Kennedys > HAMILTON, Bermuda > Firm Profile

Kennedys Offices

Kennedys
20 BRUNSWICK STREET
HAMILTON HM 10
Bermuda
Visit website 441 296 9276

Kennedys > The Legal 500 Rankings

Bermuda > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Recognised for its ‘international footprint and robust local insurance practice’, the Kennedys team adeptly manages a wide spectrum of high-stakes, complex disputes spanning contractual, insurance, finance, investment fund, shareholder, and multi-jurisdictional insolvency claims. Leading the practice is Mark Chudleigh, who is renowned for his work in international arbitration and high-value insurance claims, with support from Nick Miles, who is an expert in insolvency and restructuring affairs. The team’s ‘future star’, newly promoted partner Laura Williamson, further bolsters its strength, leveraging her expertise in insurance arbitration and professional liability cases. The team is also fortified by associates David Thom and Alexandra Miller, as well as special counsel Erik Penz; all have extensive experience in managing complex contentious matters, particularly within the insurance, construction and professional services sectors.

Practice head(s):

Mark Chudleigh

Other key lawyers:

Erik Penz; Laura Williamson; David Thom; Nick Miles; Alexandra Miller

Testimonials

‘The team is knowledgeable and thoughtful and has a practical approach to solving problems.’

‘Mark Chudleigh is excellent. He has great knowledge of the law, the optics and the players in almost any scenario.’

‘Mark Chudleigh is a phenomenal litigator with a varied practice and a firm grip on insurance and reinsurance issues. He also arbitrates, which gives him additional exposure to disputes and the inner workings of arbitration panels. Nick Miles is a great attorney who I rely on for regulatory counsel.’

‘There are no comparable firms in Bermuda that have an international footprint and a robust local insurance practice.’

‘We have been working with Mark Chudleigh and his team at Kennedys on a couple of very large-scale cross border matters and we find them extremely collaborative and easy to work with. They have an excellent grasp of both the technical and procedural aspects of Bermuda law, and they are also finely attuned to what is happening on the ground in Bermuda as it pertains to the litigation scene and the legal scene more broadly.’

‘We consider Mark Chudleigh a “go-to” litigator in Bermuda. Nobody has more quality litigation experience. He is deeply plugged into Bermuda and those who practice law there. A very safe pair of hands, whom we respect very much for his tactical astuteness. We also work with Laura Williamson who has recently been made up and who we think very highly of. We think she is a future star in in Bermuda.’

‘We work with David Thom who we think should be noted as an ‘associate to watch’. He is extremely diligent and hardworking, but also gets across complex issues quickly and is someone who we have full faith in in discussing complicated matters with clients. We have also had useful and helpful input from Erik Penz, who has advised us on some really technical matters and whose input has been highly valuable.’

‘Erik Penz provides meticulous attention to detail. Mark Chudleigh exercises sound judgment and makes thoughtful recommendations to help steer a matter.’

Key clients

Fullsun International Holdings Group Co. Ltd.

Alpine Global Management LLC and associated Alpine entities

Athos Asia Event Driven Master Fund and associated Athos entities

Whitefort Capital Inc.

Norges Bank

Wakefield Securities LLC and associated Elliott entities

FourWorld Event Opportunities LP and associated FourWorld entities

Work highlights

  • Representing Terra Law in a claim arising out of a high-profile failed property development project.
  • Represented the “protector” of the $7–9bn trust settled by a US billionaire in a significant dispute before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal of Bermuda. This matter arose out a high-profile tax-evasion scheme.
  • Representing 65 clients, former minority shareholders whose shares in the conglomerate, Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd, were compulsorily purchased by the majority shareholder.

