Lady reading some documentation Home | Services | Services for business | Preventing and resolving disputes | Professional negligence

Professional negligence

Professional Negligence
We specialise in acting for claimants wishing to bring claims against professionals, with a particular focus on claims against solicitors, accountants, surveyors and pension trustees.  Our team is described by the Chambers Legal Directory as being pragmatic and versatile and always in tune with clients' business needs.  Richard Cook, who heads up the team, is described as a "sound lawyer who does a sound job".
 
That approach is reflected in an emphasis on looking to settle disputes without the need for litigation if at all possible, often using mediation as a means to achieve that.  The approach is just as much a commercial as a legal one, looking to balance the potential recoveries against the costs and risks involved in pursuing a claim.  We are also prepared to look at more innovative funding methods, which include third party funding of claims, but generally do not take on work on a simple "no win no fee" basis.
 
Probably the leading case that the team has been involved in over the years is Johnson v Gore Wood.  This is a well known case which went all the way to the House of Lords and remains the leading authority on the circumstances in which a shareholder of a company can bring a claim in his own name where loss may also have been suffered by his company. 

Email this page

Get in touch

Richard Cook

Partner
T: 08700 86 6853
I: +44 (0)1489 61 6853
E: richard.cook@shoosmiths.co.uk