Professional services

We have a track record of handling high profile and sensitive matters and a reputation for providing strategic solutions to complex problems for clients in the professional services sector.
  • Profile
  • Experience
  • Key contacts

Over the years we have been closely involved in a significant number of high profile and high value claims for a client base that ranges from accountancy and tax advisers, insurance brokers, financial institutions and auctioneers to directors and managers, art dealers, architects, surveyors and engineers.

Our experience working with major professional services firms enables us to understand the regulatory and commercial challenges faced by our clients. This allows us to provide appropriate risk management advice in addition to defending claims against our clients or their firms.

We place a great deal of emphasis on risk management, particularly for our professional clients. This aspect of our work coupled with the emphasis on pre-action activity where disputes arise, means that many of the cases in which we are involved are successfully concluded either before proceedings have been issued or at an early stage afterwards.

We advise on the whole range of problems facing directors and professionals including damages claims, third party information requests, regulatory investigations, disqualification proceedings, criminal prosecutions and disciplinary proceedings. We are unusual in having a strong claimant practice as well as our highly valued professional clients, giving us the ability to offer a more holistic service to professional services clients.

"They're very responsive, very thorough and very knowledgeable."
Chambers UK 2018

KPMG

Struck out a $52 million professional negligence claim against KPMG.

Christies

Defending Christie's in relation to valuation and misattribution claims.

Accolade Wines

Advised in relation to defective and negligent design and construction of the largest wine distribution facility in the UK.

Partnership dispute

Acting for a departing partner in a partnership dispute involving issues as to the existence and validity of a partnership agreement, dissolution and the applicability of restrictive covenants.

Professional standards

Regularly act for bodies which set standards for the professions and for those who transgress them. We represent individuals in relation to investigations by regulators and others into alleged irregularities.

Baker Tilly

Advised Baker Tilly, the UK's ninth-biggest auditing and accounting advisory firm on the acquisition of RSM Tenon Group plc, the UK's seventh-largest accountancy practice by way of a pre-pack administration.

Construction

Regularly act for claimants and defendants in substantial claims against architects, surveyors and engineers arising out of design, construction and valuation of property. 

Insurers

Regularly act as insurers representative on big ticket claims against professional services organisations around the world.

Big 4

Regularly act for two of the Big 4 accountancy firms.

Insurers

Regularly act as insurers representative on big ticket claims against professional services organisations around the world.

Insurers

Regularly act as insurers representative on big ticket claims against professional services organisations around the world.

Insurers

Regularly act as insurers representative on big ticket claims against professional services organisations around the world.

Insurers

Regularly act as insurers representative on big ticket claims against professional services organisations around the world.

Lawyer

Roland Foord Partner

T:  +44 20 7809 2315
M:  Email Roland | Vcard Office:  London

Latest news & insights

23 Dec 2022

From Insights

UK and EU sanctions: expansion of the professional and business services prohibitions

In this article, we set out the new scope of the UK's ban on professional and business services contained in the 17th Amendment, and compare it with EU Regulation 833...

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22 Jul 2022

From Insights

UK sanctions: professional and business services to Russian clients

On 4 May 2022, the UK Government announced a ban on services exports to Russia, stating: "The new measures will mean Russia’s businesses can no longer benefit from the..

More

12 Jul 2022

From Insights

FRC position paper – Preparing for ARGA

The FRC has today published its position paper on its transition into the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA) to support the Government's reforms on corpo..

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12 May 2020

From Insights

A new duty of care emerges on unusual facts in an audit context

Recent High Court decision - Mr Amjad Rihan v Ernst & Young Global Limited & Others [2020] EWHC 901

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© Stephenson Harwood LLP 2016. Any reference to Stephenson Harwood in this document means Stephenson Harwood LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Any reference to a partner is used to refer to a member of Stephenson Harwood LLP.