Professional negligence arises where a professional represents him/herself as having above average skills and abilities (i.e. is an expert in the area) and then falls below those standards. This applies to financial advisers, doctors, dentists, architects, valuers, surveyors, accountants, solicitors, etc where they fail to perform to the standards required of them, resulting in their client suffering damage or loss and in so doing breach the duty of care to their client to perform their job to a reasonable standard and with reasonable care.