Insurance And Reinsurance

Leading Silks

Colin Edelman QC - Devereux ‘ It is hard to know where to start with the superlatives. The star player at the Bar for insurance and reinsurance cases. He is clear in his guidance, willing to make time to explain difficult issues to clients, doesn’t sit on the fence, and is a brilliant advocate. Clients love him. ’

David Edwards QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘An exceptional insurance barrister, who is organised, smart and a very effective advocate.’

Peter MacDonald Eggers QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Incredible ability to turn things round and never sits on the fence – you always get an answer.’

Jonathan Gaisman QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Jonathan was a fabulous leader for our team in what was a torrid and challenging matter. He is intellectually fearless, determined and completely rigorous. He does not leave things to junior members of the team, but is always entirely top of the detail. Approachable and available, even in times of great challenge, it was a real privilege to work with him.’

Siobán Healy QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Bright, incredibly hard-working, forensically detailed, and very well-prepared – a very strong advocate.’

Gavin Kealey QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Particularly impressive – plainly knew his submissions back to front, was unflappable in the face of intense scrutiny from the judges, and his charming style of advocacy (in both times of agreement and disagreement) plainly commanded the attention and respect of the court.’

Dominic Kendrick QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘An extremely experienced barrister, who takes a very commercial approach.’

John Lockey QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very intelligent, he has a very good sense of humour and is very balanced. ’

Andrew Miller QC - 2 Temple Gardens

Andrew Neish QC - 4 Pump Court ‘ An excellent manager of clients and expectations - he achieves incredible results. ’

David Railton QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ An outstanding advocate. ’

Andrew Rigney QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Exceptionally intelligent, extremely hard-working, impeccably mannered, a brilliant advocate, a wise strategist, and a thoroughly decent human being to boot. ’

Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Rebecca is very hard-working, gives clear and concise advice, and is always available to discuss matters with clients and solicitors alike. Excellent people skills and she knows what she’s talking about.’

Alistair Schaff QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Extremely bright and extremely pleasant.’

Tom Weitzman QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ An excellent advocate with wonderful written work. ’

Guy Blackwood QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ He quickly gets to the heart of the issues and provides good strategic advice. ’

Bob Moxon Browne QC - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Incandescently clever, a brilliant leader, and extremely adept at cross examining witnesses. He judges the mood of the courtroom and represents the client well. You can be confident that he will deal with the most sensitive of cases with thoroughness and professionalism. ’

Aidan Christie QC - 4 Pump Court ‘ The pre-eminent insurance disputes silk. ’

Charles Dougherty QC - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Simply a genius - an expert on any issues of jurisdiction and an absolute intellectual powerhouse. ’

Ben Elkington QC - 4 New Square ‘ Extremely clever, efficient and gives clear, practical advice. His is also a very decent, emotionally intelligent person, which makes him a pleasure to work with. His insurance coverage expertise is enhanced by his arbitration practice. ’

Stephen Hofmeyr QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Takes a very measured, methodical approach to argument and cross-examination, which is very effective.’

Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He has great presence and ability to condense the law into digestible submissions. ’

Nigel Jones QC - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ Nigel is fantastic - he is incredibly reassuring to work with, his client service is excellent, and despite always being busy he is never too busy to respond to a query or email. He has the unique combination of intellect and pragmatism, and is always commercial, and answers questions that we have yet even to identify. Clients are always impressed by him. ’

Stephen Moriarty QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Stephen is quite simply the finest mind at the Bar. He is exceptionally quick to identify the core of any legal issue and extremely rigorous in solving it. At the same time he is excellent to work with, very responsive, and happy to work as part of a team, with no airs and graces. ’

Ben Quiney QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Utterly unflappable, covers all the bases, and gets to the real heart of the issue. You just know that he has considered all angles and comes up with practical, commercial answers. Also very good at understanding what makes people tick and how to get through the arguments they are making. ’

Paul Reed QC - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ The leading QC at the Bar in relation to construction all risks insurance - he has a refreshingly straightforward manner, and always makes sure that his advice is practically useful. ’

David Scorey QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very intelligent and quickly gets the measure of a case. ’

David Turner QC - 4 New Square ‘ Very competent, professional and has real integrity. He is a real expert in relation to insurance and insurance brokers. His opponents significantly respect and admire him. ’

David Bailey QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Vastly experienced and intelligent.’

Robert Bright QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Philip Edey QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Exudes confidence. He is a fierce advocate, a fantastic team player with no airs and graces, and a first choice for the most complex disputes. He is also excellent on his feet, a quick thinker, and instinctively reads the courtroom and judges very well. He has been against the most experienced heavyweights at the Bar, is never intimidated, and is exceedingly clever. ’

Graham Eklund QC - 4 New Square ‘ Everything you would expect of a superbly accomplished QC - mastery of the cases but also the deftest of touch with everyone involved in the case preparation. A really assured touch with clients and witnesses. No bombast, only quiet, calm, complete competence, and a fine eye for detail and strategy. ’

Adam Fenton QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Extremely client friendly – he builds an immediate rapport and his experience oozes, so he has a natural yet understated self-confidence that conveys his many years of experience and commands respect.’

