Poppy Hill

Poppy is developing a varied practice in Professional Liability matters.

Recent instructions include:

• Drafting the Defence and advising in respect of allegations of negligence and wrongful termination of a contract by a firm of architects.
• Drafting a Defence for a claim brought under section 27 of the Equalities Act.
• Settling Particulars of Claim and advising on the merits in a claim for profits fraudulently retained by an employee, and valued in excess of £25,000.
• Responding to allegations of solicitor’s negligence, including in respect of a failed property transfer, and in respect of divorce settlement proceedings.
• Advising on the scope of contractual liability under limitation of liability clauses (during pupillage).
• Advising on the sanctions imposed on a psychotherapist by his regulatory body (during pupillage).
• Drafting Part 18 questions in a negligence claim against the auditor of a charity (during pupillage).

Poppy has benefited from assisting on various high value insurance claims, including:

• Assisting with trial preparation in a claim worth £500,00 involving allegations of insurance fraud (led by James Medd).
• Assisting with documentary review in a multimillion claim concerning the coverage of D&O insurance policies (led by Daniel Shapiro KC and Alethea Redfern).
• Advising on the applicable indemnity limits in an insurance coverage dispute, arising out of a fire in a wind turbine (during pupillage).
• Drafting a Mediation Position Statement on behalf of the insurers in a claim arising out of firestopping defects in a residential building (during pupillage).

Poppy is developing this area of her practice, and her work includes:

• Settling Particulars of Claim and advising on the merits in a claim for profits fraudulently retained by an employee, and valued in excess of £25,000.
• Acting for the petitioning company in a winding-up petition.

Poppy is a member of COMBAR (the Commercial Bar Association).

Poppy regularly acts in a personal injury claims. Her work includes frequent instruction on RTAs, Stage 3 and Infant Approval hearings, and making various applications.

Poppy is developing a broad practice in this area, and her work includes:

• Acting for the NHS Trust in a CCMC in respect of a claim arising from the use of Filshie Clips.
• Advising a business in respect of liability for its concession in a claim brough under the Occupier’s Liability Act.
• Applications for Strike Out, to set aside Default Judgment, to add Part 20 Defendants, and to resile from an admission.
• Advising on apportionment and drafting defences in road traffic accident claims involving children (during pupillage).
• Drafting a Defence in respect of a CRPS claim for an injury sustained at work where statutory requirements and regulations applied (during pupillage).
• Drafting a Counter Schedule and advising on Quantum in a Fatal Accidents claim involving where the deceased suffered from epilepsy (during pupillage).
• Advising on quantum and settlement in respect of a living mesothelioma claim (during pupillage).
• Drafting a Defence in a claim for damages for PTSD and psychological symptoms (during pupillage).

During Pupillage Poppy gained experience in a variety of property damage work, including:

• Drafting a Particulars of Claim on behalf of a Defendant whose Fork Lift Truck caught fire and caused significant property damage.
• Drafting a Defence in a claim made against multiple defendants when the electrical components of a pump drainage system failed.

Poppy gained experience of a breadth of construction and engineering work during pupillage. Examples include:

• Drafting a Skeleton Argument arguing that a contractor did not owe a duty of care co-existent with its contractual obligations.
• Advising on the construction of express and implied contractual terms in a claim under the Contract (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.