Sometimes professionals can let you down. If that happens to you and as a result you suffer significant financial loss, our team of experienced professional negligence solicitors will be able to help.
This is a complex and specialist area of law but our wealth of experience means that we will be able to give you clear and practical advice as to your options and your prospects of successfully recovering your loss from the negligent professional.
Whilst most claims should be capable of settlement within the framework of the Professional Negligence Pre-action Protocol, if court proceedings are necessary we will be able to guide you through the litigation process.
In most professional negligence cases we are also able to arrange ‘after the event’ insurance to protect you against the risk of being liable for your opponent’s legal costs. If you would like to discuss a potential professional negligence claim against any of the professionals listed below please contact Graham Balchin.
Typical Work
- Solicitors
- Barristers
- Surveyors
- Banks
- Financial Advisers
- Insurance Brokers
- Accountants
- Valuers.
Meet the team
Graham is a consultant solicitor in the litigation team and has specialised in professional negligence claims for over 20 years. He trained at Trowers & Hamlins, qualifying in 1992.
His recent successful cases include over 30 professional negligence claims arising out of an elaborate mortgage fraud, recovering over £5million on behalf of borrower/purchaser clients who have been defrauded into buying substantially overvalued “buy to let” properties.
He has also acted for a group of investors who had purchased properties ‘off plan’ in the Philippines that were either not built or were sold twice. In this case the investors brought successful claims against the negligent solicitors who failed to ensure that the purchase contracts were backed with the promised performance bonds that should have protected the buyers from default by the developer.
He has also acted in various other professional negligence matters, relating to solicitors, barristers, valuers/surveyors, accountants, financial advisors, banks and insurance brokers.
Graham takes pride in providing clear, concise and practical advice and is regularly contacted to offer expert comment on media reports relating to professional negligence and property.
He is on the register maintained by the London Solicitors Litigation Association of solicitors with experience of supervising and executing civil search orders.
Transactions:
Reported cases and cases of interest include:
- Laib v Aravindan [2003] EWHC 2521 QBD, The Times [13/11/2003] – Claim against solicitors for loss of chance to pursue a negligence claim against a mortgage lender involving complex issues relating to limitation.
- Vinayak v Lovegrove & Eliot [2007] EWHC 9009 – Claim against solicitors arising out of failure to advise that break clauses in leases could only be exercised by original lessee. Court held that losing solicitors could not compel disclosure of conditional fee arrangement.
- Tavistock Repertory Guarantors Ltd v Gregory Rowcliffe Milners HQ02X2325 – Claim against solicitors who lost client the right to renew lease of theatre premises resulting in agreed damages of £2,020,000. This is believed to be possibly the highest sum ever recovered from a solicitor who has acted “pro bono.”
- Ayton v RSM Bentley Jennison [2014] QBD Lawtel – Held defendant in fraud and negligence claim not entitled to rely on defence of tender before claim (action), which is a defence still only available in liquidated claims.
Memberships:
Professional Negligence Lawyers Association
Leisure:
Shooting, badminton, skiing and motorcycling.