Suzanne Wharton

Suzanne specialises in professional negligence claims, acting largely for the London market with particular focus on solicitors and accountants.

She has over 25 years’ experience advising insurers and large corporate insureds across a range of issues arising from all areas of private practice. Her key clients include QBE, Allied World, Great Lakes, Zurich and Liberty.

As well as managing complex, large, and sometimes multi party, disputes, Suzanne also regularly advises insurers on coverage disputes and policy response issues. She also provides legal and risk management training to insurers as well as insured firms.

Relevant experience includes:

• Defending claims against solicitors arising out of commercial/corporate transactions, ancillary relief proceedings, Wills and contentious probate matters and lost litigation opportunities.
• Advising insurers on policy coverage disputes going to the scope of notification, successor practices and fraud/dishonesty.
• Advising insurers on policy coverage on and subsequently in the defence of a £35 million claim against a firm of accountants brought by liquidators on behalf of the claimant company. Allegations included that the insured negligently and/or in breach of their fiduciary duties allowed income to be diverted to other companies with the intention to defraud creditors, including HMRC.
• Defending a claim for alleged negligence in relation to the preparation of the claimant solicitor's accounts. This led to an SRA investigation and subsequent disciplinary action with the result that the claimant ceased to trade - losses in excess of £2 million were sought.
• Acting in the defence of claims against accountants arising out of negligent audits, advice in relation to the structure and tax consequences of management buy-outs and purchase and refinance arrangements and tax mitigation schemes.

In addition, Suzanne leads DAC Beachcroft’s Professional & Commercial Risk North team of 70 across four locations in Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle & Edinburgh. She also sits on The Law Society’s Professional Indemnity Insurance Committee.