Insurance: corporate and regulatory in London

Clifford Chance LLP

Clifford Chance LLP deploys ‘a knowledgeable, commercial, pragmatic and dedicated team‘ that covers the full range of life, non-life, ILS, M&A, reinsurance, and other regulatory and transactional mandates for clients. The firm leverages a similar breadth in terms of its geographical footprint, with proven capabilities in handling complex cross-border M&A and restructures. The strengths of the team have been bolstered with the promotion to partner of Imogen Ainsworth, who works across insurance, asset, and wealth management, and James Cashier, who is experienced in cross-border M&A, restructures, and regulatory matters, in May 2022 and April 2023 respectively. The ‘very technically capable and utterly client-focusedAshley Prebble heads the firm’s global insurance offering and also heads the work on financial institutions, working across the full regulatory and transactional offering of the firm. Cheng Li Yow is noted for her work in non-contentious reinsurance mandates and has a particular strength in ILS transactions and platforms where she has advised on a number of innovative mandates. Hilary Evenett lends her significant experience in insurance to the practice.

Practice head(s):

Ashley Prebble


Other key lawyers:

Chen Li Yow; Imogen Ainsworth; James Cashier


Testimonials

Clifford Chance’s insurance team is genuinely outstanding. Ashley Prebble leads a knowledgeable, commercial, pragmatic and dedicated team. Beyond the core insurance team, Ashley is very skilled at getting us the right people for the job, be it in the UK or beyond in Europe, Asia and the USA. I would not hesitate to use Ashley for all our big ticket work.’

Clifford Chance stands out as a foremost practice in the corporate insurance and regulatory space. Their regulatory offering is second to none, they confidently handle corporate and M&A transactions, and they are among the few teams with the experience and breath to handle Lloyd’s transactions with aplomb.’

Ashley Prebble is very technically capable and utterly client-focused. He has exemplary people skills and the ability to “read the room”, navigating negotiations and tricky interpersonal situations like few in the field. Ego is not a factor, he is willing and able to pivot to client needs and requests, but will stand firm where necessary. James Cashier is a highly skilled technical lawyer and has recently, and deservedly, been made partner. Our experience of James’ work in the Lloyd’s M&A space has been absolutely excellent.’

Both the Insurance and Regulatory Practice, as well as the wider Clifford Chance team that support us, provide real partnership. It is not just about fee earning, but also about how our teams collaborate. For example, we have worked on virtual internships with Clifford Chance as part of their overall program. They understand not only our business but also what we stand for as a company.

When you work with this team it feels like we are working together as one team. Cheng Li Yow is an excellent relationship partner and is well supported by newly made up partners such as Imogen Ainsworth and James Cashier. Clifford Chance have a diverse team in this area and have looked to solidify the practice in the U.S. with some strategic hires.

A large team with a wide skill set and significant capacity and capability. Very responsive and quick to understand the brief.

Cheng Li has a calm and attentive manner, which makes her a pleasure to work with. The team is responsive and their advice is consistently accurate.

Key clients

Admiral Group plc


Athora Group


AXA S.A.


EnStar


Fidelis Underwriting Limited


Inigo Limited


Legal & General


Lloyd’s of London


LV=


Monument Re


Pool Re


RSA


Swiss Re


The Prudential Insurance Company of America


Vesttoo


Hogan Lovells International LLP

Hogan Lovells International LLP advises clients across the full scope of the insurance industry, with proven capabilities across insurance transactional matters such as Part VII transfers, M&A, and reinsurance transactions in addition to regulatory strengths, particularly with respect to economic and trade sanctions. The insurance team, led by global head of insurance Nicola Evans, has been bolstered by the promotion of Lydia Savill to the partnership in January 2023, bringing her experience in complex insurance and reinsurance mandates. She joins Tim Goggin, who has particular expertise in complex, cross-border Part VII and Brexit-related transfers; Charles Rix, who has an established practice in advising with-profit businesses in their restructurings, M&A, and Part VII transfers; Victor Fornasier, who has substantial experience in handling product design, distribution, and regulation issues for both insurance and reinsurance; and Jonathan Russell, who covers the sweep of cross-border M&A, complex corporate transactions, and group reorganisations. Jamie Rogers brings his notable expertise in financial crime and sanctions, and otherwise advises on the Lloyd’s market.

