Deborah Tompkinson

Introduction

After pupillage Deborah worked as claims manager for a Lloyd’s Syndicate; in-house counsel for a run-off company; and for many years as a solicitor specializing in insurance and re-insurance disputes, including insolvency.

As a former purchaser of legal services, she understands the demands driving business decisions and the disruption of human and financial resources entailed in litigation. 

Wherever possible she will seek a swift and commercially practical solution, using the most appropriate approach for the circumstances.  She takes a proactive and down to earth approach and will seek to engage both lay and professional clients in the process. 

Deborah acts for claimants and defendants. She accepts instructions for most areas of common law, her interests lie with the following key areas:

Civil

Personal Injury - (including RTA, EL and PL) and Clinical Negligence. She represents Claimants and Defendants.

Negligence

Contract - Contract disputes (including Agency and Consumer Contracts)

Insurance - Insurance and Reinsurance, including assisitng with Ombudsman references

Civil Fraud - Deborah has written the sections on Part 18 Questions and Witness Statements for the Chambers Fraud Manual

Costs - Regularly attends Detailed Assessments in the SCCO and across the country. She also has a reputation for fighting hard at CCMCs, and appreciates that the approved costs budget can be vital to the future of a case.

Vulnerable Witnesses

Examples of work:

Assisting vulnerable witnesses: 

•           To resist proceedings for an injunction for anti-social behaviour
•           To resist proceedings alleging fraudulent transfer of real property

Recent work includes:

• Product Liability claims arising out of withdrawn orthopaedic hips.
• Non-party costs application against credit hire company
• Issues arising out of Part 36 offers on the Fixed Costs Regime
• A series of cases where guarantees were alleged to have been forged.
• Extent of recoverabilty of ATE premiums
• A case of an alleged contract reached by text messages
• Cases involving vulnerable and potentially vulnerable adult witnesses in respect of whom the court might need to make adjustments in order to ensure best evidence was obtained, and assisting instructing solicitors and court to that end.
• A Critical Illness Insurance policy where the insurer refused to accept the insured was disabled
• A Permanent Total Disablement Insurance policy where the dispute was whether the accident disabled the insured from doing any work, including housework.
• Advice on issues arising from Ombudsman’s references.
• Critical Illness / Permanent Total Disablement, Insurance policies where the insurers refused to accept the insured was disabled or the degree of disablement
• Advice on issues arising from Ombudsman’s references. 
• The applicability of the Consumer Rights Act to e.g., solicitors’ retainers. 

Memberships

Professional Memberships include: PIBA, PNBA, LCLBA, AvMA, Chartered Insurance Institute and Civil Mediation Council. She travels widely and is happy attending any court centre, subject to professional commitments.

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