Sarah Foster, partner and joint head of department, specialises in professional indemnity and contentious trust and probate matters for private individuals. She has over 10 years' experience of dealing with claims made against professionals: to include solicitors, engineers, surveyors, accountants, brokers and others. She also advises insurers on policy coverage. Arising out of that work, she also deals with a wide range of disputes involving wills (including undue influence and mental capacity claims); complex applications under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and constructive trust and estoppel claims.

Sarah trained at Lovells in London and qualified in 1994. After a time at Wansbroughs in London and then Crutes in Newcastle, she joined Henmans in 1999. She was made a partner in 2003.

Duncan Crine, partner and joint head of department, handles insurance disputes and professional risks. He specialises in claims involving professionals, including solicitors, barristers, surveyors, property and financial professionals. He is experienced in both conventional and managed group litigation, as well as all forms of ADR, including arbitration and mediation. Particular areas of interest include the handling of sensitive and complex high-value claims including dishonesty cases. He frequently provides policy advice and handles disputes arising from coverage issues.

He qualified in 1991 and joined Wansbroughs Willey Hargrave (later Beachcroft Wansbroughs) in 1992, where he became a partner in 2000. He joined Henmans as a partner in 2006.

Andrew Crocombe, partner, specialises in professional negligence and other commercial litigation. He also has a construction practice based on his professional indemnity work for surveyors, architects and engineers, and has specialist expertise in marine law.

Andrew trained at Whiteside and Knowles and qualified in 1996. Andrew was a partner at Coles Miller until he joined Henmans in 2005 as an associate. He was made a partner at Henmans in 2007.

Katherine Gregory, partner, acts for professional indemnity insurers for a range of professionals. She also has experience of construction work and has acted for surveyors, architects and engineers. In addition she provides advice on policy issues.

Katherine trained at Herbert Smith and qualified in 1998. On qualification, she remained at Herbert Smith, gaining experience in insurance litigation and in particular claims against insurance brokers. She joined Henmans in 2000 and was made a partner in 2007.

Philip Evans, partner, acts predominantly for insurers on a range of professional indemnity matters and has particular expertise in defending solicitor claims. His clients also include commercial companies and accountants.

Philip trained at Weightmans where he qualified in 2001 doing professional indemnity work. He joined Henmans in November 2002 and was made a partner in 2007.

Clare Bellis, associate, specialises in professional negligence and other commercial litigation. She has particular expertise defending professionals including solicitors and accountants. She also undertakes a substantial element of contentious construction work based on her professional indemnity work for architects, surveyors, and engineers.

Clare trained at Nicholson Graham & Jones and qualified in 1993. She spent seven further years there as a senior solicitor in their dispute resolution team. She worked at Allens Arthur Robinson in Melbourne until 2002, when she joined Henmans. She became an associate in January 2004.

Katherine Riley, associate, handles professional negligence and commercial litigation. She has over 13 years' experience of advising and conducting litigation for insurers, with particular expertise in disputes involving engineers, surveyors, architects and contractors' negligence, as well as fire claims, subsidence damage and high value property claims generally, for both claimant and defendant. She also has extensive experience of advising on policy wording and coverage issues.

Katharine trained at Titmuss Sainer & Webb (now Decherts), and qualified in 1993. She joined Henmans in 2005 from Beachcroft Wansbroughs, where she was an associate.

Esther Stirling, solicitor, handles professional indemnity and commercial litigation work. She handles claims arising out of work carried out by solicitors, architects and other professionals as well as commercial disputes including debt recovery and company disputes. Esther trained at Henmans and qualified in 2005.

Rebecca Paton, solicitor, works within the professional indemnity team on major managed litigation. In New Zealand she was legal counsel to the Chief District Court Judge and prior to that trained as a barrister's pupil specialising in planning and human rights law.

Rebecca qualified as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand in 2004, and requalified under English law in 2007. She joined Henmans the same year.

Carol Swain, solicitor, handles professional indemnity litigation for professionals. She specialises in solicitors, stockbrokers, architects and project managers and has worked on major managed litigation.

From 2002 until 2006 Carol worked at Ebsworth & Ebsworth and Minter Ellison (Australian top tier firms), and qualified whilst at Minter Ellison in 2004 handling professional indemnity litigation. She joined Henmans in 2006 and will requalify under English Law in February 2008.

Bianca Soave, solicitor, started her training contract with Henmans in 2006 after working in the professional indemnity team at a major insurer. She specialises in professional indemnity work and will qualify in March 2008.

 

We also have a specialist personal-injury-related professional negligence team, headed by Mary Duncan.