About us
The Defendant Division is headed up by Divisional Manager, Ian Curtis-Nye. Ian has extensive experience in claimant, defendant and audit costs matters, with a particular emphasis on technical and high-value disputes, CFA issues and changes in the costs litigation landscape. Ian has a wide ranging experience in drafting CFAs and CCFAs, as well as litigation funding more generally, both case specific and in terms of strategy and approach more generally.
The Division provides an expert service to major national insurance companies, and to individuals involved in motor accidents.
Underpinning all the services we offer is expert knowledge in each subject area, and a focus on commercial reality and controlling gross claims spend. However, when claims are defended we do so determinedly and we litigate to win.
The Department is led by Partners Emma Baker (Head of Operations) and Perminder Devgun (Large Loss and Counterclaims). Emma has many years’ experience of working closely with the insurance industry and brings a thorough insight and understanding around insurers’ working practices. Perminder founded our niche Counterclaims team and has since built expertise in Part 20, liability and high value technical claims.
The insurance contract is the platform on which all other related aspects of insurance law are based. Knowledge and understanding of the principles of insurance law are vital to carrying out insurance-related work. Our team are well versed in dealing with policy interpretation, contractual disputes between insurer and insured often surrounding non-disclosure, misrepresentation and utmost good faith issues.
Small Claims Team
The Small Claims Team handles all pure defence claims that fall into the small claims track. They work efficiently and expertly to assess liability and quantum, ensuring that they are getting the best outcome for our insurer client and their policyholder.
Fast Track and MOJ Team
The Fast Track and MOJ Team handles all pure defence claims that are allocated to the Fast Track, or that are raised in the MOJ Portal on behalf of the insurer. They provide an excellent service to insurers and lay clients, driving fair settlements where liability is agreed, and running a robust defence where liability is in dispute. They have great expertise in the MOJ rules, and ensure that insurers are always protected against costs where Claimants haven’t met their obligations.
Counterclaims Specialist Team
Our counterclaims team manage all motor files involving a Part 20 claim, whether we have entered litigation as a Claimant or a Defendant. They are experts in the civil procedure rules and QOCS and how procedure is impacted by Part 20, giving our clients a clear advantage against our opponents. They are highly in liability disputes, providing astute advice on which files to run, which should settle, and what case law supports our position.
High-value and complex claims
Our High Value & Complex Claims Team provides the tactical experience and knowledge acquired over many years’ handling of these claims, as expected by our clients. The team have specific expertise in Credit Hire and in claims involving Emergency Response vehicles. They have developed an enviable network of QC’s, Senior and Junior Counsel and experts in all areas of high-value claims.
What else we can offer our clients
We do not view the relationship with our insurer clients as simply a claims-handling relationship but seek to build partnerships with them by working collaboratively to draw on our best practice experience from across the market. Supplementing our best practice evaluations is the unique insight that we bring by having access to the significant MI and tactical perspective of our Claimant Division.
We also offer an audit function to insurer clients, where our experienced team bring litigators’ claims-handling experience to any audit.
Our training resource is available to all of our insurer clients, providing a wide range of training topics from black letter law to soft-skills training. Our team are also skilled at running file surgeries both internally and for our clients. This can be offered on a regular or an ad hoc basis depending on your needs.
Get in touch
If you would like to discuss how we can work together, please contact Ian Curtis-Nye.