United Kingdom > London > Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
Index of tables
Insurance and reinsurance litigation
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- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
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Hogan Lovells International LLP - Holman Fenwick Willan LLP
- RPC
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- Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
- Chadbourne & Parke (London) LLP
- Clifford Chance
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DAC Beachcroft LLP
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- Addleshaw Goddard LLP
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Carter Perry Bailey LLP - Clausen Miller, L.L.P.
- DLA Piper UK LLP
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- Bird & Bird
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Elborne Mitchell -
Fulbright & Jaworski International LLP - Latham & Watkins LLP
- Mills & Reeve LLP
- Pinsent Masons LLP
Leading individuals
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Timothy Akeroyd -
Elborne Mitchell - William Allison - DAC Beachcroft LLP
- Jane Andrewartha - Clyde & Co LLP
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Nick Atkins -
Hogan Lovells International LLP - Andrew Bandurka - Holman Fenwick Willan LLP
- Jason Bright - RPC
- Nigel Brook - Clyde & Co LLP
- Tim Brown - RPC
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Stephen Carter -
Carter Perry Bailey LLP - David Chadwick - Mayer Brown International LLP
- Dorothy Cory-Wright - Sidley Austin LLP
- Trevor Davies - Kennedys
- Anthony Dempster - Herbert Smith LLP
- Susan Dingwall - Norton Rose LLP
- Roger Doulton - Clyde & Co LLP
- John Groome - Fishburns LLP
- Jan Heuvels - Ince & Co
- Richard Houseago - Greenwoods Solicitors
- Chris Jefferis - Ince & Co
- David Kendall - Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP
- Simon Kilgour - RPC
- Richard Leedham - Addleshaw Goddard LLP
- Anthony Lennox - Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
- Stephen Lewis - Clyde & Co LLP
- Francis Mackie - Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP
- Adrian Mecz - Chadbourne & Parke (London) LLP
- Michael Mendelowitz - Norton Rose LLP
- Efstathios Michael - Slaughter and May
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Clive O’Connell -
Goldberg Segalla LLP - Liam O’Connell - CMS Cameron McKenna LLP
- Joanna Page - Allen & Overy LLP
- Raj Parker - Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
- Michael Payton - Clyde & Co LLP
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Bill Perry -
Carter Perry Bailey LLP -
John F Powell -
Hogan Lovells International LLP - David Reston - Herbert Smith LLP
- Peter Rogan - Ince & Co
- Jonathan Sacher - Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
- Edward Smerdon - Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP
- Richard Smith - Allen & Overy LLP
- Roderick Smith - Clyde & Co LLP
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Joanne Staphnill -
Robin Simon LLP - Stephen Surgeoner - Clifford Chance
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Peter Taylor -
Hogan Lovells International LLP - Stephen Tester - CMS Cameron McKenna LLP
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Chris Warren-Smith -
Fulbright & Jaworski International LLP - David Webster - RPC
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Chris Wilkes -
DAC Beachcroft LLP - David Wilkinson - Kennedys
- Nick Williams - Kennedys
- Paul Wordley - Holman Fenwick Willan LLP
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Timothy Akeroyd -
Clyde & Co LLP’s merger with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP created a giant in the insurance world, and consolidated its position as a leading global insurance law firm. With great breadth and depth to its practice, the firm handles the full range of matters from volume claims to complex insurance and reinsurance disputes. In sector terms, the practice ranges from personal injury, product liability and professional liability to niche areas such as political risk, bloodstock and trade credit. Recent work includes instructions arising from the Japanese earthquake, the Costa Concordia loss and the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Nigel Brook is head of the reinsurance team, and is recommended along with David Abbott. Jane Andrewartha is highlighted for her ‘expertise, commitment and enthusiasm to be truly outstanding’, and Toby Rogers, Andrew Grant and Roderick Smith are also highly rated.
At CMS Cameron McKenna LLP, head of department Liam O’Connell ‘has extensive knowledge of the area and is a “go-to” man’. The team provides a seamless national and international service, and is particularly strong on European matters. Timothy Ingham is ‘inquisitive and proactive’, and recently acted for Brussels Airport and its insurer following a catastrophic fire. Stephen Netherway is acting for Cooper Gay and its insurer in the well-publicised claim brought by Société Générale. Martin Fox is noted for his ‘clarity of thought’, and Kirsty Hick ‘always goes the extra mile, and is a pleasure to deal with’.
Herbert Smith LLP is a standout choice for complex and high-profile insurance and reinsurance cases. Anthony Dempster is ‘excellent at handling extremely complex products; Paul Lewis has a ‘first-rate reputation’ and is ‘a great tactician’; and practice head David Reston provides ‘sound strategic advice’.Reston recently acted for RSA in test litigation relating to the operation of its motor vehicle repair scheme; the outcome is likely to have widespread implications for the insurance industry. Also recommended are Christopher Foster, who is an ‘ingenious, quick-thinking man who you want to have on your side in a scrap’; and Alexander Oddy, whose ‘professionalism, expertise and responsiveness are stellar’. Clients of the team include RSA, Marsh and Gen Re.
