Clare Canning has been a key part of Barlow Lyde & Gilbert’s (BLG) litigation team for years, but 2005 was her best yet. As the head of department at the litigation-heavy firm, Canning led the team fighting Ernst & Young’s (E&Y) defence of Equitable Life’s £3.6bn negligence claim with panache.

Despite working only a four-day week, Canning was constantly on top of the ever-changing claim.

In fighting the case, she became adept at dealing with a news-hungry media; since its collapse she has swiftly become a leading commentator on the hot issue of auditors’ liability. And why not? After acting for E&Y on both Equitable and the 1997 Butte Mining case, as well as representing PricewaterhouseCoopers in its successful defence of the Elton John case in 2001, Canning has become one of the most knowledgeable lawyers in her field.