Before joining Weightmans, Amy practised for a number of years at the independent bar in London as a member of a leading set of barristers’ chambers. She specialises in professional liability, insurance coverage and cyber. Amy acts for all manner of professionals including surveyors, construction professionals, solicitors, accountants, IT consultants and agronomists. In 2018, she successfully represented an electrical contractor in Hiscox Insurance Company Ltd v (1) Quendon Interiors Ltd (2) Mr Ismail Oral (T/A Precious Marble) (3) T P & N Electrical Contractors [2018] EWHC 3585 (TCC) and she is currently instructed to act in connection with the Pyrite class actions in Eire. Her insurance coverage experience spans multiple classes of business, including cyber, professional indemnity (particularly engineering and construction risks), public liability and product liability. She has advised on all aspects of insurance law including validity of notifications (including block notifications), breach of the duty of fair presentation, breach of policy terms and conditions and the application of the Insurance Act 2015, fraudulent claims and waiver and estoppel issues; and is regularly instructed to act on behalf of insurers in related complex and high-value coverage disputes, including in respect of post-Grenfell cladding notification issues. Amy regularly acts as coverage and monitoring counsel under cyber insurance policies. She is a key member of the Weightmans CyXcel team - a unique multidisciplinary service from Weightmans which was launched in 2018 and provides comprehensive advice and solutions for digital and data resilience, incident planning, crisis management and response - and is a regular speaker and author on cyber and data protection risk issues. She is an advocacy tutor, deputy chair of FOIL’s Technology & Cyber Liabilities Sector Focus Team and a regular spokesperson on the impact of technology on professional indemnity and liability.
Weightmans
Lawyers
Anne-Marie is a Partner based at Weightmans’ Newcastle office, who specialises in defending professional indemnity claims against a range of professionals. She has 30 years of experience of advising both insurers and their insured professional clients in this field. Anne-Marie is regularly instructed in relation to claims against traditional professionals, such as architects, engineers, design and build contractors, approved inspectors, cladding designers, asbestos surveyors, building surveyors, solicitors and accountants. She has also advised in relation to claims against emerging professions, such as process servers and recruitment consultants and has experience of professional disciplinary proceedings, as well as criminal proceedings brought against a professional client. In addition to defending claims brought against professionals, Anne-Marie is regularly instructed by insurers to advise on policy coverage matters. Anne-Marie is recommended by the Legal 500 as one of only three Leading Individuals in the North and as one of only five practitioners in Chambers and Partners for the North East and Yorkshire region. She has acquired a reputation for hard work, attention to detail, and excellent client service delivery. She is an accredited Mediator and has successfully conducted many mediations.
Chris has almost 20 years’ experience of advising commercial and public sector organisations on all aspects of employment law. He has always conducted his own advocacy, representing employers before the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the High Court as well as the Employment Tribunal. He has a very broad range of experience involving almost all applications before the Employment Tribunal and has particular expertise in business protection, unlawful discrimination, outsourcing (TUPE 2006) and industrial action. As well as advising on all aspects of employment law, Chris frequently provides industry-specific training in both the private and the public sectors. ACAS regularly rely on Chris to provide elements of training to their own advisors. Legal 500 recently rated the employment team very highly, stating "Christopher Graham acted as advocate for Atkins before the Croyden Employment Tribunal in its defence against whistleblowing and disability discrimination allegations. Graham, who heads the employment practice, has extensive experience representing employers before employment appeal tribunals and the High Court." Chris also has substantial experience in protecting businesses from unlawful competition, misuse of confidential information and fraud. He usually runs a number of high court actions for employers involving injunctions to enforce restrictive covenants to prevent database misuse and to recover diverted funds. Chris has a particular interest in technology and has recently secured a first injunction allowing for imaging of the defendant's servers and systems. Chris is experienced in freezing orders and contempt applications as well as director's duties more generally. Recent experience Successfully resisting multiple claims under the TUPE Regulations 2006 for an outsourced contractor under a local authority framework agreement following a two week hearing. Such a decision develops the law on fragmentation in the context of framework agreements and, on appeal, will change the law relating to outsourcing Project managing large programmes for redundancy and the transfer of almost 3000 employees following a changeover of a contractor providing services to the government Successfully defending multiple claims under discretionary bonus schemes, resisting complaints for enhanced redundancy terms and managing changes to final salary and other types of pension scheme Successfully bidding for an exclusive contract for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to provide all employment services. Advising a range of new clients including Balfour Beatty Limited, Cape Plc and Whessoe Oil & Gas Limited
Duncan is well-known amongst the North East business community for providing strong, pragmatic legal advice on a whole range of corporate transactions, including acquisitions and disposals, as well as private equity and venture capital transactions. In addition to his experience of working in national law firms, Duncan also spent two years working in-house at a leading private equity firm.