Providing ‘excellent advice on a multitude of legal issues’, Ince & Co is ‘particularly strong in marine, and has specialist expertise in political risk and the trade credit sector’. The team took a key role advising on matters arising from the Costa Concordia disaster. Chris Jefferis is advising XL in the High Court in a dispute with Munich Re over adverse development cover. Joe O’Keeffe and Simon Todd are ‘experienced, knowledgeable and approachable’; and the ‘organised and thorough’ Carol Searle is ‘outstanding’. The team was strengthened by the arrival of Simon Cooper and Kiran Soar from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP.
Kennedys’ core business is large insurance and reinsurance matters, for Lloyd’s syndicates, global composite insurers and self-insuring government bodies. Recommended individuals in London include Christina MacGregor; Chris Langford; Trevor Davies; head of insurance Nick Williams; and Nick Thomas, on the projects and property side.
Mayer Brown International LLP is highlighted for its ‘industry knowledge and the appropriateness of its advice’. It has real strength in financial institutions insurance, and is also well regarded for political risk, D&O and professional indemnity matters. Group head David Chadwick’s ‘inimitable style and sound commercial advice are second to none’; Mandip Sagoo focuses on coverage issues for financial institutions, and was recently promoted to partner; Jane Childs is an ‘expert in financial lines’; and Andrew Westlake is also recommended. Key clients for the team include QBE, ACE and Chartis.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s dispute resolution group deals with complex and high-value insurance cases. Highlights included acting for a Bermudan insurer regarding hurricane damage in the Caribbean, and for a global retailer under its business and property interruption policy in claims arising from the London riots. Head of department Raj Parker is recommended along with Ali Sallaway and Simon Orton.
Hogan Lovells International LLP’s insurance litigation team has a strong international dimension, and ‘provides excellent, reactive, pragmatic and in-depth advice’. The firm acted for various Latin and South American insurers on a range of issues, including coverage disputes and reinsurance matters; and head of department Nick Atkins recently acted for an expert witness in defending an injunction restraining him from giving expert evidence in an arbitration. Consultant Peter Taylor is also highly regarded. Clients include CV Starr and Acturis SA.
Holman Fenwick Willan LLP’s insurance team includes practice head Paul Wordley; Rebecca Hopkirk, who advised reinsures following the earthquake in Japan on complex coverage issues, valued at $75m; Andrew Bandurka, who acted for AEGIS and Aspen in litigation relating to reinsurance claims following the California wild fires in 2007; and Peter Schwartz, who is also highly rated. The firm has a specialist claims group covering sectors including natural catastrophes, energy, mining and aerospace.
RPC has a leading property, D&O and financial institutions team, and has seen growth on the reinsurance side. The team recently acting for a number of the largest UK insurers in claims arising from the London riots. Victoria Sherratt joined from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP and is highly recommended along with James Miller; ‘both quickly grasp issues and provide concise and high-quality advice’. Catherine Percy ‘gets to the heart of the matter. and always acts in the client’s best interests’. Also recommended are Jason Bright, Paul Dowsey and Alex Hamer. The ‘personable and dynamic’ Alison Clarke was promoted to partner. The firm has recently opened offices in Bristol and Singapore.
Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has a reputation for handling complex reinsurance claims, for clients including Atrium, Munich Re and Chartis. Anthony Lennox acted in a number of reinsurance claims arising out of the 9/11 attacks, which included conflict of law issues. Jonathan Sacher is ‘a tough litigator with a commercial perspective’. Neil Owen was promoted to partner. The group has benefited from the arrival of Stuart Isaacs QC from South Square, as head of advocacy.
Chadbourne & Parke (London) LLP’s recent work includes claims involving the mining industry in Peru and political unrest in Thailand, along with the high-profile EL Trigger litigation. Clients include Brit, Chartis (UK and US), Aspen and Lexington (UK and US). Adrian Mecz and Christopher Cardona and Michelle George are recommended.
Clifford Chance’s insurance and reinsurance team acts for insurers and also major corporates. The team is led jointly by Philip Hill and Stephen Surgeoner, in London, and Nicholas Munday, who divides his time between London and Moscow. The firm has particular strength in political risk and trade credit matters. Surgeoner recently represented Société Générale in a high-profile case involving the misappropriation of gold bullion in Turkey.