Justin Fenwick QC - 4 New Square ‘ He contributes tremendous focus and vast experience. ’

Ben Hubble QC - 4 New Square ‘ Accessible, knows his stuff, provides straightforward and pragmatic advice, and is excellent on his feet - the go-to silk for difficult clients who are reluctant to accept the problems with their case. ’

Charles Kimmins QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Thorough and meticulous in reviewing documents, creative and imaginative in approaching the law and the formulation of legal arguments, and a pleasure to work with. Also very user-friendly and good with clients. ’

Hodge Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Astute tactical acumen and decades of experience in a very wide range of practice areas. ’

Neil Moody QC - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Very good judgement and sound commercial sense, with a good nose for how far to push points - he is tactically and strategically acute, and a team player who is thoroughly reliable and very easy to work with. He quickly grasps the issues and provides excellent advice in an easily digestible format. ’

Leigh-Ann Mulcahy QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ She has a great analytical mind and her delivery is backed up by thorough research of the legal issues - always well prepared. ’

Howard Palmer QC - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Extraordinary breadth and depth and knowledge of insurance law - the perfect pick to lead a team in a difficult case and a pleasure to work with. ’

Rory Phillips QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A stellar individual with an incredible array of talents, Rory has a huge intellect which, when combined with his quick wit, makes him a formidable presence in any court or tribunal. He is particularly good at handling sensitive matters. ’

Simon Rainey QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Quality advice and very prompt in responding to matters. ’

Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A superb advocate and highly intelligent insurance lawyer, who is very responsive and has a down-to-earth manner with both clients and courts - very good at distilling and explaining complex concepts, and has the ear of the court even among highly prestigious co-defendants and opponent counsels. ’

Richard Southern QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Very smart and analytical, his judgement is sound, and his grasp of the details have proved invaluable in steering us towards the best decisions. He is also quick and responsive, and very pleasant to work with.’

Nigel Tozzi QC - 4 Pump Court ‘ Presents advice in a clear way - extremely client friendly. ’

Andrew Wales QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Extremely clever, always thinks a way around problems, and very collaborative with solicitors.’

Richard Waller QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘As bright as they come, incredibly easy to work with, and with an excellent eye for tactics. Excellent with our mutual clients.’

Tom Adam QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Perennially brilliant - solicitors cannot express in words just how good he is. ’

Rachel Ansell QC - 4 Pump Court ‘ Exceptional cross-examination and advocacy - Rachel's involvement in the FCA Test Case underlines her position as one of the leading insurance silks. ’

James Brocklebank QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Highly intelligent, very hard-working, an astute tactician, and extremely knowledgeable.’

Andrew Burns QC - Devereux ‘ Highly intelligent, client friendly, commercial and responsive. ’

Stuart Catchpole QC – Atkin Chambers ‘Tremendously intelligent and with exceptional judgement; Stuart is always able to see the wider picture, and to anticipate the court’s reaction to any line of argument. He is legally knowledgeable, his ability to master technical issues is nothing short of awe-inspiring, he is tremendously collegiate, and he always utterly masters his brief. Lay and professional clients absolutely love him – and with good reason.’

Michael Curtis QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ A first-class brain and very engaging with clients. ’

Anneliese Day QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Anneliese is without doubt in a league of her own - she has a unique combination of the sharpest of intellects and insightful and perfectly calibrated judgement - she is the ultimate trial lawyer. Very well prepared, tactically sophisticated and intellectually agile, while never losing sight of the ball. ’

Andrew Green QC – Blackstone Chambers ‘His determination to succeed is a real standout feature.’

Christopher Hancock QC - Twenty Essex

Neil Hext QC - 4 New Square ‘ Thoroughly approachable, responsive and highly experienced in insurance matters. He is my first port of call for large, complex insurance disputes. He delivers commercial and pragmatic advice, is a robust advocate, and a safe pair of hands. ’

Jonathan Hough QC - 4 New Square ‘ Jonathan's strengths are his considerable intelligence and his fantastically comprehensive written submissions. He also has a very broad practice and can bring experience in different areas to bear on particular disputes. Very assertive when backing his own judgement, radiates confidence, and develops trust with clients. ’

Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Very approachable and a strategic thinker. ’

Andrew Hunter QC – Blackstone Chambers ‘He is incredibly smart, but also excellent on his feet and under pressure. In addition, he is incredibly responsive to client needs and a pleasure to deal with.’

Stephen Kenny QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘The assistance rendered was nothing less than brilliant – you could hardly find a better lawyer in the field of marine insurance.’

Jawdat Khurshid QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Exceptionally bright, responsive and wholly unflappable – when difficult issues arise, Jawdat provides sensible advice, fast, in order to resolve them. Despite his undoubtedly busy caseload, Jawdat is always available when needed. Having seen Jawdat perform at trial in our own case, I would not hesitate to use him again.’

