Indemnity practice opens amid flurry of new firms

RISK MANAGEMENT: litigator to advise on keeping costs down

This week has seen a flurry of new practices opening their doors, with leading insurance litigator Frank Maher - formerly head of professional indemnity at Weightman Vizards in Liverpool - setting up a firm specialising in professional indemnity and risk management.

Legal Risk, which comprises Mr Maher and his former colleague at Weightman Vizards, Sue Mawdsley, will advise professionals such as solicitors and estate agents on operational risk management issues.

Mr Maher expects solicitors to form a core part of the firm's business.

'We will not be dealing with large strategic risk management issues, but instead helping professionals to cut indemnity costs and save time,' he said.

'We will advise on practical problems - for example, new money laundering legislation may affect estate agents who sell a house by auction, and we will work with them to get around the problem.'

He remains as a consultant to Weightman Vizards, and will continue to work with it on big-ticket litigation.

Striking out alone in London is Stephen Beverley, who has set up in business as Stephen Beverley Associates.

He was formerly a commercial litigation partner at Green Vine Beverley Palos.

Mr Beverley left his previous firm over a difference in strategy.

The new firm, based in Covent Garden, will be a general west end practice specialising in commercial litigation, employment and sports law.

At the start of July, four consultants and another partner will join from Edmund Bowens.

Ann Harrison, previously head of music at Harbottle & Lewis, has also left to set up as a sole practitioner, west end-based Harrisons.

The firm will specialise in music and entertainment issues.

Finally, a new set of intellectual property barristers has opened in Temple.

Templis Chambers is made up of Kelvin Jones and Natalie Hyams, and will advise on both contentious and non-contentious issues.

Victoria MacCallum