Specialising in the technology, financial services, waste and leisure sectors, Duncan’s impressive client list includes BGF, LDC, Perwyn, Camerons Brewery Limited, Transmission Dynamics, Broadband Satellite Services, Bluetree, Perspective, Praesto Consulting and SaleCycle Limited.
As one of the North-East’s 'go to' lawyers, Duncan’s track record in providing solutions-driven, bespoke advice combined with his ability to engage with clients in a business context, ensures that his clients feel supported at every stage, from instruction through to completion. The loyal client base Duncan has built is testimony to both his professional, approachable demeanour and his ability to provide outstanding advice to business owners who truly value the personal service they receive.
Duncan is an ‘Acritas Star – independently rated lawyer’, an accolade given to those identified as a client-nominated, stand-out lawyer in private practice. Duncan was also awarded Corporate Lawyer of the Year at the North East Business Insider Dealmakers Awards 2022.
Recent experience:
Advising BGF on its investments in Arc Trinova, Broadband Satellite Services and J & B Recycling and on its subsequent exits from Arc Trinova to Permira-backed Quotient, from J & B to Urbaser and from Total Recycling Services to Biffa
Advising LDC on its investments in Cleveland Containers and ScarlettAbbott
Advising Ramarketing & PR on its investment from NorthEdge
Advising Datum360 on its investment from BGF and on the subsequent sale of Datum360 to NASDAQ listed Autodesk. Advising Praesto Consulting on a number of acquisitions
Jill serves as CyXcel’s Head of Service Delivery, where she leverages her extensive experience in mobilising large teams of lawyers, technical specialists and subject matter experts to efficiently manage resources and costs in the delivery of major projects. Working closely with the CEO, Jill is responsible for ensuring the highest level of client service across CyXcel.
Jill has over 15 years' litigation experience in transactional processes and data recovery. She has managed breach of warranty and indemnity claims, and orchestrated cases involving intellectual property, franchising, and shareholder disputes. Her data recovery efforts in the UK High Court have included successful implementations of interim-remedies in litigation (injunctions, contempt of court, interim payments, and security for costs). Jill’s committed work has resulted in reported decisions recovering confidential information, strike out, and successful claims for damages exceeding £30m in the Technology and Construction Court and Chancery Division of the UK High Court.
Kirsty is a technically skilled, highly competent solicitor, offering advice to well-known businesses such as Camerons Brewery Limited, BGF, Northumbrian Water Limited and Crafter's Companion Limited on matters including acquisitions and disposals, private equity investment, general company law matters e.g. corporate governance issues, compliance and shareholder agreements.
Kirsty has experience in acquisitions and disposals of private companies with both local and national presence.
Kirsty also advises on private equity investment, including dealing with early stage investment or subsequent supplementary funding, advising both venture capital funds and companies. Kirsty has further demonstrated her business acumen within the Financial Services sector, advising on a number of mergers and acquisitions.
Kirsty has contributed content for two publications aimed at the Financial Services sector. How are advisers adapting to a changing environment? and, more recently, Fintech -Embracing the future, adapting to innovation.
Demonstrating a mature commercial awareness, Kirsty understands the environmental pressures facing the legal industry and is aware of the changing needs of the client. Delivering above and beyond the level of service the client expects, Kirsty's pride in her work ensures she goes that extra mile to understand the needs of the client and their business and enables her to deliver a service that is truly supportive of the client's objectives and the desired outcome.
It is testimony to Kirsty's legal ability that the sectors she has advised so early in her career make up an enviable list and include banking and financial services, education, utilities and energy, leisure, technology, healthcare and construction.
Kirsty's growing reputation within the market was recognised when she was named the North East's Emerging Dealmaker of the Year for 2019 at the Insider Dealmakers Awards and enhanced further by Legal 500 in which she was cited as "definitely one to watch."
Louise leads the Private Wealth team in the Newcastle office and provides advice in relation to wills, trusts and estate administration work across the North of England.
Louise provides a fresh approach to helping her clients to put their affairs in order and her goal is to make the process easy for her clients. Louise has been complimented on her ability and willingness to listen. She wants to know what is important to her clients and offers clear, sensible solutions.
Louise advises on all aspects of estate planning including wills, trusts, probate, powers of attorney and Court of Protection matters in England and Wales. She works closely with her colleagues in the owner managed business and family law teams to ensure that the advice that her clients receive is complete and that the process, for them, is effortless.