Richard Lord QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Richard has a fine intellect married to a charming manner. He is sharp and responsive, and his advice is very thoughtful, well structured and practical. He is one of the very few I would immediately think of when seeking advice on insurance and reinsurance matters. ’

Richard Lynagh QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Extremely knowledgeable in insurance work. Richard is extremely thorough and pays great attention to detail, which is imperative in this type of work. Provides sensible, pragmatic advice for clients and his experience shows through in difficult negotiations. Very much a team player, always works to deadlines and is very efficient. ’

Harry Matovu QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Very commercial and extremely thorough. ’

Graeme McPherson QC - 4 New Square ‘ An extremely focused barrister and terrifyingly intelligent. ’

Stephen Midwinter QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A go-to choice for anything big, technical or complicated. Stephen has an exceptional ability to see the wood for the trees, and always delivers pithy, practical, usable advice in a straightforward way that clients can follow. ’

Andrew Mitchell QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Andrew is fantastic - clever, easy to work with, forceful in submissions and great on his feet. ’

Martin Moore QC - Erskine Chambers ‘ My experience of Martin is consistently excellent, as he combines both an unrivalled understanding of the particular specialist work we do with him, and a deep understanding of how insurance and other financial services firms operate, and the applicable regulatory environment. He is also very pragmatic and commercially minded. ’

Alison Padfield QC - 4 New Square ‘ Strong analytical skills, and able to pull together a large amount of information for the purpose of carrying out out that analysis. Provides pragmatic commercial advice that is backed by detailed analysis of the finer detail. ’

Luke Parsons QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ A skilled cross-examiner who is always in full command of his brief. ’

Daniel Shapiro QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ An extremely impressive all-rounder. Intellectually very strong, he writes thorough and detailed advice, but in a writing style that is nevertheless engaging and accessible. When advising in conference, his ability to set out complex legal arguments and strategy for clients is a particular strength and one that sets him apart from his contemporaries. ’

Jamie Smith QC - 4 New Square ‘ An excellent advocate in writing and on his feet, running rings around the opposition. His advice is clear and methodical. ’

Roger Stewart QC - 4 New Square ‘ Enormous expertise and experience, and gives excellent strategic guidance throughout. ’

Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A total Rolls-Royce - understands the pressures on instructing solicitors, handles clients very well, and is collaborative and easy to work with. ’

Michael Ashcroft QC - Twenty Essex ‘ His strength is a measured, detailed and well-structured approach that secures good results. ’

Steven Berry QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He has an outstanding reputation. ’

Neil Block QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Very sensible, level-headed, cautious and pragmatic, as well as being a formidable advocate who impresses on his feet. ’

Timothy Dutton CBE QC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Excellent – immense experience, and very sensible and trustworthy.’

Nigel Cooper QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Produces brilliant pleadings and is thorough. ’

Raymond Cox QC - Fountain Court Chambers

Nicholas Craig QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very user-friendly and approachable, he shows good attention to detail, and his preparation for cross-examination is admirable. ’

James Cutress QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Well-crafted written submissions and an intelligent approach. ’

Derrick Dale QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A good team player with very good attention to detail - a real strategic thinker. ’

Roger ter Haar QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Roger provides advice in an efficient and effective manner. ’

Isabel Hitching QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ She always has a good grasp and understanding of the case, and is a confident and persuasive advocate. ’

Philippa Hopkins QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Highly intelligent and with great knowledge of her field, allied with a practical and down-to-earth application of what will work. A real pleasure to work with, she always adds value, while both managing expectations and getting the best possible result. ’

Michael Kent QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Able to hone in on the crucial aspects of the matter at hand and his advice is second to none - Michael has a keen commercial awareness but is also up for the fight when it needs to be fought. ’

Marie Louise Kinsler QC - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Extremely knowledgeable and very through, with a great deal of knowledge in the cross-border arena. ’

David Lord QC - Three Stone ‘ David is very bright - he is engaged, understands the details of the case, and works hard to understand the underlying case and clients. His counsel is sound, his advice and judgment always on the mark, and he is attentive and responsive. ’

Roger Masefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Exceptionally bright and with very good client-handling skills. ’

Jeremy Nicholson QC - 4 Pump Court ‘ Very thorough, knowledgeable and easy to work with. ’

Sean O’Sullivan QC - 4 Pump Court ‘ Very approachable, available, and quick to absorb papers and isolate the relevant issues. ’

Fionn Pilbrow QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Fionn is razor-sharp, easy to get along with, and he fights hard but is wholly fair - a joy to see him in action. It has always been clear to me that Fionn commands the respect of the highest profile practitioners at the Bar - he's a star. ’

Akhil Shah QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Very bright and brilliant with clients. ’

Mark Templeman QC - Essex Court Chambers

Geraint Webb QC - Henderson Chambers ‘ Extremely bright, considered and focused. Gives clear advice and support, and understands insurance and the industry really well. ’

2020 Silks

Ben Lynch QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He is highly responsive and he can analyse and distill highly complex issues into advice that is easy to understand. ’

Amanda Savage QC - 4 New Square ‘ Relates very well to clients in stressful and difficult situations, and is a very strong, compelling advocate. ’

2021 Silks

Clare Dixon QC - 4 New Square ‘ She is quick to get to the real issues of the dispute, provides concise advice, and is very good with clients when difficult advice needs to be delivered. ’

Michael Holmes QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Tireless, imaginative and incisive.’