Bermuda > Insurance/reinsurance Tier 2

The team at Kennedys adeptly manages a comprehensive spectrum of both contentious and non-contentious matters, representing insurers, reinsurers, captive insurance companies and their insured clients. Mark Chudleigh co-leads the practice alongside Nick Miles, who is recognised as a ‘stellar regulatory lawyer‘ whose expertise spans public company mergers and economic substance regulations. Laura Williamson adds further depth to the team with her proficiency in handling professional liability claims, director’s liability matters, complex insurance arbitrations, and multi-jurisdictional cases. Other notable contacts within the firm also encompass special counsel Erik Penz, who acts in contentious insurance matters; senior associate Nicolas Champ, who is a specialist in corporate insurance; and associates David Thom and Alexandra Miller.

Practice head(s):

Mark Chudleigh; Nick Miles

Other key lawyers:

Laura Williamson; Erik Penz; Nicolas Champ; David Thom; Alexandra Miller

Testimonials

‘The Bermuda team provided invaluable local knowledge and broader advice on a technical claims problem with an impressive level of communication and understanding of my needs.’

‘I have worked with Erik Penz and Mark Chudleigh. Each possesses the requisite knowledge, experience and litigation skills necessary to provide strategic, common sense and sound legal advice.’

‘Nick Miles is a stellar regulatory lawyer.’

‘We have worked with Kennedys Bermuda offices for many years now. They have been very additive in terms of structuring a transaction and adding value beyond the typical scope.’

‘Eric Penz and Mark Chudleigh provided me with the advice. They understood exactly what I needed and were able to pivot when required. There was a great deal of information to digest, which they did quickly and were able to translate to me in good time.’

‘Eric Penz responds quickly and was very good at coordinating the work with other attorneys on the claim.’

‘Laura Williamson is outstanding. She’s smart, responsive and incredibly hard-working.’

Key clients

Swiss Reinsurance Company

Chubb Insurance

SiriusPoint Insurance Bermuda

Aviva

Arch Reinsurance Ltd.

Allied World Insurance Company

AIG

Markel Bermuda Ltd

Securis ILS Management

National Westminster Bank plc

Work highlights

  • Acting as Bermuda Counsel to long-term insurer CICA LIFE, LTD. on all aspects of a long-term business transfer scheme to transfer its entire life book to an affiliate insurer in Puerto Rico.
  • Acting as Bermuda representatives for Travelers in connection with all claims notified under Travelers’ Bermuda programmes for “punitive wrap” insurance coverage.
  • Serving as Bermuda Counsel to Arch Reinsurance in connection with the acquisition of a minority interest in Helix Underwriting Ltd., a Bermuda insurance agent.

Kennedys > Firm Profile

Our firm

Kennedys Chudleigh Ltd., the associated Bermuda office of the international litigation and insurance firm, Kennedys, is one of the leading law firms in Bermuda. Our partners have over twenty years’ experience advising clients on some of the largest and most complex legal issues facing insurers, reinsurers, corporate organisations, and financial and professional service providers.

Members of our Bermuda-based team have in-depth international and local experience, having practiced both ‘onshore’ and ‘offshore’ for many years, both as barristers and advocates, and as solicitors and attorneys.

Our global reach, local and international experience, and deep sector knowledge provide our Bermuda-based lawyers with an extensive understanding of the global and local issues facing our clients.

Our practice

Our specialist insurance and reinsurance practice advises clients on all classes of business, including general liability (particularly the “Bermuda Form”), professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, financial institutions, product liability, Industry Loss Warranties, Insurance Linked Securities, captive insurance programmes, property, life insurance and other classes of long-term business, environmental liability, construction, marine and cargo, personal accident, life insurance, workers compensation, and motor liability.

We offer a “one stop” service for Bermuda-related arbitration work, including arbitrations seated or held in Bermuda, London, Toronto and elsewhere, and we are in a unique position to offer clients access to our global network and highly specialist insurance teams in London, New York, and in every other Kennedys office throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

Our team also offers unique specialist expertise advising and acting on Offshore Professional Risks, involving professional negligence claims in offshore jurisdictions relating to directors, officers, trustees, fiduciaries, corporate service providers, lawyers, accountants, fund administrators, auditors, insolvency practitioners, financial institutions, custodians, investment managers, insurance brokers, architects, building professionals, and medical professionals.

