David Niven > Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP Offices

125 WOOD STREET
LONDON
EC2V 7AW
England
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David Niven

Work Department
Commercial dispute resolution, professional negligence, group actions, collective redress
Position
David is a partner in the commercial dispute resolution group, specialising in high value, multi-party professional negligence actions against solicitors and other professionals. A leading UK lawyer for group actions, including in claims against solicitors for mis-sold properties, he has an established media profile, client following, and reputation for getting results.
David is acting for hundreds of clients in numerous group action claims against solicitors and architects following high-profile unsuccessful off plan property investment schemes with substantial losses.
He has recently acted for over 130 claimants in multi-million-pound proceedings which were the subject of an important application to the Court of Appeal (headed by Master of the Rolls, Vos LJ). The appeal concerns the fundamentally important procedure in this field of law of using a single claim form to encapsulate multiple claims, as disputed by the defendant solicitors/appellant. This matter went to the Court of Appeal where the judge ruled in favour of class action claims in a single claim form.
David’s team has also acted for a group in cutting-edge High Court proceedings involving a £20 million insurance coverage claim against AIG, which settled recently on confidential terms shortly prior to the November trial.
Career
Trained at Allen & Overy, qualifying in 1985. Joined Wedlake Saint in 1996 as a partner, which then merged into Penningtons in 2011. Has specialised in commercial dispute resolution throughout his career.
Languages
English
Memberships
Professional Negligence Lawyers Association
Collective Redress Lawyers Association
Education
King’s College.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
A go-to firm for group professional negligence claims against solicitors, Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP fields extensive court experience, from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court. David Niven and David O’Brien head the group actions team. Michael Brown is experienced in representing shareholders and investors in group litigation. Charlotte Hill was promoted to partner in April 2023, while Kamran Rehman replaced Clare Arthurs as head of commercial dispute resolution in April 2024. Colin Hayes and Nicole Blakely are names to note, along with Tom Stables.
London > Insurance > Professional negligence
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP stands out for its extensive capabilities in handling large class-action professional negligence cases on behalf of claimants. David Niven is recommended for complex, multi-party claims against solicitors, especially concerning litigation arising out of failed investment schemes. Nicole Blakely is ‘a superb lawyer’ with extensive experience advising on group claims. Peter Stockill and Chris Bates are also noted for their skill with claims in the construction sector. The team is led by Kamran Rehman.
London > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is home to ‘great litigators, who are strategically astute, technically strong and commercial’. The sizeable commercial dispute resolution team is widely respected for its expertise in civil fraud, asset tracing and recovery actions. At a cross-border level, the firm continues to experience growth in India and North America-related matters. ‘Highly adept at devising practical commercial solutions to disputes’, Kamran Rehman succeeded Clare Arthurs as team head in April 2024, while Richard Marshall leads the international disputes group. Michael Brown acts in a range of commercial disputes, including financial services-related conflicts, enforcement actions and civil fraud claims. Also key to the department, David O’Brien co-heads the group action and professional negligence teams alongside David Niven. Charlotte Hill is an experienced commercial litigator and Rustam Dubash is an India disputes expert. The next line of active practitioners comprises Phillip D’Costa, who leads the firm’s IP and IT disputes team; ‘determined litigant’ and business and finance disputes head Alex Fox; and cross-border fraud and contentious insolvency specialist John Adams. Other names to note are Harriet Vidot, Chris Hoyer Miller, Oliver Cooke, Colin Hayes, Richard Raban-Williams, Valya Georgieva, and Lauren Cormack.
Lawyer Rankings
- Commercial litigation: mid-market London > Dispute resolution
- Group litigation: Claimant London > Dispute resolution
- Professional negligence London > Insurance
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
- Private client > Family
- Private client > Family: mediation
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Private client > Court of protection
- Employment > Employees/unions
- Employment > Immigration
- Employment > Immigration: human rights
- Employment > Immigration: personal
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m
- Insurance > Personal injury: claimant
- Transport > Travel
- Insurance > Clinical negligence: claimant
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Public sector > Education: institutions
- Public sector > Education: schools
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management
- Employment > Senior executives
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Trade finance
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
- Insurance > Product liability: defendant
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Social housing: local authorities and registered providers
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Corporate and commercial > Venture capital
- Transport > Aviation
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Employment > Employers
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Real estate > Property litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech: corporate and commercial
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Real estate > Residential property