Adam Kramer QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Extremely clever, absorbs voluminous and complex material very quickly, and can draft documents to a very high standard. This is reflected in his appointment to silk this year which is entirely deserved - he is truly excellent. ’

Tony Singla QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Very clever, excellent paper work and a terrific advocate - very calm, persuasive and authoritative. Thinks on his feet quickly and proactively. ’

George Spalton QC - 4 New Square ‘ George is phenomenal. He is always on top of strategy and details, clients love him, and he turns work round very quickly. ’

2022 Silks

Jeremy Brier QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A brilliant advocate and an excellent drafter. ’

Helen Evans QC - 4 New Square ‘ Responsive, organised, focused, clear, and good with clients. ’

Josephine Higgs QC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Unbelievably dedicated and hard-working, and her teamwork with solicitors and clients is excellent – an accomplished advocate.’

Leading Juniors

Richard Harrison - Devereux ‘ Richard is very familiar with his subject areas, thorough and into the detail, personable, and a pleasure to work with. ’

Alexander MacDonald – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Very thorough, reliable and knowledgeable. I have no hesitation in retaining him on complex reinsurance matters and in relying on the very thorough, well-researched and comprehensive advice that he gives.’

Sonia Nolten - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Fearsomely bright, and her knowledge of black letter insurance law is second to none. Sonia is my go-to person in all insurance matters when I have a difficult insurance query, and knows the field inside out and back to front. ’

Peter Ratcliffe - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Tremendous grasp of detail, hard-working and perseverant - and with a touch of brilliance in his creativity. ’

Keir Howie – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Extraordinary ability to digest and analyse acres of material (whether factual, technical or legal), and his written product is simply first rate.’

Timothy Kenefick – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Hard-working. thorough and pleasant to work with.’

James Medd - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Strengths: responsiveness; immediate grasp of complex issues which he can then explain in layman terms if necessary; really good with clients in conference; has a lovely manner with clients; and turns paperwork around quickly. ’

Benjamin Parker – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘He has an excellent and well-earned reputation.’

David Pliener - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ At the top of his game in terms of the calibre of his drafting, advice, strategic input and tenacious advocacy. Approachable and hard-working, he always delivers - you know you're in good hands and can trust his legal opinions, his strategic steer, and his commercial common sense. ’

James Purchas - 4 Pump Court ‘ Extremely bright, hard-working, and with genuine expertise in a wide range of core commercial fields, particularly insurance. ’

James Sharpe - Crown Office Chambers ‘ James is extremely easy to work with and reliable - gets down to the core of the case and avoids distractions. ’

Sushma Ananda – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A joy to work with – responsive, meticulous attention to detail, and very collaborative.’

Suzanne Chalmers - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Knowledgeable competent and approachable. ’

Steven Coles - Crown Office Chambers ‘ He responds well to questions regarding his advice, and is happy to engage in debate upon the finer points of liability and causation - his advice is impressive and perceptive. ’

Julian Field - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Extremely knowledgeable, charming and commercially-minded - a real pleasure to work with and very popular with clients. ’

Doré Green – 2 Temple Gardens ‘His thoroughness and attention to detail is second to none, and he leaves no stone unturned. He is extremely user friendly and is my go to counsel for complex matters. Doré’s knowledge of the detail of any case where I have instructed him over may years is extraordinary, and he knows which points should be argued and which should not.’

Michele De Gregorio - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Pragmatic, commercial and easy to work with. ’

Sandra Healy – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Sandra is fantastic to deal with, very collaborative and really enthusiastic about her cases – a real pleasure to deal with.’

Tim Jenns – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Tim has a refined and mature judgement; he is thorough and hard-working, and he is very intelligent.’

Simon Kerr – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Elizabeth Lindesay – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Incredibly hard-working and highly intelligent.’

Athena Markides - Crown Office Chambers ‘ A joy to work with - she has a great capacity for hard work, while remaining enthusiastic and responsive, regardless of pressure. Very bright and can be relied upon to produce work of very high quality within the required time frame. ’

Tim Marland - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Great experience, and very practical and pragmatic. ’

Caroline McColgan - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Caroline is very knowledgeable, industrious, and a real team player. ’

Shail Patel - 4 New Square ‘ Extremely good on his feet, cost effective and commercial. The go-to counsel for non-standard matters that need commercial and technical input. ’

Michael Ryan – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Incredibly user friendly, turns things around quickly, great written work, and very good to deal with.’

Jessica Sutherland – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Excellent drafting and extremely intelligent.’

Celso De Azevedo - The 36 Group ‘ Celso has a strong background in insurance/reinsurance issues, and is a very responsive team-player whose tactical mind anticipates practical problems. His knowledge of insurance and reinsurance matters is truly impressive in several lines of insurance business, and he is great at getting to the heart of the problem and making complex issues straightforward. ’

Jonathan Bellamy - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Great for difficult and complex insurance points - he is a real authority on the subject and always provides considered commercial advice. Also, a first-class advocate. ’

Natasha Bennett - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Incredibly intelligent and with great attention to detail. ’

Alexandra Bodnar - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Always professional, exceptionally personable, and easily explains complex issues to clients and solicitors alike. ’

Nicholas Broomfield - 4 New Square ‘ Excellent analysis and strategic insight. Nick's written work is great and he is strong in court - a pleasure to work with. ’

Alice Carse - 4 Pump Court ‘She is a source of clear, considered and well-structured advice, and always happy to discuss content and conclusions reached. Loved by insurer and insured clients for being accessible and empathetic.’

