Amelia Walker

Call:2007

INTRODUCTION & CONTACT DETAILS

Amelia joined Hardwicke Building in December 2008 following pupillage at Four New Square where she specialised in all aspects of professional negligence together with insurance, construction and general commercial litigation.

Since joining Hardwicke Amelia has continued to practice in these core areas and regularly accepts cases in the County Courts and the High Court on both procedural applications and substantive hearings and trials. She also has experience of advising and drafting in claims of varying values and complexity.
Amelia is a 2010 Pegasus Scholar and is currently in Bermuda on a six week placement with Appleby Global in the litigation and insolvency department.

Tel: 020 7242 2523 Switchboard
0207 691 0020 Direct Dial
Fax: 020 7691 1234
Email: amelia.walker@hardwicke.co.uk

COMMERCIAL

Amelia is instructed in a wide range of commercial cases, ranging from small claim contractual disputes to much larger and more complex commercial disputes including sale of goods, consumer credit, agency and commercial agency, share sales, finance, debt factoring, debt recovery and claims for restitution.

Banking, Finance & Credit

Amelia is regularly instructed to appear on behalf of banks, lenders and financial institutions as well as on behalf of consumers and commercial borrowers in relation to the recovery of bank charges, recovery of payments, dishonoured cheques, consumer credit agreements, mortgages, and asset finance.

Cases

Cheshire Building Society v Cavanagh, Canterbury County Court. Amelia recently acted in a two-day trial relating to mortgage shortfall and undue influence. 

Construction & Engineering

Amelia’s developing construction and engineering practice has exposed her to a broad range of disputes ranging from defective works in residential and commercial properties to working together with teams of counsel on substantial cases.

Recent Work

• Acting for the contractor, as junior to Paul Reed QC, in a £2m dispute relating to the construction of a marine wall

• Acting in a team of barristers for CAR insurers in a $120million international arbitration arising from hurricane damage to a construction site

• Advising the employer against contractor and contract administrator in a dispute with the contractor and surveyor appointed under a JCT Minor Works 1998 contract

• Acting on behalf of a commercial property developer in a continuing roofing dispute

Professional Negligence

Since joining Hardwicke Amelia has continued to build on the foundations laid during her pupillage during which she assisted in claims against IFAs, accountants, construction professionals, surveyors and legal professionals. Amelia has since been instructed in her own right in cases involving claims against solicitors in negligent property and mortgage conveyancing, construction professionals and stockbrokers.

Amelia gained a valuable insight into and experience of professional negligence claims against solicitors whilst on a three month secondment at the Solicitors Regulation Authority Assigned Risks Pool, from February-April 2009.

Recent Work

• Acting for the solicitor in a claim in relation to alleged negligent conveyancing

• Advising the employer in a claim against a surveyor for failing properly to supervise and inspect building works under a disabled facilities grant

• Acting for the client in actions against share exchange companies for negligent advice or services in the execution of share transfer agreements

Insolvency and Restructuring

As part of her commercial practice, Amelia is frequently instructed in relation to personal and corporate insolvency matters and has acted on behalf of individuals, companies and several Local Authorities, appearing in Bankruptcy, the Companies Court and in the County Courts.

INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE

In parallel with her developing commercial practice, and particularly her professional negligence work, Amelia has experience of an increasing range of insurance matters.

Much of Amelia’s work is funded by insurance and she is well placed to advise on the range of issues that might arise between insurers and assureds during litigation.

Construction & Engineering

Amelia’s construction work has exposed her to the usual insurance policies in place on residential and commercial projects. Amelia has experience of CAR and public liability insurance disputes and is happy to advise in relation to employers’ liability and NHBC cover.

Recent Work

• Acting in a substantial dispute raising questions of coverage in CAR and public liability policies.

Fire Damage

Closely linked to her construction work, Amelia has had experience of cases where damage has been caused to buildings and property by fire and other named perils such as flooding.

Recent Work

• Advising insurers as to the liability of an assured sub-contractor for fire damage alleged to have been caused by employees smoking whilst installing woodwork.

Professional indemnity

Amelia’s experiences during and since pupillage have required her to deal with several issues arising from professional indemnity policies.

Amelia’s three month secondment to the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority Assigned Risks Pool at Capita Commercial Insurance between February-April 2009 has enhanced her experience of professional indemnity issues.

Recent Work

• Acting for the insurers in relation to numerous solicitors’ negligence claims relating both to the negligent conduct of litigation and also to negligent transactional work