Justin Clayden
Partner

Justin originally qualified as a loss adjuster concentrating on liability and professional indemnity claims before becoming a solicitor in 1997.

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The majority of his work has focussed on professional indemnity claims in the construction field including architects and engineers. He has also handled a broader mix of property damage and policy advice cases.

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Cases handled in the last few years have included:

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• Defending a claim quantified in excess of £8 million against a monitoring surveyor relating to allegations of negligent advice on construction costs and negligent interim valuations in respect of an apartment development

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• Defending M&E design engineers in claims relating to the alleged poor design and performance of ventilation systems

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• Defending a claim for the alleged negligent design and scope of supervision of replacement pipework systems in an NHS hospital

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• Defending a surveyor acting as an employer’s agent in a £20 million claim for defects in a housing development

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• Advising insurers on the policy response to a claim for catastrophic damage to generator plant

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• Advising insurers on policy responses under design and build professional indemnity covers on projects ranging from a refurbishment project of 300 houses, residential tower blocks, commercial property and medical centres

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• Defending engineers in a multi-million pound claim for costs of repair and consequential losses following the collapse of a listed façade during a redevelopment project that was successfully settled before trial

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• Defending M&E design engineers on claims relating to the alleged poor design of ventilation systems

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• Defending employer’s agent in a multi-million claim for losses allegedly caused by a setting- out error for a crane in an industrial unit that successfully settled at mediation

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• Responding to and defending claims of electrical and plumbing contractors in response to claims of fires and escapes of water

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• Advising on the policy response and handling multiple claims for alleged defective cavity wall insulation.

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Reported cases: 

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• Kylebay Ltd (trading as Aston’s Nightclub) v Underwriters (2001)

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• Thames Water v Digginwell Contractors Limited (2002)

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• HSE v Paul Wurth SA (2002)

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• R-v Ely, Ely, and Lake Estates Watersports Limited (2002)