William Clerk - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ A very good advocate whose attention to detail and forensic analysis contribute greatly to clients' successes. ’

Benjamin Coffer - Quadrant Chambers ‘ One of the best advocates I have seen. ’

Stephen Du – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Clear direct and concise delivery of legal advice. A very quick and sharp strategical mind, but also commercially adept – gets straight to the heart of the matter.’

Joshua Folkard – Twenty Essex ‘A pleasure to work with, a very capable and skilled advocate, and extremely bright.’

Jocelin Gale – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Combines legal acumen with a quick grasp of complex technical issues. An added bonus is his background, including a Phd in game theory and first-hand experience in the financial markets, making his understanding of figures second to none – an impressive senior junior.’

Simon Goldstone - 4 Pump Court ‘ Bright, commercial, constructive, clear thinking and user friendly. ’

Anna Gotts – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Ferociously intelligent, very hard-working, and provides fast and sensible advice when required. The quality of Anna’s written work is outstanding, such that we are always delighted with her work product, and she is unafraid to provide advice on difficult problems.’

John Greenbourne - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Very through, considered and approachable. ’

Miles Harris - 4 New Square ‘ Miles has a keen intellect, knows his insurance law, has great judgement, writes well, and is utterly reliable. ’

Emma Hilliard – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘She is a highly intelligent advocate.’

Kate Holderness - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Kate is very efficient at honing in on the key issues and advising on them very succinctly - and such advice is invariably well thought through. ’

Timothy Killen - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ A very strong strategist who considers the detail of each particular problem while appreciating the ramifications for the rest of the litigation and for the client more broadly. He is also extremely bright, but applies this in a way that is grounded in the practical realities, and is very dedicated, routinely pulling out all the stops to get the best result for the client. ’

Christopher Knowles - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Very capable, very much on top of the papers, and good at drafting skeletons. ’

Anna Laney - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Extremely knowledgeable, very approachable, innovative and forward thinking, and always looking ahead to how the claim can be resolved and what we need to do to get there - an impressive advocate and a formidable opponent. ’

Christopher Langley - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A team player and persuasive advocate. ’

Marcus Mander – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Brilliant, thorough, and a pleasure to work with.’

Sarah Martin – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘An impressive, intellectual legal mind with excellent attention to detail combined with a breezy and approachable nature. Extremely responsive and a pleasure to work with. A real find.’

Sarah McCann - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ Robust, hard-working, with excellent technical knowledge and a great ability to dominate and control even the most sprawling of cases. Sarah fosters complete assurance that no nugget within the case can have been overlooked. ’

Jessica van der Meer - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Always addresses the issues in a pragmatic and detailed way, and is very capable of making her client's case even in the face of robust interventions from the bench. Jessica is also affable and approachable to opponents, and has a very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the parties' positions, which makes having sensible discussions outside of court more straightforward. ’

Martyn Naylor - 4 Pump Court ‘ An excellent lawyer with an encyclopaedic knowledge of insurance law. Martyn is wise beyond his years, and a first-class advocate who produces submissions that are of the standard of a QC. ’

David Peters - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Extremely clever and incredibly thorough - he runs rings around opponents. An energetic and resourceful barrister, who is always on top of all issues. ’

Richard Sage - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Richard is extremely responsive and user friendly. He makes his opinions accessible and he understands that he is part of a team. ’

Theodor van Sante - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very good on insurance principles. ’

Richard Sarll – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Very intelligent and knowledgeable, quick to understand the problem, completely conversant with the laws and rules relating to marine insurance contracts and contracts of carriage, and readily available to resolve an issue with sound positive advice.’

Ben Smiley - 4 New Square ‘ Very clever - he thinks every option through and has great strategic awareness. ’

Carlo Taczalski - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Technically very able and quick thinking, able to communicate very effectively, and provides solid advice on strategy and the merits. ’

David Thomas - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Very user-friendly with prompt turnarounds - my go-to mid-level junior. ’

Carl Troman - 4 New Square ‘ Carl is incredibly user friendly, extremely helpful and responsive, and provides excellent pragmatic advice. ’

David Walsh - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Impressive - efficient, analytical, and a naturally collaborative and inclusive style that makes David a pleasure to work with. ’

Michael Wheater - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ Extremely able in all areas, very good with both written work and in court, and approachable and commercially astute - a real favourite with clients. ’

Harry Wright – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Harry did a grand job dealing with all the gritty issues, including complex research. He was thorough, patient and determined.’

Rising Stars

Daniel Corteville – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A very competent young barrister already punching above his weight, and with a future as a star at the bar.’

Max Evans - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Truly outstanding barrister - way beyond his years. Incredibly fast and efficient at getting through work. ’

Lucas Fear-Segal - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ An excellent advocate combining a forensic mind with formidable advocacy skills. He cuts straight to the relevant issues and has demonstrated an encyclopaedic knowledge of the area. ’

Diarmuid Laffan - 4 New Square ‘ His written work is very good and solid on his feet. ’

Insurance and reinsurance in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

7 King's Bench Walk

7 King’s Bench Walk is ‘undoubtedly the leading set for insurance disputes‘. Several of the set’s silks and juniors played roles in the leading insurance market test case (The Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) & others), brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) against various insurers over pandemic-related losses and business interruption cover, including Jonathan Gaisman QC leading Adam Fenton QC and junior Harry Wright in the representation of Hiscox. In recognition of his longstanding work involving the insurance and reinsurance markets, Michael Holmes QC took silk in the 2021 round.

