Ross Baker

Experience

• Based in BLM's London office I specialise in professional indemnity and directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance with a focus on claims against D&Os, accountants, property consultants, mortgage and insurance brokers and solicitors.
• One notable case involved advising the professional indemnity insurers of a surgeon on coverage and allocation of claims in a £37m settlement fund for over 750 claimants. It involved a variety of coverage issues and complex settlement arrangements requiring the approval of the High Court.
• I have defended numerous claims involving allegations of breach of warranty of authority, fraud, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty and negligence.
• I act on high profile coverage instructions in relation to high value and complex claims. Recently this included coverage advice in relation to claims in excess of £100m against a top tier UK accountant.
• I also provide on-going advice to insurers in relation to hundreds of investor claims involving tax mitigation schemes.
• The Legal 500 recommends me for Professional Negligence and for London Insurance & Reinsurance Litigation, and I was recently noted as a "standout individual".
• I am recommended in the Global Guide of Who’s Who Legal 2020 for Professional Negligence
• My D&O expertise includes claims against commercial and SME entities, and their directors.  These include breaches of directors’ duties, regulatory investigations, insolvency issues, Equality Act breaches, defamation claims, shareholder disputes, trustee disputes and data protection breaches.
• I also act on high profile insurance coverage cases across different classes of business including: investigating Insurance Act 2015 issues for fair presentation, knowledge, proportionate remedies; Third Parties Rights Against Insurers Act 2010 issue; notification of circumstances and claims; double Insurance; effect of criminal acts and dishonesty; attribution of knowledge; s. 51 Senior Courts Act risks; rights of set-off; number and aggregation of claims and excesses; and allocation of claims between prior, later, co- and re- insurers.

Membership/appointments

Forum of Insurance Lawyers’ Sector Focus Team for Professional Indemnity (London Market)