Commercial litigation
Paul has broad experience acting for clients in a range of high value commercial disputes. Paul has spent time on secondment with the in-house risk team of a Big 4 professional services firm, during which time he dealt with a range of litigation.
Professional negligence claims
Acting regularly for firms and their partners. Current work includes defending a large firm in a tax negligence claim for over £15m. Past highlights include acting for KPMG in the successful defence of a US$50 million negligence claim in respect of VAT advice, which was struck out with the client awarded its costs.
Peak Hotels and Resorts Limited
Advising the company’s BVI liquidators in ongoing and wide-ranging litigation in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court concerning claims made in the estate by the company’s former solicitors.
Claims against insolvency professionals
Acting for insolvency practitioners and their firms in relation to allegations of professional misconduct. Paul’s recent work includes acting for the former administrators of a company in relation to claims brought against them for compensation for negligence and misfeasance under Paragraph 75 to Schedule B1 of the Insolvency Act 1986. Past highlights include acting for the joint administrators of Angel Group Limited in opposing an application for their removal from office.
Rangers Football Club
Acting for the BDO liquidators of Rangers Football Club on high value litigation, including damages claims in fraud, negligence and breach of trust against the club’s parent company and former solicitors, which settled following mediation.
Toys ‘R’ Us Limited
Acting for the company’s administrators in relation to ongoing multi-million pound litigation with the company’s secured creditors, which has now been settled.
'Phishing' fraud
Acting for the German arm of Armstrong World Industries in a successful claim to recover property stolen from it by fraudsters in the course of a "phishing" scam.
Defamation
Advising a professional services firm in relation to threatened defamation proceedings.
More: Commercial litigation
Dispute resolution
Paul has broad experience acting for clients in a range of high value commercial disputes. Paul has spent time on secondment with the in-house risk team of a Big 4 professional services firm, during which time he dealt with a range of litigation.
Professional negligence claims
Acting regularly for firms and their partners. Current work includes defending a large firm in a tax negligence claim for over £15m. Past highlights include acting for KPMG in the successful defence of a US$50 million negligence claim in respect of VAT advice, which was struck out with the client awarded its costs.
Peak Hotels and Resorts Limited
Advising the company’s BVI liquidators in ongoing and wide-ranging litigation in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court concerning claims made in the estate by the company’s former solicitors.
Claims against insolvency professionals
Acting for insolvency practitioners and their firms in relation to allegations of professional misconduct. Paul’s recent work includes acting for the former administrators of a company in relation to claims brought against them for compensation for negligence and misfeasance under Paragraph 75 to Schedule B1 of the Insolvency Act 1986. Past highlights include acting for the joint administrators of Angel Group Limited in opposing an application for their removal from office.
Rangers Football Club
Acting for the BDO liquidators of Rangers Football Club on high value litigation, including damages claims in fraud, negligence and breach of trust against the club’s parent company and former solicitors, which settled following mediation.
Toys ‘R’ Us Limited
Acting for the company’s administrators in relation to ongoing multi-million pound litigation with the company’s secured creditors, which has now been settled.
'Phishing' fraud
Acting for the German arm of Armstrong World Industries in a successful claim to recover property stolen from it by fraudsters in the course of a "phishing" scam.
Defamation
Advising a professional services firm in relation to threatened defamation proceedings.
Professional and management liability
Paul regularly advises in cases involving professionals and their firms. Paul has also spent time on secondment with the in-house risk team of a Big 4 professional services firm, during which time he dealt with a range of litigation, FRC and other regulatory investigations and risk management issues.
Tax negligence
Acting regularly for professional services firms in relation to high value tax negligence matters, Paul’s current work includes defending a large firm in a tax negligence claim for over £15 million. Past highlights include advising KPMG in the successful defence of a US$50 million negligence claim in respect of VAT advice, which was struck out with the client awarded its costs.
Claims against insolvency professionals
Paul has recently acted for the former administrators of a company in relation to multi-million pound claims brought against them for compensation for negligence and misfeasance involving allegations of professional misconduct. Previous highlights include acting for the joint administrators of Angel Group Limited in opposing an application for their removal from office.
Regulatory and risk management issues
Advising professional services firms and individual professionals on the successful early resolution of risk management issues with the potential to lead to litigation if not resolved. Recent work includes acting for a Big 4 firm in relation to enquiries received from the ICAEW following complaints concerning the firm's insolvency work.
Audit negligence
Paul continues to act as an insurers' representative in respect of several large and complex audit negligence cases in overseas jurisdictions, arising out of large scale frauds and corporate collapses.
Claims against solicitors
Highlights include acting for the BDO liquidators of Rangers Football Club in high value damages claims against the company's former solicitors, which were settled on confidential terms.
Third party disclosure requests
Advising firms in relation to the successful resolution of a range of third party disclosure requests, including under the Civil Procedure Rules, the rules of the First Tier Tribunal (Tax), section 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and pursuant to letters of request from overseas courts.
More: Professional and management liability
Restructuring and insolvency
Paul has experience of acting for insolvency professionals and creditors in contentious insolvency and insolvency risk matters. During his time on secondment with a Big 4 professional services firm, Paul dealt with a range of claims and regulatory and risk issues facing insolvency professionals and their firms arising from insolvency work.
Claims against insolvency professionals
Acting for insolvency practitioners and their firms in relation to allegations of professional misconduct. Paul’s recent work includes acting for the former administrators of a company in relation to claims brought against them for compensation for negligence and misfeasance under Paragraph 75 to Schedule B1 of the Insolvency Act 1986. Past highlights include acting for the joint administrators of Angel Group Limited in opposing an application for their removal from office.
Liquidators of Peak Hotels and Resorts Limited
Advising the liquidators from KPMG BVI on cross-border proceedings in the English High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court relating to a secured claim brought against the company by its former solicitors. The proceedings involve novel points of insolvency law relating to the avoidance of floating charges under section 245 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and the extent of a solicitor’s lien over funds in the company’s estate.
Regulatory and risk management issues
Recent work includes acting for a Big 4 firm in relation to enquiries received from the ICAEW following complaints concerning the firm's insolvency work. Paul has also recently advised insolvency practitioners at a Big 4 firm on applications seeking to rectify previous failures to comply with insolvency rules during an administration, which defects gave rise to a risk that acts of the administrators had been invalidated.
Rangers Football Club
Acting for BDO on the liquidation of Rangers Football Club, involving several pieces of high value litigation, including claims for fraud, negligence and breach of trust and litigation relating to multi-million pound creditor claims, which settled following mediation.
Administration of Toys ‘R’ Us Limited
Advising the English administrators of the well-known toy store in relation to multi-million pound litigation with the company’s secured creditors, including with regard to the validity of its floating charge under section 245 of the Insolvency Act 1986, which has now been settled.
Document requests
Advising insolvency professionals and their firms in relation to documents requests including pursuant to officeholder powers under section 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and letters of request from overseas courts.