DAC Beachcroft LLP has an ‘agile and responsive’ team, and an enhanced presence in the London market, post merger. Chris Wilkes recently acted for various insurers following claims made following the London riots. Mark Sutton acted for a Lloyds broker and its insurers in a claim arising from the placement of a facultative reinsurance contract into the London and Singaporean markets, relating to a loss of 7,000 motor vehicles in a freak hail storm in Dubai. Also recommended are Julian Miller, who ‘does not sit on the fence and is a real tower of strength’; Trevor Chamberlain; David Bear; consultant Michael Dobias; and Nick Young, who is ‘the man to have in your corner when the going gets tough’.
Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP – the product of the 2011 merger between Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP and Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP – is strong in the offshore reinsurance market. Clients include Lloyd’s syndicates and captive insurers including XL Bermuda, Munich Re, and Swiss Re. Richard Hopley acted for Centre Re as reinsurers of T&N’s £500m asbestos liability policy, in a large cross-border dispute over T&N’s liability. Practice head David Kendall is recommended.
Eversheds LLP represent insurers and policyholders in high-value disputes, with particular expertise in D&O, brokers E&O, and business interruption claims. Head of department Simon Brooks recently acted for Rolls-Royce plc in a product liability insurance coverage dispute concerning propulsion systems in cruise liners; the case has brought jurisdictional issues before courts in Florida and the UK. Also recommended are Matthew Allen, who is a ‘very good negotiator’, and Jeremy Irving.
Praised for its ability to ‘pull together and keep on top of all the many strands involved in a complex case’, Norton Rose LLP has a strong financial lines practice, and acts for clients such as RBS, Lloyds Banking Group and Standard Chartered. Susan Dingwall has a ‘calm and confident manner’, and recently represented Collyer Bristow LLP in its claim against the broker Lockton arising from the placement of its professional indemnity cover in a layered programme. Also recommended is Patrick Foss on the marine side, who joined from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP.
Slaughter and May’s dispute resolution group has experience in high-profile insurance work. Efstathios Michael acted for Equitas in claims against Heath Lambert, involving issues including a broker’s duty to account to a reinsured. Other clients include Marsh & McLennan and Willis.
Addleshaw Goddard LLP team has ‘impressive strength’ and is headed by the ‘down-to-earth and approachable’ Richard Leedham. It represents clients in the real estate, retail and financial service sectors, and continues to act for Aioi Nissay Dowa, the Japanese reinsurer, in claims relating to the World Trade Center. Mark Pring joined from Chadbourne & Parke (London) LLP; and Sonia Campbell was promoted to the role of legal director.
Active in international work, Carter Perry Bailey LLP is a boutique firm with ‘wide connections in the US, the Middle East and South East Asia’. The team has been busy on the marine side, and Stephen Carter recently acted for Lemma Insurance, the hull insurer for Da Shen Marine, in claims relating to the Da Ji vessel, which sank in the Taiwan Straits. Carter has a real ‘strength of knowledge’. The firm has a niche fine art insurance practice, advising clients such as AXA Art Insurance. William Sturge ‘provides a powerful intellectual assessment’, and Bernadette Bailey is recommended.
Clausen Miller, L.L.P.’s key clients include HDI-Gerling, XL Insurance and Munich Re. Highlights for the team included advising the global property reinsurance market in relation to complex property damage claims; and advising insurers in relation to fraudulent claims in the Pacific Islands. Managing partner Jane Beacham is ‘outstanding, and focused on a client’s needs’. John Startin and Jonathan Hall are ‘fine lawyers and diligent advocates’.
DLA Piper UK LLP’s insurance team was boosted by the arrival of Andrew Symons from CMS Cameron McKenna LLP and Prakash Paran from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP. The team has strength in energy, commercial property and business interruption matters, and provides ‘service of the highest quality’. Recently promoted partner Leon Taylor is able to ‘present highly complex topics in an easily digestible manner’. Head of insurance Charles Gordon has ‘knowledge and understanding’; and David Murphy and John Curran are also recommended.
The substantial team at Fishburns LLP provides a ‘high level of service’, and is ‘very responsive and client focused’, with expertise in the marine, construction and engineering sectors. John Groome is ‘excellent on international disputes’; Peter Sewell and Antony Marsh are ‘proactive and commercial’; Jonathan Moss ‘offers quality insight with a quick turnaround’; and Robert Lloyd is also recommended. Clients include ACE New York, Zurich Corporate Global, and Novae Syndicates.
Lawrence Graham LLP’s team is ‘very good and very responsive’. David Breslin recently acted in arbitration proceedings for an insurer client in Bermuda following a US class action settlement. Clients include AXA, Aspen and Validus. Antony Woodhouse and Simon King are recommended.
Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP’s London office is focused on insurance and dispute resolution. Edward Smerdon recently advising an insurer on class actions brought by mine workers in South Africa who contracted silicosis in gold mines. The team also represented insurers in several claims against financial institutions. Mark Kendall and Tristan Hall are recommended.
Steptoe & Johnson is ‘highly qualified for complex litigation, including coverage, pharmaceutical and group litigation matters’, and advises clients including Beazley Syndicates 623/2023, Generali, HDI-Gerling, and XL. Department head Angus Rodger is ‘commercially minded and provides deeply practical advice’. Also recommended are associates Michael Wharfe and Tim Searle, who ‘provide incisive advice promptly and competently’. Gavin Coull recently moved to Locke Lord LLP.
Bird & Bird acts for insurers and policyholders, and has particular strength in aviation, aerospace, defence, energy and utilities. Head of the group Peter Knight – a ‘noted performer with strong abilities’ – is advising a large power company in Chile in an arbitration relating to a $125m loss.
Elborne Mitchell handles a range of issues including business interruption, property and construction disputes. It also has expertise in political and war risk insurance. Rosalind Jones is the key contact.
Fulbright & Jaworski International LLP is appointed to advise a range of London insurers on their worldwide Madoff-related losses. Clients include ACE, Brit Insurance and Chartis. Chris Warren-Smith and Melanie Ryan are recommended.
At Latham & Watkins LLP, John Hull recently acted for a bank in relation to the Madoff Ponzi scheme. Oliver Browne was promoted to partner.
‘A strong name in the market’, Mills & Reeve LLP acts in property, liability and reinsurance matters. Michael Mitchell is ‘technically accomplished’, and Peter Driscoll and Victoria Jordan are also recommended. Paul Spibey joined from Kennedys.
Pinsent Masons LLP has a focus on the pensions, energy and construction sectors. Nick Bradley recently joined as head of insurance from Lawrence Graham LLP. Colin Read has experience in the niche area of nuclear insurance, and recently acted for an insurer in a complex reinsurance dispute concerning a South American pipeline claim. Also recommended are Alexis Roberts, Bruno Geiringer and Richard Slaven, whose experience includes critical illness policies. Clients include RSA, Allianz and Aviva.
Robin Simon LLP is a dedicated insurance firm. Michael Robin and Joanne Staphnill are highly recommended, and the team was boosted by the arrival of Philip Atkinson.
At Sidley Austin LLP, Dorothy Cory-Wright recently acted for Pulsar Re, the Bermudan reinsurance company, in a dispute over assets valued at $60m following the liquidation of Lehman Re. Other clients include BMA Suisse SA and Lonmar Global Risks Limited. Simon Fawell was promoted to partner.
Simmons & Simmons LLP’s insurance group is headed by James Pollock, and focuses on financial institutions, D&O, product liability and professional liability disputes, often with an international element. It recently advised the European branch of a US insurer in relation to claims brought by an Italian public entity. Christopher Braithwaite, William Rodger and Caroline Hunter-Yeats are recommended.
With particular strength in the marine sector, Stephenson Harwood has specialisms in hull, trade, commodity and energy insurance. Practice head Alex Davis is ‘robust and solid’, and newly promoted partner Simon Moore is ‘absolutely first class and a brilliant strategist’. Clients include RSA.
Taylor Wessing LLP’s areas of focus are marine, offshore property insurance, D&O and Bermuda Form policies, and it has been active in international reinsurance disputes. Team head James Crabtree, Susannah Wakefield and Anthony Menzies are recommended. Clients include Beazley Group plc, Swiss Re and BaoMinh Insurance Corporation.
At Weightmans LLP, Colin Peck and Ling Ong cover insurance and reinsurance disputes. Clients include Quinn and Riverstone Management Limited.
Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP’s Warren King and Catherine Hawkins are recommended for their expertise in the property sector, covering areas such as fire, flood and product liability. Clients include RSA, Ageas and Allianz.
DWF LLP’s commercial insurance team continued to grow with the recruitment of team head Christopher Ryan from Bird & Bird and Joseph Arazi from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP. It has a focus on the construction, energy and real estate sectors. Clients include Chubb Insurance and Isis Insurance.
Greenwoods Solicitors is strong in the property and construction sector. Richard Houseago is a ‘shining beacon’, and praised for his ‘analytical ability’. Mark Aitken, John O’Shea and Sarah Cochran are also recommended.
Hill Dickinson LLP is known for its strength in the marine sector, and has a growing practice in non-marine matters, representing underwriters and brokers. Nik Rochez joined from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, bringing experience in financial risks and D&O; and Anthony Bailey joined as legal director from Chadbourne & Parke (London) LLP. Clients include Chubb Insurance, Talbot Underwriting and Aspen Insurance Holdings.
Thomas Eggar LLP is ‘a firm with a bright future’. Victoria Brackett is recommended.