Practice head(s):

Nicola Evans


Other key lawyers:

Tim Goggin; Charles Rix; Victor Fornasier; Jamie Rogers; Jonathan Russell; Lydia Savill


Testimonials

‘The knowledge level, responsiveness and technical actuarial knowledge displayed is second to none. Visibility of market developments and insights provide added value in a what is a developing and growing market place for Defined benefit reinsurance solutions.’

The Hogan Lovells Corporate team are able to offer the whole package: from a broad bench of subject matter experts with buckets of talent through to lower cost solutions (utilising AI) for specific aspects of deals.

John Connell is always available and unfailingly upbeat! Superb management of matters and transparency of scope and WIP from start to finish.’

Key clients

AXA


Monument Re Limited


Just Group plc


Pacific Life Re


Enstar


Qatar Insurance Company


Argo Group


Pool Reinsurance Company Limited


BGL Group


M&G plc


Assicurazioni Generali


Phoenix Group


Canada Life


Lloyds Banking Group/Scottish Widows


Zurich Assurance Limited


Resolution Re Limited


ING Bank N.V.


Barclays Bank PLC


NN Life


Munich Re


Tenet Group


Mobius Life


Work highlights


  • Advised Pacific Life Re on its strategic reorganization, from the initial structuring through to detailed implementation, including the establishment of a two new Bermudan life reinsurers.
  • Advised the Trustee of the Gallaher Defined Benefit Pension Scheme on its £1.7 billion full scheme bulk annuity transaction with Standard Life.
  • Advised M&G on the establishment of arrangements through which investments in the with-profits fund of The Prudential Assurance Company can be made available on the IFDL wealth platform.

Slaughter and May

Slaughter and May remains at the forefront of the insurance industry through the ‘depth and breadth‘ of its offering, with a strong offering across the full range of transactional, regulatory, and strategic matters. Able to draw upon the firm’s leading regulatory capital, financial regulation, and insurance disputes teams among other practices, the firm is well-placed to comprehensively service the most high-profile insurers in their major, cross-border mandates. Jonathan Marks heads the insurance group with a broad corporate and insurance practice that covers the life and non-life sectors. Nick Bonsall deploys his ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of insurance regulation‘ in addition to his experience across the wider financial services sector. Natalie Cook and Nick Pacheco are both part of the wider corporate and financial services group, and have advised major insurers on their multijurisdictional operations in respect of strategy and structuring issues. Senior counsel Thomas Peacock and Edward Steward are also of note, bringing expertise in the risk transfer market, and insurance and banking business transfer schemes respectively. Craig Cleaver retired from partnership in December 2022 and Robert Chaplin  departed the firm in October 2022 to join Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP.

Practice head(s):

Jonathan Marks


Other key lawyers:

Nick Bonsall; Nick Pacheco; Natalie Cook; Thomas Peacock; Edward Stewart


Testimonials

Deep knowledge of and expertise on insurance regulation. Very practical and solutions-focussed. Politically and commercially astute. Extremely responsive. You can put them in front of any part of the business or other stakeholders, even at very short notice, and they will be in total command of the brief.

Nick Bonsall has encyclopaedic knowledge of insurance regulation and is always one step ahead.’

Breadth of experience in our sector is what makes Slaughter and May stand out. The quality of the team, their industry knowledge and their collaborative approach to providing top quality service and advice is exemplary.

Both Jonathan Marks (Partner) and Edward Steward (Senior Counsel) are very talented and experienced lawyers in their field of expertise. They took the time to identify our requirements and communicate effectively their advice and approach. Once again, their detailed technical knowledge of the issues in our sector stood out and no stone was left unturned. Equally they were very approachable and updated us regularly. Also, we had access to a team of experts whenever required (i.e. compliance etc.).’

