Professional Negligence
Steven has extensive experience of professional negligence actions involving solicitors, accountants, insolvency practitioners and valuers, both as a solicitor and at the Bar.
Steven qualified as a solicitor in 1996, as an insolvency practitioner in 1999, and a solicitor advocate in 2013. He became a CEDR-accredited mediator in 2012. He transferred to the Bar in 2014.
As a former solicitor, Steven understands the pressures and time constraints that are an everyday part of the solicitor’s life and brings a unique depth of experience to his practice.
In addition to professional negligence litigation, Steven regularly acts for insolvency practitioners and accountants in relation to non-contentious regulatory and compliance matters, complaints to their professional bodies, and proceedings before professional disciplinary tribunals.
Professional Negligence Cases
Illustrative cases include:
Forster v Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP [2023] EWHC 1150 (Ch) (solicitors’ duties to follow clients’ instructions in CFA cases).
Defending professional negligence actions against insolvency practitioners, including challenges to levels of remuneration and allegations of deliberate overcharging;
Defending insolvency practitioners in regulatory proceedings before their professional bodies, including a recent 5 day hearing before the ACCA disciplinary tribunal leading to the dismissal of all charges against the respondent;
Negligence claims against solicitors and barristers arising from both contentious and non-contentious work;
Claims against valuers brought by financial institutions;
Claims against financial advisors.
