Levi Solicitors
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Position: Head of Litigation & Dispute ResolutionPaul is Head of Litigation & Dispute Resolution. He qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and has been a Partner at Levi Solicitors LLP since 1989.
Paul has extensive experience of all types of Civil and Commercial Litigation. He also specialises in professional negligence claims, complex personal injury cases, High Court and Chancery matters.
Paul advises in business and property claims, including Corporate and Banking cases, shareholder disputes, civil fraud, construction and engineering and insurance litigation matters, and disputes involving Partnerships, Probate, Trusts, Pensions.
BACKGROUND:
- Member, Law Society Personal Injury Panel since inception
- Member, Professional Negligence Lawyers Association
- Good Lawyer Guide 2010 “highly recommended”, “outstanding”
- Legal 500 2010: For a number of years Paul's work and that of the department has been specifically recognised
- LLM Masters Degree in Advanced Legal Practice (Company and Commercial Practice and Procedure) Distinction awarded
- Member of “ACTAPS”, the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists
PUBLICATIONS
The Continuing Paradox: A Critique of Minority Shareholder and Derivative Claims Under the Companies Act 2006
NOTABLE CASES
Halliwells LLP v NES Solicitors –v- Quinn Insurance Limited [2011] EWHC 947(QB)Claim No:HC0901045 Reported case: [2011] ALL ER [D] 243;
Successfully opposing £1.5M claim against solicitors’ professional indemnity insurers, and obtaining order for costs of the claim. This was despite summary judgment being granted against the Defendant solicitors, NES. This is a notable case, involving a rare examination of insurer’s grounds for declinature, and the Civil test of dishonesty regarding a solicitor. There is also helpful indicaton as to what is covered as solicitorial work under a professional indemnity insurance policy. The condoning of dishonesty was also addressed. The court ruled that the policy did not cover NES’s breach of undertaking because:-
a. NES had given the undertaking dishonestly;
b. The undertaking was not given in a solicitorial capacity;
c. The undertaking was given for NES’s own benefit
European Court of Human Rights [21 June 2010] ). MAK and RK v the United Kingdom (Applications number 45901/05 and 40146/06.
Steria Ltd & Ors., v R Hutchison & Ors. CH[2005]/App/578
The Information Management Systems Management Plan Ref N00568, Decision of the Pensions Ombudsman [21.7.2005]
JD -v- East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust [2005] UK HL 23 (House of Lords Decision)
MAK & RK & Ors -v- Dewsbury NHS Trust & Kirklees MDC, Court of Appeal. [2003] 4 All ER 796
S Allan -v- Nolan & Others, Court of Appeal [2002] EWCA Civ 85 CA
Parkinson -v- St James & Seacroft University Hospitals NHS Trust. Court of Appeal [2001] 3 WLR 376
Interoute Telecommunications (UK) Limited -v- Fashion Gossip Limited & Salco Communications Limited, The Times [10.11.1999](Lightman J)(Referred to in White Book and Legal 500)
(A Minor) -v- Leeds City Council. Current Law [May 1999]
Beeforth -v- Beeforth, Court of Appeal. The Times [17.9.1998]
RECENT CASES
•[2011 QBD] Defeating £1.5M + solicitors negligence claim: Allegations made regarding a complex business purchase including alleged negligent advice on guarantees and solvency issues. We pursued an aggressive and wide ranging strategy of interlocutory applications, such that no defence was ever necessary. This included applications for a stay due to breach of the pre-action protocol, delivery up of documents, Rule 18 Further and Better Particulars, striking out of substantial parts of the claim on the merits and under time limitation arguments. Ultimately the matter settled on the basis that it was withdrawn and discontinued. The Claimant withdrew all complaints and agreed to pay a substantial sum in relation to our costs. Master Eyre at the RCJ commented that this was the first time he had encountered CPR 15 R11 in practice (automatic stay after six months where no defence filed) which ultimately, on a cumulative basis with other applications led to the collapse of the claim.
•[2010 QBD] Winning £1M negligence claim against solicitors; We succeeded in recovering substantial damages and costs against the solicitors for their negligent advice on purchase of a business. Settlement achieved at mediation, after we issued proceedings and prepared the case for trial. This was funded on a Conditional Fee Agreement (No Win – No Fee).
•Acted in proceedings where our client’s aircraft was recovered from abroad and damages and costs awarded.
•Complex infant paediatric brain injury claim. [Settlement approved May 2009]
Successfully concluding 10 year long contested case. Recovering damages exceeding £5M for our disabled client who had sustained serious cognitive disabilities (calculated on a whole life basis with a hybrid lump sum and Periodic Payment order.)
•Complex brain injury and paraplegia sustained by adult. [Settlement approved February 2010]
Hybrid Periodic Payments order approved by the Court, on a full life basis the settlement package amounted to £8M. Complex history including liability dispute.
- Civil and Commercial Litigation
- Professional negligence claims
- Complex personal injury cases
- High Court and Chancery matters
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Legal 500