Louise has particular experience and interest in guiding trustees and executors through the process of trust and estate administration. She has considerable experience in dealing with high net worth estates and those containing substantial property portfolios.
Marc is sector lead for owner managed businesses in Leeds and provides a wide range of advice in relation to corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, MBOs, finance, investments and general company law matters.
In addition to being sector lead Marc also heads up our franchising team, having completed almost 100 franchise-related M&A deals over the last five years. In addition to working for a national law firm, Marc also spent over four years working in-house for a listed company.
Marc’s main clients are owner-managed businesses, however, he also works for a number of larger businesses and PLCs.
With a strong emphasis on building solid relationships with clients, Marc’s focus is on providing specialist value-added advice, in an efficient and cost-effective manner, with regular and clear communications with clients.
Natalie has over a decade of experience in both contentious and non-contentious construction matters.
Natalie assists a wide variety of clients, including international, national and regional contractors, sub-contractors, consultants, employers, and insurers, and has experience across diverse sectors including leisure and educational buildings, infrastructure, energy, groundworks, piling, roofing, mechanical and electrical, on commercial, residential and public developments.
Natalie’s non-contentious experience includes review, negotiation and drafting of build contracts, appointments, collateral warranties and framework agreements, particularly using the JCT and NEC forms of contract.
Natalie’s contentious/dispute experience includes advising clients in relation to commercial resolution of disputes through negotiation, mediation, adjudication, and, where necessary, Court proceedings, particularly in the Technology and Construction Court and Natalie has experience in the conduct of multi-million pound disputes.
Natalie regularly writes legal briefings and legal update newsletters and has presented numerous legal update seminars both to clients and on behalf of other organisations such as the University of Leeds, Constructing Excellence, CECA, ICE, and CIAT.
Feedback from clients:
“Again thank you for all your assistance below. You did a brilliant job given the time frames, time zones and lack of documentation and everything else. Much appreciated. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you.”
“Thank you for your efforts and congratulations for reaching such a good settlement”
“Well done Natalie, a tall order and nailed right on time!”
“Thanks again for all of the excellent advice and support.”
“If I can just express my gratitude for all your assistance and advice. I think we may well have given up the fight long ago if it wasn’t for your persistence and patience in the matter which is hugely appreciated.”
“Thanks again for the service. We got exactly what we wanted out of the process.”
Paul specialises in acquisitions and disposals of companies and businesses for both owner managed business and large corporate clients. He advises on private equity investments, particularly in relation to early stage companies, and provides general funding advice to companies, including advice on banking facilities and security documentation. In addition, Paul provides general corporate governance advice to companies and directors and assists companies with their annual compliance and statutory obligations under the Companies Act. Paul provides advice to all organisations within, or who interact with, the education sector, including schools and academies (including free schools, alternative provision academies and university technology colleges), further education corporations and universities. In relation to schools and academies, Paul has significant experience in providing advice to academy trusts on expansion through the sponsorship of other schools and re-brokering of existing academies (including advising trustees on their duties in connection with expansion), and major capital build projects. He also advises academies on compliance with the financial handbook and governance handbook, and on the establishment of trading subsidiaries and other group structures. Within the maintained sector Paul has advised on federation and de-federation issues, as well as the establishment of charitable companies providing opportunities for collaborative practice, shared learning and other professional development opportunities for clusters of schools. Paul forges strong relationships with clients underpinned by his focus on making things happen. He has an excellent project management track record and an enviable breadth of knowledge in connection with DfE policy and cutting edge academy work. Recent experience Advising a corporate client in relation to a $80,000,000 syndicated multicurrency banking facility involving group companies in 7 jurisdictions. Acting for both further and higher education institutions on term loan and revolving credit facilities totalling in excess of £45.5 million. Acting for a charity and one of the North East’s most visited tourist attractions on the restructuring of its banking facilities. Acting for bank on the provision of acquisition finance in relation to the management buyout of a precision engineering company. Acting for bank on the provision of development facilities for the construction of care homes. Paul also provides advice to Further Education colleges on a whole range of matters including: The merger of further education colleges following the government’s area review process; The establishment of shared services companies and associated advice to governors; The establishment of trading subsidiaries and the acquisition of training providers by further education colleges; Large finance projects including development and working capital banking facilities; Paul also advises universities on a wide range of corporate and commercial matters including: University spin outs and subsequent venture capital fund raising; Banking and finance including significant term loan and development finance facilities; The establishment of university technology colleges and collaboration with schools and academies; Mergers and acquisitions within the sector (including advising on the disposal of a HE campus to a further education college); Advice on constitutional issues.
