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About
Provided by Clare Dixon KC
Practice Areas
Clare’s practice focuses on high value and complex cases involving: (a) professional liability, (b) insurance, (c) disciplinary proceedings and (d) commercial litigation. She believes in taking a tough but commercial approach and relishes advocacy in all its forms.
Clare has acted in four matters which have gone to the Supreme Court: three in insurance and one in professional liability. This reflects the high value, high stakes, litigation which is at the heart of her practice. In the regulatory and disciplinary context, she has particular experience in actions against solicitors and barristers and has dealt with a range of allegations including financial and sexual misconduct.
She was the winner of the ‘Professional Negligence Junior of the Year’ (2019) award and shortlisted for the ‘Insurance Junior of the Year’ (2020) award by Chambers & Partners UK. She is ranked in the legal directories for Professional Negligence, Insurance and Professional Disciplinary and Regulatory Law.
Clare has appeared in a number of leading cases including:
• Innovate Pharmaceuticals Ltd v University of Portsmouth Higher Education Corporation [2024] EWHC 35. Acting for the University in a claim for breach of contract involving allegations of dishonesty. The claim was for about £100million but, following trial, the Judge found that there was no dishonesty and, even if there was, that the contract between the parties limited the University’s liability to £1million.
• Ickenham Travel Group Limited v Tiffin Green Limited [2024] EWHC 27. Successful defence following a trial of a claim against auditors arising out of their failure to identify a £4.5million understatement in the Claimant’s accounts.
• AIG Ltd v DCL [2023] Lloyd’s Rep IR 83. Claim by funders against a solicitor’s professional indemnity insurer for whom Clare acted struck out for falling within an exclusion in that policy.
• Matthew v Sedman [2022] AC 299. Clare appeared in the Supreme Court for the successful accountants on a limitation point.
• FCA v Arch [2021] UKSC 1. Acting for one of the insurers at first instance and in the Supreme Court in the FCA Test Case about the response of non-damage business interruption extensions to the COVID 19 pandemic.
• Allsop v Banner Jones [2021] EWCA Civ 7. Court of Appeal decision on the law of collateral attack.
• De Sena v Notaro [2020] EWHC 1031. Successful defence of accountants from a multi million pound claim following a four week trial.
• Avondale v AJG [2019] Lloyd’s Rep IR 104. Acting for the successful insurance broker in a trial involving issues of the scope of a broker’s duty of care and the need for expert evidence to establish a broker’s duties.
• Impact Funding v Barrington [2017] AC 73. Supreme Court decision on the interpretation of the trade debts exclusion in professional indemnity policies.
• Employers Liability Trigger Litigation [2012] 1 WLR 867. Supreme Court case concerning the interpretation of employers’ liability policies in mesothelioma cases.
Career
Called 2002; KC 2021. MA (Oxon). President of the Oxford Union.
Professional Memberships
PNBA, COMBAR, ARDL.
Publications
Editor Jackson & Powell on “Professional Liability”.
Personal
Family, walking, travel.
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Clare Dixon KC has broad expertise in professional negligence matters, encompassing a wide range of claims against solicitors, barristers, insurance brokers and valuers. She often takes on cases that involve additional elements of fraud or wasted costs, and is recognised for her robust advocacy.
Clare Dixon KC is an impressive practitioner who successfully represents clients on both sides of insurance disputes. She is recognised for her strong knowledge of professional indemnity and employers' liability matters.
Clare Dixon KC is adroit in defending matters before both the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal and Bar Tribunal. She receives regular instructions from law firms to provide guidance on regulatory issues.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Clare is quick on her feet and has a persuasive advocacy style. She grapples with legal issues while considering the commercial realities, delivering her advice in a down-to-earth manner."
"Clare is very efficient in her delivery of submissions and pragmatic in her conduct of a matter."
"It is so good to work with such a brilliant legal mind who makes things simple."
"Clare is clear, concise and easy to listen to; she gets it right."
"Clare gives incredibly frank and easy-to-understand advice."
"Clare is very easy to work with and quickly gets on top of the details."
"Clare is an excellent professional negligence barrister, particularly in cases involving financial impropriety."
"Clare gets into the detail of a case quickly, is great at explaining complex issues to clients and is a very effective advocate at mediation."
"Knowledgeable, commercial and switched on, Clare is a very safe pair of hands and great with the clients."
"Clare is terrific; she has a great grasp of detail, excellent responsiveness and is a real pleasure to work with."
"Clare is quick on her feet and has a persuasive advocacy style. She grapples with legal issues while considering the commercial realities, delivering her advice in a down-to-earth manner."
"Clare is very efficient in her delivery of submissions and pragmatic in her conduct of a matter."
"It is so good to work with such a brilliant legal mind who makes things simple."
"Clare is clear, concise and easy to listen to; she gets it right."
"Clare gives incredibly frank and easy-to-understand advice."
"Clare is very easy to work with and quickly gets on top of the details."
"Clare is an excellent professional negligence barrister, particularly in cases involving financial impropriety."
"Clare gets into the detail of a case quickly, is great at explaining complex issues to clients and is a very effective advocate at mediation."
"Knowledgeable, commercial and switched on, Clare is a very safe pair of hands and great with the clients."
"Clare is terrific; she has a great grasp of detail, excellent responsiveness and is a real pleasure to work with."