We advise and represent corporate clients on a wide range of commercial disputes, both in litigation and in arbitration, as well as on insolvency and restructuring matters, trusts disputes, and regulatory issues.

Our Bermuda-based lawyers have appeared as Leading Counsel or Counsel in some of the largest and most complex pieces of commercial and trusts litigation before the Supreme Court of Bermuda in the past ten years, as well as conducting appeals before the Court of Appeal for Bermuda and the Privy Council in London.

We have particular experience of dealing with urgent applications for injunctive relief, including freezing injunctions, anti-suit injunctions, and provisional liquidation appointments. We are also regularly involved in asset tracing and asset recovery proceedings, contested winding up petitions, minority shareholder petitions and corporate governance disputes, as well as applications for the enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitration awards, and for the production of evidence for use in foreign proceedings

Our team also has considerable experience advising clients on corporate transactions and commercial matters including commercial contracts, ownership agreements and corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory and compliance matters, securities offerings, and employment law.

Main Contacts

Department Name Email Telephone
Insurance and Reinsurance Mark Chudleigh mark.chudleigh@kennedyslaw.com +1 441 278 7160

Lawyer Profiles

Photo Name Position Profile
Ciara Brady photo Ciara Brady Ciara is a senior associate in Kennedys Bermuda office. She advises public… View Profile
Nicolas Champ photo Nicolas Champ Nicolas is a senior associate in Kennedys’ Bermuda office whose practice encompasses… View Profile
Mark Chudleigh photo Mr Mark Chudleigh Mark is the lead partner of our Bermuda office and specialises in… View Profile
Nick Miles photo Mr Nick Miles Nick is a partner in Kennedys’ Bermuda office whose practice encompasses insurance… View Profile
Erik Penz photo Erik Penz Erik Penz is Special Counsel practising commercial disputes in Bermuda. View Profile
Laura Williamson photo Laura Williamson Laura is a partner in Kennedys’ Bermuda office and a member of… View Profile

Staff Figures

Number of lawyers : 6

Diversity/Community


DIVERSITY AT KENNEDYS

As a growing global law firm, attracting and retaining talent from a variety of different backgrounds has allowed us to develop a distinct culture that we are proud of.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity at Kennedys. Our principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity apply not only to our employees, but also to the way we treat our visitors, clients, customers and suppliers.

Demonstrating our commitment, we were proud to be the global gold-level partners of the Dive In festival for the first time in 2018. Dive In is a multi-award winning festival for diversity and inclusion in insurance run by Inclusion@Lloyd’s, a cross market collaboration of C-suite executives and industry associations driving the strategic push for greater diversity in the Lloyd’s market.

Our equality and diversity policy

We support our workplace and clients by following our equality and diversity policy. Our policy covers:

  • Discrimination
  • Recruitment and selection
  • Training and promotion
  • Termination of employment
  • Treating outside parties
  • Monitoring
  • Disabled employees.

Everyone at Kennedys has a duty to act in accordance with our equality and diversity policy. They must treat others with dignity at all times, and not discriminate against or harass job applicants or other employees regardless of their status.

Discrimination

Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Recruitment and selection

Job applicants do not suffer discrimination, job selection criteria are regularly reviewed to ensure they are relevant to the job, and short listing of applicants is completed by more than one person.

Training and promotion

Training needs are identified through regular reviews. All promotion decisions will be made on the basis of merit.

Termination of employment

Any disciplinary procedures and penalties are applied without discrimination and redundancy criterion and procedures are fair and objective.

Treating outside parties

Kennedys is free to accept instruction from any particular client and refusal to act will not be based on any protected characteristics. Lawyers will be instructed based on their skills, experience and ability.

Monitoring

Workforce composition is monitored at all levels to ensure equality of opportunity across the firm. Where appropriate, steps will be taken to identify and remove unjustified barriers.

Disabled employees

Those with a disability will be treated fairly and reasonable adjustments to the workplace, or job content, will be made to ensure that an employee with a disability is not disadvantaged.