Professional Negligence
UK Bar Guide 2025 : London (Bar)
Band 2
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
(020) 7583 3335Chambers Review
Fountain Court Chambers offers heavyweight expertise in the representation of both defendants and claimants in claims against professionals in the legal, banking and financial services sectors. The barristers have notable experience in dealing with tax-related disputes, including the Ingenious litigation and Maclean v Thornhill KC. Fountain Court leads the field when it comes to any litigation involving banking mis-selling. Professional negligence claims surrounding high-stakes business insolvencies are an additional area of strength. A recent work highlight was JD Classics Limited (in Administration) v PwC, alleging negligence on behalf of the accountants for allegedly missing a £41 million fraud.
Alex Taylor is senior clerk.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"They have a slick clerking operation."
"The clerks are always responsive and accommodating of requests."
"The clerks are fabulous and easy to work with."
"They have a slick clerking operation."
"The clerks are always responsive and accommodating of requests."
"The clerks are fabulous and easy to work with."
Notable Practitioners
Anneliese Day KC has a strong reputation for her courtroom advocacy and commercial savvy, and is very often called upon to handle high-value professional negligence and insurance disputes. She is regularly instructed in complex multiparty litigation arising from major construction projects, but is also an excellent resource on negligence claims involving accountants, lawyers or tax advisers. Her cases often originate in overseas jurisdictions.
"Anneliese is an exceptional advocate who gives really high-quality advice on some of the most difficult cases involving professionals, with excellent sector awareness and client focus."
"Anneliese is very thorough and calm under fire."
"She is exceptional and very charismatic as an advocate. She can push back against the tribunal without coming across as disrespectful."
"Anneliese is an extremely good communicator, a very good team player and really does value relationships. She is also a great oral advocate. She lights up and commands a room."
Mark Simpson KC is highly regarded for the forcefulness of his advocacy and for his deep familiarity with professional negligence claims in the financial and legal sectors. In addition to taking on high-profile litigated claims, he also regularly counsels businesses and firms on regulatory concerns and investigations. He receives instructions from both claimant and defendant clients.
"So well known and renowned, he is a phenomenal advocate. He's really passionate about achieving the right results for clients and is extremely user-friendly."
"He is at the top of his game and is seen acting on the high-value and complex claims more often than not. A delight to work with and a real fighter."
"An absolute powerhouse. Mark is not shy to give a bullish view and stick to it. He's great to work with - friendly and approachable."
Nik Yeo is an esteemed commercial barrister who has a strong practice in financial sector professional negligence matters, often providing counsel in cases with high exposure. His work has included a number of large-scale claims against valuers, banks and liquidators.
"He is amazing in complex, technical disputes. It's amazing how quickly he can get about the info and be helpful."
"He is thorough and persuasive in written argument, calm and assured as a cross-examiner and particularly impressive in managing dynamics in difficult situations."
Derrick Dale KC typically takes on cases involving claims against financial service providers, solicitors and barristers, and has provided counsel to City and mid-market law firms, as well as insurers. He appears in both individual and group actions, and augments his professional negligence practice with a strong reputation in banking and general commercial work.
"He is an extremely effective advocate; the successful outcomes he gets speak for themselves."
"He's an excellent team player meaning everyone feels valued; both clients and experts love him. He's also very clever and can talk to anyone on their level."
"Derrick is very detail-oriented and has a very good way about him with clients. He good at explaining what would and wouldn't help their own commercial objectives."
Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC is frequently instructed in high-value professional liability matters concerning accountants, lawyers and insurance brokers. She has broad advocacy experience, including appellate work, and is also known for her expertise in alternative dispute resolution. A Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, she is well suited to matters which are heavy on technical evidence.
"Leigh-Ann is unflappable and has exemplary attention to detail."
"Leigh-Ann has the ear of the court."
Timothy Dutton CBE KC can claim a high level of expertise in the regulated professions, which sees him instructed in highly complex negligence claims involving lawyers, accountants and others. He is frequently instructed to act in the defence of prominent law firms, and his work in this field has seen him appear in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
"He is the guru on professional ethics and conduct. Your go-to when you have the thorniest and trickiest of issues. He just knows the law and practice and tells it like it is."
"He is unparalleled."
Nico Leslie is a strong choice for professional negligence claims in the Caymans and other offshore jurisdictions. He represents claimants and defendants in complex cases, including one concerning client confidentiality in the criminal trial of the Brazilian banker Kátia Rabello.
"He's exceptionally bright, astute and doesn't get bogged down in legal detail. His skeleton arguments are a thing of beauty."
"Nico doesn't get put off when there is someone much more senior on the other side. He is persuasive, with a very easy manner of explaining things."
Timothy Howe KC's considerable experience at the Bar includes recurrent involvement in complex, high-profile professional negligence cases. He is especially adept at handling claims arising out of the financial crisis, and has acted for banks and financial institutions around the world.
"Very nice and easy to work with, he understands the client's stresses and strains."
Ben Lynch KC is a highly regarded silk who is regularly instructed in high-exposure and high-value claims of professional negligence brought against solicitors, barristers and others. He acts in litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings, and is well known for his outstanding expertise in insurance matters.
"Ben is a superbly bright individual with technical knowledge and commercial awareness that is always delivered in an appropriate way for the particular client."
Christopher Knowles is an experienced barrister with a busy practice in solicitors' and barristers' negligence claims. He also handles claims brought against accountants.
"An effective barrister who can improve a case overnight."
James Cutress KC brings his expertise in insurance and financial services to bear in professional negligence cases, being renowned for claims involving banks and financial advisers in addition to highly topical issues in the construction industry.
"James is technically superb and produces clear advice."
"He is very sensible. He produces good advice in terms of distilling issues down to the understandable."
Natasha Bennett has strong experience in both financial services and legal matters within professional negligence. Her work has included a large film finance claim against a tax silk and a case concerning the management of a Welsh government regeneration fund.
"She is brilliant. She drafts clearly and compellingly and comes over very well in oral advocacy. She is so intelligent and focused."
Tamara Oppenheimer KC regularly takes on high-value professional negligence cases arising in the financial sector, including recent work advising banks on claims of financial mis-selling.
"She's great. She's very easy to bounce ideas off and has lots of experience so can give practical advice."
"Tamara is a formidable opponent. She is highly intelligent and sharp but also pragmatic. She's got the ear of the judges and is also a nice person."