Testimonials

Set

‘7KBW are undoubtedly the leading set for insurance disputes.‘

‘7KBW has become the go-to’ set for any insurance and reinsurance dispute. They have tremendous strength in depth.‘

‘I have worked with this set for over 25 years, and it remains a top-class set in insurance and reinsurance.‘

‘7KBW is my go-to set for insurance and reinsurance advice. All members are highly skilled and very experienced in insurance matters. They also have very good juniors coming through the ranks.‘

‘There are a number of good silks at this set, which I rate very highly for insurance work.‘

Clerking

‘I have always found 7KBW to be efficient and responsive to my needs.‘

‘Joint senior clerk Bernie Hyatt is particularly adept at finding solutions in double-quick time.‘

‘Eddie Johns and Gary Rose are among the best clerks I have seen.‘

‘The clerks are excellent – Joe Clayton is our go-to clerk, and he provides an impeccable service.‘

‘They are always pragmatic, and seek to find a solution to any tricky logistics or costs issues – provides a better service than any other set I have dealt with.‘

Essex Court Chambers

Essex Court Chambers regularly represents the London market, international insurers, policyholders and brokers in major insurance and reinsurance disputes. Recent high-profile cases include Financial Conduct Authority v Arch (UK) Insurance & Others, the test case on Covid-19 business interruption, in which John Lockey QC and junior Jeremy Brier QC represented the first defendant in both the Divisional Court and the Supreme Court. In other areas, David Scorey QC acted for Chubb in Halliburton v Chubb, a $100m claim under an insurance policy, which related to the $1.1bn claims settlement by Halliburton for the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico - the matter reached the UK Supreme Court on a point about the selection of arbitrators across multiple linked disputes.

Testimonials

Set

‘The barristers here are all very good people.‘

Clerking

‘Very effective and pleasant with it.‘

Tier 2 sets

4 New Square

'A really effective chambers with excellent barristers', 4 New Square's recent insurance work was dominated by COVID-19-related litigation. In a test case brought by the FCA to determine whether certain business interruption policies would respond to COVID-19 losses, David Turner QC, and Clare Dixon QC (who was recently appointed silk) and Shail Patel, represented Royal & Sun Alliance. In other highlights, in Dreams Living v Allianz, Ben Elkington QC acted for furniture wholesaler Dreams Living, further to its warehouse burning down, which resulted in business interruption losses. Further significant developments for the set include George Spalton QC also taking silk in 2021.

Testimonials

Set

‘Go-to chambers for coverage disputes.‘

‘4 New Square has some excellent individuals – a very strong set.‘

‘4 New Square is a really effective chambers with excellent barristers.‘

‘The Chambers is full of really bright people who are good at what they do – I use them whenever I get the chance.‘

‘Strength in depth – always able to provide someone of a very good standard to help out.‘

Clerking

‘Lizzy Stewart is a very strategic senior clerk and CEO.‘

‘Very efficient clerks – team clerk Tom Woolsey was recently highly responsive to me, even out of hours.‘

‘All are responsive, particularly senior team clerk Andrew Call and deputy senior clerks Dennis Peck and Alex Dolby.‘

‘Dennis Peck is a pleasure to deal with.‘

‘Dennis Peck is excellent.‘

Brick Court Chambers

Brick Court Chambers 'has quality oozing from every pore'. In recent highlights, Mark Howard QC represented QBE in an unprecedented test case, in which the FCA sought declarations against eight insurers concerning the extent to which various non-damage business interruption policies respond to loss caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In other developments for the set, Tony Singla QC, who acted for a number of insureds in substantial pandemic-related disputes and business interruption cover, took silk in March 2021. and Neil Calver QC departed chambers for the High Court bench in October 2020.

Testimonials

Set

‘Brick Court are obviously a heavyweight set and have some enormously experienced counsel.‘

‘Brick Court Chambers is absolutely first rate.‘

‘Brick Court needs little introduction- this set has quality oozing from every pore.‘

‘Excellent strength in depth in insurance and reinsurance.‘

‘Resurgence of reinsurance work is bringing out the skills of a number of Brick Court counsels.‘

Clerking

‘Good across the board and prepared to be flexible to accommodate clients’ budgets and timescales.‘

‘Brick Court’s clerks are open and easy to deal with in relation to availability and fees.‘

‘The service is excellent.‘

‘Practice manager Will Jackman and joint senior clerk Paul Dennison are both excellent, likeable and responsive.‘

‘Paul Dennison is a fabulous clerk – great with clients, very commercial and someone I trust.‘

Crown Office Chambers

An 'excellent set of barristers', Crown Office Chambers' workload covers most aspects of contentious claims and coverage issues in the London market; and the set is particularly well known for insurance matters involving construction, energy, property damage, professional liability, and employer and public liability insurance. Recent highlights include Andrew Rigney QC leading senior junior Caroline McColgan on behalf of Zurich at first instance (and in the Supreme Court), in relation to a headline test case brought by the FCA: the matter was brought on behalf of tens of thousands of small businesses seeking cover in relation to pandemic-related business interruption.

