I'm a partner in the insolvency, forensic, and restructuring group, and lead our dispute resolution services, which provide the full range of expert witness and expert advisory, including contentious valuations, accounting and financial issues and quantum – across arbitration, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution, such as expert determination.
As a chartered accountant and ICAEW fellow, I have specialised in accounting and commercial disputes since 2001, acting as expert witness or adviser, or as expert determiner of disputed accounting issues. Prior to this, I was an auditor. I lead the cross-disciplinary practice groups that specialise in accounting misstatements (accounting integrity, and conduct) and post-SPA dispute resolution, and advise on:
- accounting irregularities, misstatements and fraud
- professional negligence and associated professional indemnity claims
- regulatory matters relating to auditors and accountants.
I support subject matter experts (eg, a 'responsible individual' in audit) to act as expert witness on breach of duty issues in professional negligence claims and regulatory enquiries by the Financial Reporting Council. I act as expert on financial causation and quantum of loss issues in such matters and in other accounting and financial commercial disputes in litigation or arbitration.
I’m proud to be named as a leading individual in Chambers and Partners Litigation Support 2025, in the forensic accountants category. The guide describes me as a “market-leading forensic expert,” “user-friendly and a pleasure to work with”. It also includes another comment from a client that “Philippa in particular has been excellent … she has really thrown herself in and gotten into the weeds.”
I'm also recognised as a 'global leader' in Who's Who Legal 2024 for expert witnesses: "Philippa is a very impressive expert", "She has an excellent ability to work under pressure".
As a leading member of our firmwide sale and purchase agreement (SPA) advisory practice, I also advise parties pre-deal on the accounting terms of the sale and purchase agreement, and purchase price adjustment mechanisms, helping to mitigate the risk of disputes and guarding against value leakage for parties. I lead the post-SPA dispute resolution practice, acting as expert determiner, expert witness, or party adviser, including on post-deal disputes involving:
- completion accounts
- earn outs and other deferred consideration
- breach of warranty
- warranty and indemnity claims
- fraudulent misrepresentation.
I've given evidence and been cross-examined in a number of cases, including in the High Court and in arbitration, criminal, and regulatory matters.
Outside of work, I'm a trustee, director, and risk and finance committee chair of a national charity called ‘Pause – creating space for change’, which provides intensive support to women who have had or are at risk of having children removed from their care.
