Isabel Hitching KC > Crown Office Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Crown Office Chambers Offices
2 CROWN OFFICE ROW, TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 7HJ
England
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Isabel Hitching KC
Position
Isabel has a long established specialist practice in construction and engineering and related commercial and professional negligence fields. Known for combining intellectual rigour with a team working approach, analysing and marshalling vast disclosure and working effectively with experts.
Prior to silk, Isabel was the most senior specialist on AG’s panel acting in a large number of high value and politically sensitive disputes. Isabel continues to act for the government as QC, as well as for insurers and private clients.
Contractual and professional negligence claims: in relation to domestic and international construction and engineering projects on all major standard and bespoke terms.
She has extensive experience in relation to PFI and government framework agreements.
Infrastructure and energy: acts for both government and private companies in relation to construction and maintenance of roads, rail, tram systems, flood defences, prisons, court premises, MOD premises (individual and Joint Services), airfields, power and utilities (on and offshore oil and gas, wind, renewables and waste energy).
Isabel is also instructed in cases concerning shipbuilding.
IT: Isabel acts for government and private companies in relation to provision and operation of long-term hardware and software and IT support services for central and local government.
Payment and performance provision disputes under complex PFI contracts: road, infrastructure and defence.
Property damage: chemical contamination, flood, fire, collision.
Financing of construction and engineering projects: bi-furcated finance, on-demand bonds, fraud.
Insurance: coverage, fraud, valuation.
Frequent High Court trials, adjudications and arbitrations (including as arbitrator). Regularly appears in Court of Appeal.
With academic background as lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford, frequently instructed in test cases on novel points of law including Supreme Court.
Isabel is known for commercial and strategic approach in mediations and negotiations.
Career
MA (Oxon) (first), BCL
Called 1992 MT. Sachs LJ and Queen Mother Scholarships. Inns of Court Studentship.
Languages
Working French and German.
Memberships
TECBAR, SCL, COMBAR, LCLCBA, PNBA.
Bar Council International Committee, Bar Council Middle Temple Representative
Education
Christ Church, Oxford, (1991 MA in Jurisprudence (First Class)), BCL, Open Exhibition and Scholarship, Dixon Scholarship, Radcliffe Exhibition.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Construction
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 5Isabel Hitching KC – Crown Office Chambers ‘Isabel is a highly capable advocate who is able to cut through the issues and give sensible and commercial advice. Calm and composed on her feet and more than a safe pair of hands.’
London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Isabel Hitching KC –Crown Office Chambers ‘Isabel is extremely astute, very careful and conscientious and always has a clear plan of action in terms of approach to the issues and getting the best out of the case for the client. She manages expectations in relation to delivering work and solicitors know exactly where they stand.’
Crown Office Chambers handles most aspects of contentious claims and coverage issues in the London Market and its members are well-known for insurance work in areas including construction, property damage and professional liability. Members of the set have varied strengths and handle a broad practice with silks including Isabel Hitching KC, which one client describes as ‘extremely astute, very careful and conscientious,‘ was involved in University of Exeter v Allianz Insurance Plc, representing the insurer which was seeking a declaration that it was right to reject a claim arising out of the controlled detonation of a World War 2-era bomb discovered on land adjacent to student residencies. Andrew Rigney KC has a well established practice in insurance which encompasses domestic and international work, and has been involved in a wide range of important insurance cases including those arising out of Grenfell and Covid-19 lockdowns. Ben Quiney KC advises and litigates on all insurance related disputes, including policy disputes and recovery claims, while Frederick Simpson and Andrew Brown are notable juniors in the set.
London Bar > Professional negligence
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4Isabel Hitching KC – Crown Office Chambers ‘Isabel has an innate ability to drill down to the main points and weed out irrelevant issues, from which instructing solicitors can then draw up a strong strategic approach which usually gets us to where the client wants to be.’
Crown Office Chambers is an ‘all round excellent’ set which regularly takes instructions from major law firms and insurers. In NGS v Covea & Riverdale, Ben Quiney KC acted for the insured in a claim arising from a fire at a salt manufacturing plant. This case involves complex issues as to the cause of the fire, coverage, and the rule of insurance brokers. Additionally, Isabel Hitching KC handles a number of cases concerning technology and construction; she recently worked People Per Hour v Go Up, acting for the defendant in what is thought to be the first case on the duties of providers of search engine optimisation services.