Testimonials

Set

‘Crown Office Chambers provides a very good all-round service in relation to insurance work and has good strength in depth.‘

‘An excellent set of barristers and go-to chambers for property damage cases for insurers – user friendly with lots of choices.‘

‘Crown Office are very reliable across the board and deliver a service, as well as technical excellence.‘

‘Crown Office are always willing to work with you and provide excellent training.‘

‘I consider this set to be excellent on coverage matters – we have our go-to two or three barristers but if they are not available, others are perfectly capable of stepping in.’

Clerking

‘The Clerks at Crown Office are exemplary. They run the place like a business, rather than an academic establishment and clients recognise and appreciate this.‘

‘Extremely well-organised clerks, who are also very helpful and responsive.‘

‘The clerks are all very professional and helpful, and able to find a solution if any problems arise. In particular, they are very easy to communicate with.‘

‘Senior team clerk Steve Purse and and team clerk Matthew Solari stand out.’

‘Steve Purse, Matthew Solari and junior team clerk Fraser Lining are all very responsive, knowledgeable and professional individuals, who go out of their way to provide support and assistance as best they can and at short notice as needed.‘

Fountain Court Chambers

A ‘leading set for insurance and reinsurance work‘, Fountain Court Chambers consistently acts on behalf of both insurers and policyholders in high-profile and precedent-setting disputes. A large number of members were instructed in the FCA’s recent High Court test case (FCA v Arch & others) on business interruption insurance, and whether it responds to claims arising from the coronavirus pandemic. Leigh-Ann Mulcahy QC, and rising star Max Evans acted for the FCA in the High Court; and Ben Lynch QC, who took silk during the 2020 round, was instructed, as lead counsel for the Hiscox Action Group, in both the High Court and leapfrog Supreme Court proceedings – the team also included Christopher Knowles .

Testimonials

Set

‘Fountain court is a leading set for insurance and reinsurance work, with a number of practitioners who practice at the highest level.‘

‘Fountain Court Chambers provides an excellent service at all levels.‘

‘There are some very strong insurance barristers in the set.‘

‘A very good set – one of my two go-to sets and there are lots of very good juniors.‘

‘A very high-quality set with great barristers.‘

Clerking

‘The clerking team provides an outstanding service to clients, and with a perceptive understanding of the insurance and reinsurance market.‘

‘The clerks are generally fantastic and a pleasure to work with.‘

‘Excellent clerking all round – the best around in my experience.‘

‘Joint deputy senior clerk Sian Huckett is excellent.‘

‘Team leader’s assistant Chloe Gibbs goes the extra mile with her service delivery.‘

Tier 3 sets

2 Temple Gardens

2 Temple Gardens is 'strategically placed to offer expert insurance counsel at all levels of call'. Leading rising star Lucas Fear Segal, Bob Moxon Browne QC's recent highlights include representing the reinsurers (as defendants) in the headline life insurance claim by Alexander Perepilichnyy's widow; and Howard Palmer QC, joint leader of the insurance and reinsurance group, is acting for the defendant in Caisse Primaire D’Assurance Maladie de Deux-Sevres v Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance and Thomson, which comprises conflict of laws' issues, the content of compulsory motor insurance policies in France, and the right to pursue an insurance company in the UK.

Testimonials

Set

‘A specialist set in this area with very good strength in depth – 2TG is excellent, specifically for the quality of silks and availability of juniors.‘

‘2TG is my go-to chambers and I always instruct its cross-border team, as the barristers are all very knowledgeable and have a great deal of expertise.‘

‘The barristers are helpful and will always try to move matters around to accommodate. They also put on training regularly, which is very helpful.‘

‘2TG is strategically placed to offer expert insurance counsel at all levels of call. As a chambers it has been involved in leading Court of Appeal, House of Lords, and Supreme Court authorities in its core practice areas for the past five decades.‘

‘2TG has a strong insurance/reinsurance team, but what sets it apart is the cross-discipline experience. Unlike some sets, because 2TG covers diverse areas of work, its barristers are better able to assist where insurance issues overlap with commercial/cross-border/injury issues.‘

Clerking

‘The clerks’ room at 2TG is very experienced and will bend over backwards to assist.‘

‘They have a good appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of their barristers, and are always able to make sensible recommendations of appropriate counsel.‘

‘Senior clerk Lee Tyler steers the ship extremely well.‘

‘Joint first junior clerk Billy Hammonds is particularly involved in the insurance and commercial side of 2TG’s practice.‘

‘Exceptional service – Billy Hammonds, in particular, is down to earth, approachable, and capable of having an open, honest and straightforward dialogue when it comes to fees and ensuring his barristers’ diaries are correctly maintained.‘

3 Verulam Buildings

Fielding 'several members who specialise in insurance and reinsurance disputes', 3 Verulam Buildings' leading barristers were recently instructed in claims under a wide variety of insurance policies, including securities claims under D&O Polices, mis-selling, cladding (and other construction policy-related claims), Covid-19 matters, and several reinsurance disputes. In one of the most important insurance cases of recent times, Adam Kramer QC (who took silk in the 2021 round) and senior junior Peter Ratcliffe acted for the FCA in its successful, high-profile test case, which it brought on behalf of business interruption insurance policyholders, and which was leapfrogged to the Supreme Court.

