Article written by Helen Evans, Tom Ogden and Marie-Claire O'Kane discussing the key areas of development in 2018 for professional negligence and the battlegrounds for the future.

Paul Mitchell QC and Tom Shepherd acted for the successful defendants in the first case in English legal history of alleged malicious prosecution of civil proceedings, following the recognition of the tort by the Supreme Court [2016] UKSC 43. 

On 6 August 2018 the SRA updated its warning notice on the improper use of a solicitors’ client account as a banking facility. Ben Hubble QC and Clare Dixon of 4 New Square look at how the prohibition on solicitors using their client accounts as banking facilities started, the way in which the rule is now interpreted and the proposed future wording of this aspect of the account rules.

In this article, Jamie Smith QC and Helen Evans of 4 New Square explain how these two issues have arisen in the context of disciplinary investigations and proceedings undertaken by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which plays an important role in the regulation of accountants.

Simon Hale of 4 New Square represented Costplan Services (South East) Limited. The decision of Waksman J is considered by Nicholas Broomfield of 4 New Square.