Professional Negligence and Reputational Disputes

Strategic legal advice to help businesses manage professional negligence claims, protect their reputation and respond effectively when disputes arise.

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Professional negligence and reputational disputes can create significant financial, operational and commercial risk. A failure by a professional adviser may lead to financial loss or missed opportunities, while damaging statements can quickly affect customer confidence, commercial relationships and the standing of a business or individual.

DTM Legal advises companies, professional services businesses, business owners and senior individuals on bringing and defending professional negligence claims. We also support clients involved in defamation and other reputational disputes, including matters arising from online publications, social media, business communications and statements made by competitors, former employees or other parties.

Our Dispute Resolution solicitors assess the legal position, available evidence and wider commercial impact before recommending a strategy. We can pursue negotiation, mediation, corrections and settlement where appropriate, while acting decisively through court proceedings or urgent applications when greater protection is required.

 

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Professional Negligence and Reputational Dispute Legal Services

We advise clients on a wide range of professional negligence and reputational matters, including:

  • Bringing professional negligence claims
  • Defending professional services businesses against negligence claims
  • Claims involving negligent advice or recommendations
  • Breach of professional duty and breach of contract claims
  • Claims involving financial, legal, property and commercial advisers
  • Disputes concerning professional reports, valuations and transaction advice
  • Claims involving breaches of fiduciary duty
  • Professional fee disputes involving allegations of negligence
  • Assessing financial loss caused by professional failings
  • Pre-action correspondence and protocol compliance
  • Coordinating appropriate independent expert evidence
  • Negotiation, mediation and settlement of professional negligence claims
  • Defamation claims involving libel or slander
  • Disputes arising from online reviews and social media posts
  • False statements made to customers, suppliers or business contacts
  • Threatened publication of damaging material
  • Requests for removal, correction, retraction or apology
  • Urgent applications to prevent or limit further publication
  • Drafting confidential settlement agreements
  • Court proceedings where an agreed resolution cannot be achieved

Why Instruct DTM Legal?

Professional negligence claims can involve complex questions about the standard of advice provided, whether any failing caused the alleged loss and what would have happened if the professional had acted differently. Reputational disputes often require a similarly careful assessment of the words used, where they were published, who received them and the harm they have caused.

Our Dispute Resolution team provides practical advice focused on the result you need to achieve. This may involve recovering financial losses, defending an unfounded claim, securing the removal or correction of damaging material or limiting the wider effect of a dispute on your organisation.

We recognise that speed, discretion and clear communication can be particularly important in these matters. We can work alongside insurers, expert witnesses, communications advisers and other relevant professionals where appropriate, while keeping the legal strategy aligned with your commercial priorities.

We provide:

  • Early and realistic assessment of claims and defences
  • Practical advice focused on financial and commercial outcomes
  • Support for claimants, defendants and professional services businesses
  • Strategic management of sensitive reputational issues
  • Coordination with insurers, experts and other advisers
  • Negotiation, mediation and settlement support
  • Decisive representation where court action is required

Get in Touch

Whether you are concerned about the standard of professional advice your business has received, defending a negligence claim or responding to damaging statements, our Dispute Resolution team can help you assess your position and take appropriate action.

To discuss your requirements, contact us by emailing information@dtmlegal.com or calling 01244 354 800 / 0151 321 0000.

Key Contact
Head of Dispute Resolution & Construction
DTM Legal
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Key Considerations in a Professional Negligence or Reputational Dispute

Providing the relevant documents and information at an early stage can help your solicitor assess the strength of your position, the urgency of the matter and the most appropriate response. Read our Key Considerations guide to understand some of the points a solicitor may wish to discuss when responding to your enquiry. It can help you prepare the relevant information and make your initial conversation more productive.

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DTM Legal
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Dispute Resolution Team

Jim Morris

Head of Dispute Resolution & Construction
Kate Roberts

Partner / Head of Liverpool
Richard Harris

Partner, Dispute Resolution
Richard Thomas

Head of Business Recovery
Anna Abell

Solicitor, Dispute Resolution
Leanna Guy

Solicitor, Dispute Resolution
Jordan Foulkes

Trainee Solicitor
Matilda Hawkins

Paralegal

Frequently Asked Questions

Commonly asked questions regarding legal support for professional negligence and reputational disputes.

Professional negligence may arise where a professional fails to provide their services with the standard of skill and care reasonably expected and that failure causes a client financial loss.

The precise duties involved will depend on the professional’s instructions, the contractual arrangements and the nature of the services provided. A disappointing outcome alone does not necessarily mean that negligence has occurred.

A claimant will generally need to establish that the professional owed a relevant duty, failed to meet the required standard and caused a recoverable loss as a result.

The professional may dispute the alleged failure, argue that the loss would have occurred in any event or challenge the amount being claimed. Independent expert evidence may therefore be needed to assess the work provided and the effect of any alleged errors.

Yes. The professional negligence pre-action process encourages the parties to exchange information, understand the issues and explore settlement before proceedings are issued. Negotiation, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution may provide a proportionate way to resolve the matter.

Where a settlement cannot be reached, we can advise on commencing or defending court proceedings and continue to consider opportunities for resolution as the case progresses.

A company may be able to bring a defamation or related claim where damaging statements have been published about it. A body trading for profit must show that the publication has caused, or is likely to cause, serious financial loss before the serious-harm requirement for defamation is met.

The appropriate claim will depend on the words used, whether they are false, the context of publication and the harm caused. Other potential routes may include malicious falsehood, breach of confidence or contractual remedies.

Legal advice should be sought promptly, particularly where material remains publicly available or is continuing to circulate. Early action may improve the prospects of securing removal, a correction, an apology or an undertaking preventing further publication.

Media and communications claims have specific pre-action requirements, and defamation and malicious falsehood claims generally have a one-year limitation period. The applicable deadline should be checked immediately rather than assumed.

What our Clients Say

See what our customers have to say about their experience

Review Solicitors Stars
5/5 350+Reviews
Sienna
21/10/2023
This practice is unique in the way in which the lawyers operate. They are partner-led and all levels of fee earner looks after your matter. The partners are always engaged and accessible. This creates flexibility and speed without losing the key ingredient of experience.
Charlotte
05/10/2023
The team at DTM Legal provides realistic advice on prospects, and their availability is commendable. They truly understand their clients’ needs.
Anonymous
01/10/2023
Kate Roberts is outstanding. She is razor sharp in all of her fields of expertise and is a brilliant strategist. She is very commercial in her approach to legal disputes and is extremely responsive.

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