Having previously headed up the London office of a specialist professional indemnity firm, Tim moved to WBD's London office in 2018 as a partner specialising in the defence of professional negligence claims against a broad range of professionals including solicitors, accountants, insurance brokers, insolvency practitioners, IFAs, surveyors and construction professionals. He also advises on high value, complex insurance coverage disputes and is regarded as a key player in the professional indemnity insurance market.
Tim is ranked by Chambers & Partners as a leading lawyer for Professional Negligence and is well known for representing solicitors across a broad range of practice areas as well as being a trusted legal adviser to a number of the top 50 UK law firms. Tim also advises law firms on regulatory, disciplinary and risk related issues.
Experience
Recent examples of experience include:
- Currently defending two sets of multi-party professional negligence claims in the High Court against a large London law firm made by a high net worth family and a Jersey Trust company. The claims are valued at c.£5m
- Defending a c.£8m High Court claim against a London firm of solicitors relating to an alleged under settlement of a professional negligence claim against another firm of solicitors involving complex trust and corporate M&A issues
- Currently advising professional indemnity insurers in a policy coverage attachment dispute concerning claims against a firm of UK solicitors relating to buyer-funded developments with a total claim value at over £85m
- Advising international professional indemnity insurers on substantive policy coverage issues relating to a claim against a national firm of property valuation managers concerning the valuation of a c.£12m property portfolio
- Defending High Court proceedings against a firm of accountants specialising in tax solutions in relation to a professional negligence claim arising out of its advice to a corporate client on the implementation of a tax planning project with pleaded losses of c.£16m
- Acting for an architect in multi-party High Court proceedings involving a flood at a multi-million pound London property giving rise to a professional negligence claim seeking damages in excess of £9m
- Acting on a c.£20m fraud case involving a top 20 UK law firm which resulted in one of the largest ever settlements paid out by the professional indemnity insurance market involving a solicitor's fraud
- Acting on behalf of a number of solicitor firms (and their Insurers) in the defence of claims made against them by former clients relating to their purchase of individual off-plan apartments/units in buyer-funded developments across the UK.
"Tim Barr is an excellent technical lawyer: very focused, detailed, innovative and knowledgeable. He is also very personable and understands clients' needs well".
Chambers and Partners, 2022
"Acutely aware of the commercial implications for clients of cases brought against them."
The Legal 500, 2023
"Tim Barr has an unmatched attention to detail and deep legal knowledge"
Chambers and Partners, 2023
"Has a close relationship with the insurance market formed over the years. His approach is very much inclusive and understands the importance to relationships in the marketplace, what is needed and expected".
The Legal 500
