Alicia specialises in professional liability, insurance, regulation, and commercial disputes including civil fraud. She enjoys acting as sole counsel or as a junior, and frequently appears as sole counsel in complex claims.
Alicia is currently being led by Nicola Rushton KC in a civil fraud case to recover over £16.5m. Recently, Alicia was also led by Jamie Carpenter KC in a large professional negligence claim arising out of fraud
A substantial part of Alicia’s practice involves professional liability work focusing on lawyers, property and financial professionals.
Lawyers
Alicia has an extensive practice in lawyers’ liability, including barristers and solicitors’ claims. Her cases include claims arising out of the following areas:
Alicia acts for both claimants and defendants.
Currently, Alicia is led by Nicola Rushton KC in a £16.5m+ civil fraud claim, which may lead to lawyers’ liability claims. Recently, Alicia was led by Jamie Carpenter KC in a £2m+ professional negligence claim against a fraudulent solicitor acting as trustee for a victim of clinical negligence.
Previously, Alicia was led by Michael Pooles KC in the defence of an alleged £100m claim brought by a property development company against a solicitors’ firm, which settled close to trial. Alicia has also been led by William Flenley KC in a dispute involving the Solicitors’ Compensation Fund.
Alicia is an expert in professional liability claims involving clinical negligence and personal injury, having practised extensively in these areas.
Finance
Alicia’s work relating to financial professionals is broad, including accountants, IFAs, insolvency practitioners, tax advisors, and insurance brokers.
Alicia’s recent cases include:
Alicia’s expertise in professional negligence is closely supported by her practices in insurance coverage disputes, commercial disputes, property disputes and regulatory law.
Alicia has strong expertise in insurance coverage and brokerage claims. She is frequently instructed to advise policyholders and insurers on insurance disputes including notification, aggregation, exclusions and other coverage issues.
Recently, Alicia has advised an insurer on cover under a professional negligence policy which included Insurance Act 2015 extensions for inadvertent breaches by the policyholder. She has also advised on the extent of cover for a complex commercial dispute under a professional negligence policy.
Alicia has acted on cases involving:
Alicia advised extensively on insurance disputes when on secondment to Herbert Smith Freehills’ insurance litigation team in 2018.
Alicia has a busy commercial practice, both as sole counsel and as a junior.
In her own practice, Alicia advises as sole counsel on a range of commercial claims including haulage, hire, agency, sale and purchase agreements and non-compete clauses. In a recent trial, she successfully struck out a claim for non-solicitation fees as an abuse of process, and recovered substantial defendant costs.
She is currently led by Nicola Rushton KC in a civil fraud claim for losses of over £16.5m of investment in an unregulated collective investment scheme, which required a freezing injunction.
Recently, she was led by Simon Howarth KC in defending a £4m commercial dispute involving a solicitor’s business, with associated issues of costs law and regulation.
Alicia was led by Bernard Livesey KC in the first instance decision of the High Court (ChD) of Willers v Gubay, which led to the recognition by the Supreme Court of the new tort of civil malicious prosecution (UKSC 2015/0154).
Alicia’s work in regulation involves issues of dishonesty, incompetence, health and misreporting. Her practice spans medical and non-medical regulators, including acting for the SRA in a misconduct case which concerned complex health issues for the respondent: SRA v Ashurst, (8 February 2018, Law Society Gazette).
Alicia advises parties throughout ombudsman investigations (including FOS and the Legal Ombudsman) and has an in-depth knowledge of both judicial review and financial regulatory issues such as the authorised representative statutory scheme.
Alicia has been led by William Flenley KC and Simon Howarth KC in complex cases involving the SRA, the Solicitors Compensation Fund and the FCA.
Alicia has a specialist practice in costs which dovetails with her specialisms in professional liability, regulatory and commercial disputes. She regularly appears in costs hearings in the SCCO and County Court, and advises on costs issues.
Alicia’s practice includes:
Alicia is keen to work closely with parties to ensure that their strategy achieves a commercial result.
"Alicia has gravitas beyond her years. She is truly excellent." Chambers UK, 2023
"Alicia is a rising star. She is very approachable and at ease with lay clients." Chambers UK, 2023
Personal
First Class in Jurisprudence (Law): Worcester College, Oxford University.
Alicia is committed to outreach. She provides mini-pupillages and training with Bridging the Bar and Bar Placement Week. She also mentors applicants from under-represented groups.
Alicia regularly acts in pro bono cases via Advocate and the Centre for Women’s Justice.
Alicia has frequently interviewed pupillage candidates for chambers. She will be a pupil supervisor in 2023.
ICO Data protection registration number: ZA054031.
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