Testimonials

Set

‘Excellent set in these areas.‘

‘Always experienced good service generally from this set of chambers.‘

‘Provides a good overall service, with several members who specialise in insurance and reinsurance disputes, while others have an in-depth knowledge of insurance regulation.‘

‘Very good set of chambers with exceptional members, who are experienced well beyond their years – undeniable strength in depth.‘

‘Our experience of these chambers has been very positive indeed.‘

Clerking

‘Very good, with some decent flexibility on fees when the occasion requires.‘

‘The clerks’ room provides a good service.‘

‘The clerks are very responsive and helpful, as well as being very pleasant to deal with.‘

‘James Kelly and Jack Wheeler both have a very good understanding of the needs of clients.‘

‘Joint senior practice managers Stephen Penson and Stuart Pullum are fantastic clerks. They get to know how instructing solicitors work and understand counsels’ ways of working to ensure that the instructions and advice flow.‘

4 Pump Court

'One of the best insurance sets around', 4 Pump Court's members have a strong market reputation for their representation of insured parties, insurers, reinsurers and insurance brokers, both within the UK market (including Lloyd’s and the company market), and internationally in disputes in London's Commercial Court and international arbitrations across the world. In 2020, several of the set's members acted in insurance matters arising out of the pandemic, such as QBE UK's instruction of Rachel Ansell QC and Martyn Naylor in the The Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) and Others, the leading insurance case on Covid-19-related business interruption insurance claims.

Testimonials

Set

‘One of the best insurance sets around.‘

‘Great insurance set with counsel that are always available.‘

‘Love working with this set.‘

‘They are my go-to set and have always delivered.‘

Clerking

‘The clerking team is the best I have come across.‘

‘The most helpful and accommodating set of clerks around.‘

‘The best there is.‘

‘Good clerks, who are sensible and helpful.‘

Quadrant Chambers

Consistently instructed in significant reported cases, Quadrant Chambers' insurance and reinsurance practice includes both marine insurance and non-marine insurance cases. In recent work, Luke Parsons QC acted in Icestar BV v ABN Amro Bank NV (on behalf of London market insurers), a five-week Commercial Court trial that was noteworthy because it considered a broker’s duty of good faith to explain orally the risk the client seeks to place; and Guy Blackwood QC acted in the Commercial Court in MS Amlin Corporate Member and others v Flora Shipping and others, a large scuttling case, in which serious allegations of fraud were levelled.

Tier 4 sets

Devereux

Frequently involved in the most significant insurance and reinsurance-related disputes, Devereux's contentious insurance clients further benefit from the set's experience in complementary areas of work, such as professional negligence, employment, personal injury, tax, sport and pensions. In Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) and Ors, widely regarded as the most important insurance case of the decade, and affecting many thousands of business interruption insurance policyholders across the UK, Colin Edelman QC was lead counsel for the FCA at the High Court and Supreme Court; and Richard Harrison led the junior counsel team for the FCA in the High Court.

Testimonials

Set

‘Devereux Chambers is a very well-respected set.‘

‘Counsel are always very busy, but they work together to ensure that work is turned around swiftly and appropriately managed.‘

Clerking

‘The clerking service is exceptional.‘

‘Very friendly and efficient clerking.‘

‘The clerks are all aware of the practice specialisms and capacity of counsel, and able to offer guidance as required/appropriate.‘

‘The clerks are highly efficient.‘

Gatehouse Chambers

Insurance work is a core practice area for 'consistently excellent set' Gatehouse Chambers, underpinning much of its work in construction, property damage, commercial dispute resolution and professional liability, as well as personal injury and clinical negligence. Following the major upheaval caused by the pandemic to businesses, many of the set's recent cases involved questions of coverage and force majeure. Paul Reed QC is an acknowledged expert in construction insurance work; and, regularly involved in large insurance disputes, Nigel Jones QC acted for Enterprise Insurance Company in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar in a high-profile claim against former directors for breach of duty and misfeasance.

Testimonials

Set

‘Great set – helpful, open, collaborative, very tuned into diversity and inclusion, and accessible and flexible.‘

‘Innovative and highly commercial – a modern set that projects excellent business-like, but friendly, qualities.‘

‘Really forward looking and decades ahead of some sets – a consistently excellent set.‘

‘Impressive set that is always happy to help.‘

‘A very generous and inclusive culture – a really excellent set.‘

Clerking

‘Very good clerking – quick response times and friendly.‘

‘Senior practice manager Richard Sumarno is easy to work with, and can be relied upon for realistic fees and availability.‘

‘Richard Sumarno and practice director James Duncan-Hartill are great clerks, as is practice manager Paul Nuttall.‘

‘Paul Nuttall is particularly noteworthy.‘

‘Great to have a very good CEO in Amanda Illing, who is excellent.‘

Twenty Essex

'A very strong set with barristers who are excellent to a person', Twenty Essex fields experts across the whole spectrum of commercial insurance and reinsurance disputes. The current pandemic gave rise to several insurance cases, including the highly-publicised FCA test case to assess business interruption insurance policies (FCA v Arch Insurance (UK) and others), in which Philip Edey QC acted for policyholders. In other areas, Charles Kimmins QC was instructed by the LCIA to intervene in the Supreme Court Halliburton v Chubb appeal, concerning issues of arbitral appointments in the context of Bermuda Form arbitrations after the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

Testimonials

Set

‘Twenty Essex is a very strong set with barristers who are excellent to a person.‘

Clerking

‘Superb service from the clerks.‘

‘Very responsive and always deliver as promised.‘

Coverage By Practice AreaLondon Bar