Richard is a Partner in the Professions & Insurance Group. He has nearly 20 years experience in resolving professional indemnity and construction claims. He is a well-known and respected figure in his specialist fields and he is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an accredited mediator. He acts on behalf of professional indemnity insurers for a diverse range of professionals dealing principally with high value claims and complex procedural and technical issues. This year, Richard has been involved in several major claims against professionals, including:

A successful victory at trial in defending a multi-million pound claim against a consulting engineer in the High Court of Paris arising out of a boiler failure at a French Power Station. The claim, which involved several other parties, proceeded to trial after a 3 year investigation by the court’s appointed expert with the subsequent court proceedings lasting over 2 years. At trial, Richard’s client was absolved of any responsibility for the failure.

Settlement of a substantial and complex accountants’ negligence claim, for a London insured following mediation. Due to the type and complexity of the issues involved, Richard led a 4 partner team based in both Newcastle and Leeds.
 
Successful resolution of a large fee dispute/professional negligence counterclaim for a consulting engineer arising out of a landmark building. 

Richard has led teams within the group in taking two separate claims against solicitors to trial, both of which were successfully defended, with costs awarded in our favour.   

The recent settlement of two four-party disputes on behalf of a house builder based in the South East of England. Prior to trial, we recovered a seven figure sum equivalent to 100% of the client’s actual current losses and 100% of its legal fees.

Richard has chaired several Professional Indemnity Seminars in the City of London, hosted by the  Professions & Insurance Group, as well as speaking to insurers and brokers on a wide range of professional indemnity related subjects.  Richard was also a guest speaker for the Institute of Money Laundering Prevention Officers (IMPLO) at one of their annual conferences and has appeared in a DVD produced by the North East Fraud Forum on the subject of money laundering.

Richard has been “highly recommended” by the Legal 500 in the field of professional negligence for many years.

(2006)
“The accomplished Richard Palmer heads Watson Burton LLP’s professional negligence team, which boasts considerable strength in depth in the region. The firm advises an impressive array of clients, in the construction, health and legal sectors among others”.

(2007)
“Watson Burton LLP has many leading insurers, brokers and professionals as clients. The firm handled some impressive matters in 2006, including a number of multimillion-pound claims. Richard Palmer and Anthony Brown are recommended practitioners”.
 
(2008)
“Watson Burton LLP, led by Richard Palmer, is on the panel of six of the top ten insurers in the solicitors market. The last year has seen an increasing number of instructions from beyond the team’s northern geographical coverage; the firm’s London office is unquestionably opening doors. The team is ‘proactive and industrious”’.