Sophie Engel Associate

Sophie acts for corporates in complex, high-value contractual and professional negligence disputes often involving serious potential reputational impact across many sectors such as financial and legal services, construction and insurance. Sophie aims to provide input that is clear and strategic, acknowledging each client's wider business risks and goals. Sophie also speaks French, having grown up in Brussels (Belgium).

• High Court Chancery Division - successful preliminary issue trial on point of contractual construction.
• High Court King's Bench Division - defence of professional indemnity claim for the purported dilution of valuable mineral rights allegedly arising from negligent tax advice (settled pre-mediation).
• Defence of pre-litigation construction claim worth c.£30 million for defective works at four schools brought directly against insurers (insolvent insured).
• High Court Chancery Division - defence of complex multi-million pound litigation involving contested ownership of a UK hotel with overseas parties (settled post-mediation).
• Defence of complex, long-standing dispute against defunct solicitors' firm arising from overseas property collapse, leaving hundreds exposed to claims by overseas banks.
• Advice to prominent insurer on potential breach of travel insurance policy after insured's high-profile death overseas – Financial Ombudsman Service (“FOS”) adjudication in client's favour.
• Advice to mortgage broker in various product suitability, interest rate fluctuation and protection policy claims, as well as one involving potential breach of covenants by former Appointed Representative.
• Coverage advice to various big insurers arising from negligent or fraudulent advice given by insured financial advisory firms.
• Strike-out / summary judgment application in £1.4 million unfair dismissal claim (Claimant discontinued prior to application hearing).