Sue Pawar-Price

Career background

Admitted as a Solicitor in 1999, and worked for Brown Jacobson, Beachcrofts LLP and Keoghs LLP.   All work in private practice consisted of work in the defendant arena, instructed by large insurance companies.

Joined Brown Jacobson (London office) as a newly qualified solicitor in 1999.   Later joined Beachcrofts (Birmingham) and acted as no. 2 to the national head of the fraud department.  Involved in setting up the Insurance fraud department.

Joined Keoghs (Coventry) in 2006 as partner and technical director, and was the 'client relationship manager' for two key insurance clients.   Managed the motor fraud team, spearheaded the EL/PL [employer's liability/public liability] fraud team, and developed the liability fraud strategy.   Caseload consisted of an equal split of motor cases and EL/PL cases, all in the strategic litigation arena  (tort of deceit, exemplary damages, private prosecutions, high profile, politically sensitive, high value and technically complex files).

Re-qualified, called to the Bar in 2010, and joined Citadel in 2011.

Practice details

Common Law

• Since joining Chambers has continued to deal with phantom passenger claims, LVI/LSI claims, induced accidents, staged accidents, exaggerated claims, fraud rings, EL/PL fraud, property fraud, PPI fraud (Permanent Health Insurance)
• Indemnity issues, RTA matters and MIB claims
• Experience of acting for claimant and defendant in personal injury cases - all tracks
• Coroner's Court - has experience of attending inquests where death has resulted from road traffic accidents, instructed by solicitors acting on behalf of composite insurance companies

Crime

Has found that developing a criminal practice complements civil fraud work, particularly given the industry's appetite to deal with the problem of fraud in non-traditional ways such as private prosecutions.

Recent instructions to defend and prosecute matters in the Youth Court, Magistrates' Court and Crown Court have included :

• represented a care worker alleged to have assaulted a resident
• one of three defendants charged with assaulting a youth, injuries included a fractured skull
• a defendant serving a sentence of life imprisonment, charged with assaulting a fellow prisoner
• various cases involving resisting and assaulting police officers, common assault, public disorder (including cases with a racial element), criminal damage

Continuing professional development

Has delivered lectures on insurance fraud to solicitors, insurers, and investigators.