (over 7,000 claims)
• Dishonesty – advising on potential declinatures against sole practitioners, firms and LLPs for suspected mortgage fraud and other dishonesty
• Dishonesty conferences and arbitrations
• Reimbursement – claims for reimbursement against dishonest partners
• Year of attachment disputes, including arbitrations
• Successor practice disputes

Disciplinary

• Responding to SRA investigations
• Negotiating Regulatory Settlement Agreements
• Defending in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

Regulatory

• Advising corporate clients on establishment of general counsel function
• Advice to firms on codes of practice for COLPs and COFAs
• Drafting code of conduct for regulator
• Advising on self-reports, including under Proceeds of Crime Act
• Advising on the establishment of ABSs