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Professional negligence
Francis acts for and against solicitors and barristers. He has considerable experience in managed and large-scale litigation involving solicitors. He was involved in the Nationwide Managed Litigation in the late 1990's, TAG in 2006/2007 and Composite Legal Expenses. He appeared in many of the leading Court of Appeal authorities on loss of chance claims. It is a reflection of his ability that he has acted for many leading firms when they have faced substantial professional negligence claims.
His work often takes him overseas and he has worked on professional negligence claims relating to lawyers in Milan, Paris and Jersey.
Francis has particular experience of obtaining freezing injunctions and pursuing tracing claims against dishonest lawyers. He advises extensively on coverage issues. He is regularly asked by his insurer clients to conduct indemnity interviews and has advised on claims up to £80million.
Francis acts for members of the Bar on the instructions of Bar Mutual and has received instructions to represent the Bar Standards Board.
Francis acted for Cantrust, a firm of professional Jersey based trustees, in the $20m breach of trust/tracing claim Shalson v. Russo [2005] Ch 281.
Between 2006 and 2010 he acted for the Ladies Al Hamrani in the $120m breach of trust claim brought by the Ladies and various members of the Al Hamrani family against JP Morgan and others in the Royal Court in Jersey. The action became the longest running trial in Jersey's legal history.
Francis advises extensively on coverage issues relating to professional trustees.
Francis has acted for Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and other construction professionals in numerous high value and complex High Court and TCC claims. He recently defended The Westwood Partnership in the TCC in a multimillion damages claim arising out of a fire at a TAS restaurant in Farringdon. He acted in a contested Arbitration for the successful Claimants in a claim against their Design and Build contractors in a disastrous £7million property development in Hampstead.
Francis has acted in many multi-million claims against well known commercial and residential property surveyors and valuers throughout the UK.
Francis acts regularly for and against accountants and auditors in High Court claims. He has been involved in many reported cases involving complex tax issues and SDLT schemes. He has acted for insurers in recovery actions against auditors of legal practices.Insolvency Practitioners Francis has acted for insolvency practitioners in many High Court claims. He successfully defended the practitioners Geoffrey Martin & Co in the Court of Appeal in the loss of chance of a better outcome of an IVA in Prosser v. Castle Sanderson and Others [2002] EWCA Civ 1140
Francis has acted in numerous high value claims against insurance brokers. He defended the brokers in the substantial damages claim arising out of the alleged under-insurance of the Michelin starred Pied-a-Terre restaurant following a fire.