Philip Evans

Philip’s practice spans a range of commercial disputes, insurance litigation and professional indemnity claims.

Philip has particular expertise in professional negligence claims involving construction and financial professionals; estate and property agents, IT, management and recruitment consultants, solicitors and trustees.  He has first hand experience of dealing with professional negligence claims from the insurer's perspective, having twice been seconded to major London insurers.  He regularly provides advice on policy coverage.

Philip leads the team within the disputes resolution department which brings claims against professionals.  The team has experience of dealing with claims against all types of professionals for both individuals and businesses.

He also has a wide experience of consumer sales contracts and product liability claims (largely in the motor industry).

Philip is well versed in alternative dispute resolution and routinely acts for clients at mediations.

His significant cases include:

• Defending an auditor in an action by a guarantor of a company alleging negligent preparation of the company accounts that grossly overstated the company's profits.  Guarantor’s action dismissed at trial. Duncan David Bruce Rushmer v Mervyn Smith (T/A Mervyn E Smith & Co) [2009].
• Currently acting for a major PI insurer in connection with a number of mortgage fraud claims brought against the same firm.
• Acting for solicitors in multi-party litigation in which the claimant sought £6m+ in relation to failed litigation raising allegations of fraud and breach of trust in respect of a commercial property transaction and the true ownership of shares.
• Defending a multi million pound claim against a major utility company arising from an electrical fire, which partially destroyed three blocks of flats.
• Successfully resisting a claim for wasted costs in respect of the Court’s jurisdiction to make such an order under s.51(7) Supreme court Act 1981. Charles & Anor v Gillian Radford & Co (A Firm) [2003].
• Defending an accountant in a claim for misrepresentation arising out of alleged fraud involving a commercial fleet hire business and letters of comfort to creditors.

Philip qualified in 2001 and joined Henmans in 2002.  He became a partner in 2008.