Richard is recognised for his expertise having been highlighted as a leader in the field of professional indemnity and “highly recommended” by Legal 500 for several years. A Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an accredited mediator for the last 13 years, Richard is a skilled negotiator who uses a wide range of dispute resolution tactics to achieve the best results for his clients in complex and high value disputes. He is viewed in The Legal 500 as standing out for his "straightforward professional advice that is always well researched". In Chambers UK 2010 Richard is described as "an extremely good communicator with an excellent ability to analyse problems and get to the heart of the issue". 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’s expertise is in dealing with substantial, complex litigation matters, predominantly in the Chancery Division in the High Court. He has a deserved reputation for excellence in handling shareholder disputes, public contract procurement challenges and complex contractual issues. Richard has particular expertise in seeking injunctive relief to protect clients’ interests on a pre-emptive basis.
After over 30 years’ experience of dealing with commercial contentious matters, Richard moved to the Knowledge Management and Library team in 2024. He now supports the litigation departments in achieving excellence in litigation practice.
Reported cases
• Harlow v Aspect Contracts Ltd 2020 WL 02621416 [2020] EWHC 1488 (TCC)
• 116 Cardamon Ltd v (1) Alan Ramsay MacAlister (2) Birgitt Alice MacAlister (2019) [2019] EWHC 1200 (Comm) QBD (Comm) (Cockerill J) 14/05/2019
• Joseph Gleave & Son Limited v Secretary of State for Defence [2017] EWHC 238 (TCC).
• Transport for Greater Manchester v Thales Transport & Security Ltd [2013] All ER (D) 41 (Jan) and [2012] EWHC 3717 (TCC)
• Celtec v Astley [2006] UKHL 29 and C-478/03 (ECJ)
• Bradford & Bingley v Ross [2005] EWCA Civ 394 (Banking and finance; mortgage claims; sale to associated company at undervalue)
• Bruce Cook v Vehicle Inspectorate [1999] House of Lords on appeal from the Divisional Court
Recent Directory quotes
• 2024 Legal 500 "Richard Corran is clear sighted and authoritative in his approach".
• 2023 Legal 500 "Richard Corran is a fantastic, cool-headed dispute resolution lawyer who uses all of the knowledge and experience he has built up in his career to get the best possible outcome in any given situation".
• 2021 Legal 500 "Richard Corran, who counts corporate litigation and restrictive covenant actions among his areas of specialism"
• 2020 Legal 500 - "Other key partners include....Manchester Office Head Richard Corran"
• 2019 Legal 500 Regional Office Head Richard Corran is “very able"
• 2018 Legal 500 the "pragmatic" Richard Corran “takes a tough line against opponents"
• 2017 Legal 500 "Other key figures include Richard Corran"
• 2016 Legal 500 "Richard Corran is recommended".
Tom is an established member of Weightmans' professional negligence and insurance disputes team based in Newcastle. Although based in Newcastle, Tom acts for clients across the country.
In the last five publications of the Legal 500, Tom has been ranked as a Tier 1 "rising star" and described as a "calm and methodical" solicitor with "excellent client care" and "wise beyond his years – a very good lawyer who is prepared to put in all the hours to get to the final article". Considered "very attuned to his clients' needs" and “the go-to name for construction disputes”, Tom is considered by his clients to have “exceptional ability to analyse cases and plan strategies. For the last 2 years, he is also listed in Tier 1 National for Professional Discipline work and described as “very competent in managing a diverse team and keeping the clients focused on the issues”.
The mainstay of Tom's current practice involves complex professional negligence construction disputes, with a particular focus on cladding and related façade claims arising in the wake of the Grenfell Tower Disaster. As well as being instructed on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry itself for one of the Core Participants, Tom has also assisted various professionals involved in disputes concerning allegedly defective cladding/façade products, including one of the ‘top-20 cases to watch for 2024’ as well as acting on associated recovery actions. In the Legal 500 2022, Tom was described as "the name to note for this type of work".
Alongside this, Tom has a burgeoning practice in disciplinary/regulatory and alternative forums work, and is currently acting on various matters before disciplinary bodies, public inquiries, appeal panels and the Bullock Independent Fire Review. Tom has also recently taken a regulatory prosecution to trial on a previously untested point of law, obtaining a favourable result for the client, and has been instructed on a number of novel, construction-based Judicial Reviews.
Tom also continues to be instructed on a broader range of disputes spanning the traditional and emerging professions and is regularly instructed by a wide range of insurers, and other clients.