Claire Bushen
Claire.Bushen@kennedyslaw.com
+44 161 819 2622
Download contact card
Profile
Claire is a Manchester-based partner and regional managing partner of the firm’s office in Manchester. She became a partner at Kennedys in 2013.
Claire specialises in defending and advising on professional negligence claims. Her clients include national and international reinsurers, accountants and auditors, insurance brokers, estate agents, solicitors and regulatory bodies.
Her particular expertise lies in solicitors’ negligence cases across all specialisms including conveyancing, failed litigation, matrimonial, wills and probate, mortgage lenders’ claims and corporate transactions (including group actions). Claire also specialises in defending claims against accountants pertaining to tax advice, audit practice and procedure and fraud allegations. She defends claims against insurance brokers and intermediaries, including failure to place cover. She deals with issues relating to disclosure, misrepresentation and due diligence, and obtaining of appropriate performance bonds.
Claire provides coverage advice regarding policy issues and wordings, and is experienced in dealing with regulatory bodies and fraud investigations. She also advises on risk management and professional conduct.
Claire has managed an impressive range of negligence claims from defending a high-profile MP to providing coverage advice in relation to claims against a solicitors firm totalling £80m. Other highlights include advising a firm of accountants in relation to the defence of several multi-million pound claims arising out of advice in connection with tax mitigation schemes; defending several firms of solicitors in relation to numerous claims following the discovery of rogue employees- including the requirement to obtain freezing injunctions and Norwich Pharmacal Orders, and providing coverage advice in connection with claims brought by 250 investors of an offshore pension scheme against Gibraltarian companies.
In addition to her work at the firm, Claire is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers and regularly provides seminars/ webinars on (re)insurance issues.
Claire contributed to the writing of Kennedys' 'Global forecast 2024: Evolving insurance risks' report, published in January 2024.
Qualifications
- Qualified in England and Wales in 2001
Claire Bushen pursues her goals calmly and determinedly with great results.
Market recognition
-
Leading Individual and recommended lawyer for 'Professional negligence (North West)'The Legal 500 UK 2024
- Notable practitioner for 'Professional Negligence (North West)'
"Claire Bushen pursues her goals calmly and determinedly with great results".
Chambers UK 2022 - Leading Individual and recommended lawyer for 'Professional negligence (North West)'
"Claire Bushen is noted for her work relating to traditional professions, specifically the well-renowned solicitors and accountants practice."
"Claire Bushen is an extremely friendly, open and intelligent person".
The Legal 500 UK 2023 - Notable practitioner for 'Professional Negligence (North West)'
Chambers UK 2022 - Leading Individual and recommended lawyer for 'Professional negligence (North West)'
"Claire Bushen is utterly fabulous in every way. Intellectually very switched on, great turnaround time and listens to what the client wants and delivers it exactly."
"...Claire Bushen, who is well-known for her strong solicitors and accountants practice."
The Legal 500 UK 2022 - Notable practitioner for 'Professional Negligence (North West)'
"A leading figure in the professional indemnity space who has extremely strong technical knowledge and commercial awareness."
Chambers UK 2021 - Leading Individual and recommended lawyer for 'Professional negligence (North West)'
"Claire Bushen has wide experience defending claims against accounts and auditors, insurance brokers, estate agents and solicitors."
The Legal 500 UK 2021 - Notable practitioner for 'Professional Negligence (North West)'
Claire Bushen receives acclaim for being "clear, proactive, efficient and quick at progressing cases."
Chambers UK 2020 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer for 'Professional Negligence (North West)'
The Legal 500 UK 2019/20 - Notable practitioner for 'Professional Negligence (North West)'
Chambers UK 2019 - Recommended Lawyer for 'Professional negligence (North West)'
"…the ‘approachable’ Claire Bushen who provides ‘proactive yet succinct advice’."
The Legal 500 UK 2018/19
Awards
Work highlights
- Advising on coverage in respect of numerous claims, totalling €172.3m, against a well-known firm of accountants.
- Advising on coverage, and dealing with the defence of numerous claims against a sizeable firm of solicitors. This arose out of the fraudulent activities of one of its employees. This fraud was part of a large scale fraud ring uncovered by the City of London police involving a network of solicitors from all over the UK.
- Dealing with the defence of a significant number of claims arising out of the Foreign Office’s revocation of a business’s licence to provide sponsorship to overseas students. This resulted in the curtailment of the student’s visas and their having to return to their countries of origin. The indication is that there will be in excess of 650 claims.
- Defending a £1.64m claim, brought by lottery winners, against a firm of accountants for allegedly negligent advice given regarding various investment opportunities, including property investment, investment into the private healthcare sector and Enterprise Investment Schemes.
- Defending a claim against an insolvency practitioner who acted as a Trustee in Bankruptcy against allegations that it sold a property at a significant undervalue and that it made payments to a party who had no valid claim in the bankruptcy. The total claim was for £2.5m. We were successful in having part of the claim struck out and the remainder was discontinued.
- Defending a claim against an immigration company with offices in New Zealand and the UK, arising out if its advice to a couple seeking to emigrate to Australia with their granddaughter. The claimants sought to recover in excess of £1m and the matter was settled at mediation for £40,000.
Insurance and reinsurance