If you believe a professional’s mistake has cost you money, time or opportunity, you need experts who can put things right. Our Professional Negligence solicitors specialise in securing compensation for clients who have been let down by trusted advisers.

Ranked Tier 1 in the Legal 500, clients choose us because we act for individuals, businesses, financial institutions, charities and trustees nationwide, pursuing claims against negligent solicitors, accountants, surveyors, financial advisers and other professionals.

With decades of experience and a proven record in complex, high-value disputes, we combine specialist knowledge with litigation expertise to achieve successful outcomes.

Whatever your situation, whether you’re a business facing serious financial loss, or an individual let down by a trusted adviser, our team has the breadth of expertise to support you and can advise you quickly and clearly on your options.

What is professional negligence?

Professional negligence occurs when a professional fails to carry out duties owed to their clients, and in some circumstances, third parties.

A claim in professional negligence may be based upon any of the following:

a breach of a contract
a breach of a duty of care
a breach of a fiduciary duty (in circumstances where a professional has a legally recognised relationship of trust)
a breach of a statutory duty

In short, if a professional you trusted has let you down and caused financial loss, you may have a claim for professional negligence.

Types of claims we handle

We advise on claims relating to all types of negligence ranging from losses relating to poor advice on commercial transactions, to under settlement or poor financial advice in relation to serious injury claims, court of protection claims, and military claims.

We have extensive expertise in professional negligence claims involving:

solicitors and barristers
accountants and auditors
surveyors and valuers
financial advisers
architects and engineers
patent and trademark attorneys
financial institutions and lender clients
Wills, trusts and estates

How we help

Choosing the right solicitor is crucial when you’ve been let down by another professional. Our goal is simple: to protect your position, recover your losses, and guide you through the process with clarity and confidence.

Here’s why clients choose us:

Ranked Tier 1 in the Legal 500 – our Professional Negligence team is independently recognised as one of the very best in Wales and a leading claimant practice across England and Wales.
Proven track record – we have successfully recovered millions of pounds for clients in professional negligence claims.
Specialist focus – we have a dedicated team handling professional negligence cases day in, day out.
Holistic support – our clients benefit from the strength of the wider Hugh James firm, with experts in dispute resolution, wills and probate, court of protection and serious injury all available when cases overlap.
Clear, transparent approach – we keep costs and funding options clear from the start, offering no win, no fee and other flexible arrangements where appropriate.

Our reputation has been built on combining technical excellence with practical results. That’s why businesses, individuals, charities and trustees turn to us when professional negligence threatens their finances, security, or peace of mind.

Key contact

Richard Locke

Partner

Richard is a Partner and an elected partner on the firm’s board of management. He is also Group Head of the ever expanding dispute resolution team at Hugh James. He conducts major commercial disputes frequently with an international flavour including commercial claims, mining disputes, shareholder and partnership disputes, professional negligence claims, contentious IT disputes, injunctive relief and insolvency.

Abigail Flanagan has developed a strong professional negligence practice in claims against solicitors and finance professionals, including in relation to pension matters.

The Legal 500

Department head Richard Locke is an experienced litigator praised by sources for his “balanced judgement” and for being “very good with clients.”

Chambers & Partners

It is an excellent team which is really popular with clients and provides an extremely high standard of legal analysis, but also displays a superb bedside manner.

The Legal 500

Completely unstuffy, but more than able to handle the big players in the market in terms of competitors.

The Legal 500

Our experience

We act in some of the most complex and high-value professional negligence claims across England and Wales. Here are examples of how we’ve helped clients, grouped by the real-world impact these cases had.

Securing multi-million pound recoveries

Group litigation defence mishandling – brought a professional negligence claim worth over £17 million against former solicitors and counsel concerning their conduct of complex group litigation.
Under settled catastrophic injury claim – acted for a vulnerable adult whose injury claim was grossly undervalued as a child. We successfully re-opened the injury claim and secured a new settlement worth many millions of pounds and recovered substantial additional damages in a professional negligence claim.

Protecting businesses from major financial losses

Corporate/share purchase error – representing a business in a negligence claim after solicitors failed to secure an effective indemnity in a multi-million-pound share purchase, leaving the client exposed to HMRC liabilities exceeding £1 million.
Accountancy negligence – successfully settled a claim on behalf of a specialist lender which arose from loans worth several millions, where accountants had negligently certified borrower financial statements.

Correcting under settled claims

Military personnel – acted for a former serviceman whose non-freezing cold injury claim was undervalued by former solicitors. Our client’s settlement of the professional negligence claim took into consideration his loss of military pension and loss of military career.
Brain injury survivor – Recovered substantial damages against former solicitors who negligently managed a claim for a client with severe brain injuries.

Safeguarding families and estates

Deputy negligence – acted in a complex claim where a solicitor-deputy failed to secure statutory funding for a vulnerable individual’s care needs. Their estate was significantly depleted, impacting the beneficiaries.
Negligent will drafting – pursuing a claim against solicitors who delayed preparing a will for a terminally ill client, causing intended beneficiaries to lose their rightful inheritance

You must show that the professional owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty, and that you suffered a loss as a result. For example, if a solicitor misses a deadline and your case is struck out, that loss can be linked to their negligence. We’ll help you gather the right evidence to prove your case.

There are time limits that apply to bringing a claim in professional negligence. Generally, if you wish to pursue a professional negligence claim it must be brought within six years from the date of the breach of contract (in a claim for breach of contract), or within six years from the date when the damage is suffered (in a negligence claim). However, these time limits can vary depending on various factors such as but not limited to, when a claimant ought to have become aware of the negligence.

The rules relating to limitation can be complex and full of pitfalls. Bringing your claim within the relevant “limitation” period is the essential first step to bringing a successful claim. It is therefore important to seek legal advice as early as possible to ensure that you are able to bring a claim.

You can bring claims against any professional, such as; solicitors, barristers, accountants, auditors, surveyors, valuers, financial advisers, architects, and patent or trademark attorneys. If a professional’s advice fell below the reasonable standard and caused you financial loss, you may have grounds to claim.

Many claims are resolved through negotiation or mediation under the Pre-Action Protocol. Court is only needed if settlement isn’t possible, but most cases settle before trial.

If you’re unsure if you have a claim, we can review your documents, explain if negligence occurred, and advise on your options.

Professional negligence