With depth and breadth within the insurance practice, the Slaughter and May team prove capable of staffing major transactions with a range of quality individuals and ensuring every detail and demand is addressed.’

Tom Peacock is a rising star in the corporate practice. Tom is dedicated, dependable, smart, commercially minded and a pleasure to work with. He really listens to what the client needs and the style they prefer to adopt, adapting his work products accordingly.’

Key clients

Allianz


Ageas


Aviva


Bupa


Canada Life


Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities


Direct Line


Intact/ RSA


Legal & General


M&G


Pollen Street Capital


Markerstudy


Prudential


Royal London


RiverStone


Zurich Assurance


Zurich Insurance


Work highlights


  • Advised Intact Financial Corporation and RSA on a c. £6.5bn buy-in insurance transaction with Pension Insurance Corporation, the largest insurance transaction of this type to date.
  • Advised Allianz on its agreement with Sanlam, the largest non-banking financial services company in Africa, to combine their current and future operations across Africa.
  • Advised Zurich on its Brexit-related insurance business Part VII transfer scheme from Zurich Insurance plc to its Swiss incorporated parent company.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP

Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP leverages its market-leading position in the US to provide client of its London office with a particularly strong offering in relation to transatlantic mandates in the insurance sector. With capabilities that cover the full gamut of M&A, Part VII transfers, reinsurance, de-risking, and Lloyd’s market, the firm combines sector expertise with the capacity to handle complex, cross-border corporate matters. Joseph Ferraro heads the insurance practice, with an established reputation in handling M&A and corporate finance work in the insurance space. Melanie James has an insurance expertise that covers the full range of non-contentious mandates, while Nicholas Bugler  has a specialism in the intersection of reinsurance and capital markets. Jennifer Tait has experience in insurance-linked security transactions, Kirsty Maclean is involved in longevity reinsurance, and Andrew Tromans advises insurance and financial institution clients on company matters, M&A, joint ventures, and outsourcings. Tim Baumgartner covers the full scope of general corporate and insurance-specific transactions, as does associate Eilidh Brown who has an emphasis on risk transfer transactions in the life insurance sector.

Practice head(s):

Joseph Ferraro


Other key lawyers:

Melanie James; Nicholas Bugler; Jennifer Tait; Kirsty Maclean; Andrew Tromans; Tim Baumgartner; Eilidh Brown


Testimonials

‘Andrew Tromans is an excellent communicator and provides sound, commercial advice. He’s our go-to lawyer for any regulatory or corporate insurance matter and provides practical solutions that can be implemented. Nicole Kapu-Leyland is a fantastic associate in the corporate and regulatory practice. Nicole’s advice is clear and commercial.’

‘Practice-oriented advice and responsive. Very pleasant to work with.’

‘Magdi Adab: Very service-oriented, fast response time and (nevertheless) very sound advice. Magdi is extremely pleasant to work with personally.’

 

Key clients

Zurich Insurance Group Ltd


Fidelis Insurance Group Holdings


SCOR SE


Compre Holdings Limited


Blackstone Insurance Solutions


Ariel Re Holdings Limited


Volante International Group


Liberty Mutual


Lancashire Holdings Limited


Securis Funds


Work highlights


  • Advised Fidelis Insurance Holdings Limited, a London-based insurance and reinsurance group, on the launch of its Managing General Underwriter, Fidelis MGU.
  • Advising Blackstone on its strategic partnership with Resolution Life to grow leading global life insurance and annuity consolidation business.
  • Represented international insurance group Zurich on the sale of its Russian platform.

Allen & Overy LLP

Allen & Overy LLP provides clients with a strong offering in the non-contentious corporate insurance space through a combination of its regulatory expertise, in-depth understanding of insurance businesses, and core transactional expertise; able to leverage the wider firm’s capabilities in M&A, capital markets, and banking on both a national and global level, the team is particularly well-placed to handle complex, cross-border mandates. The practice has an established capacity in handling major longevity swap and longevity risk transfer transactions, deploying a team of genuine specialists in the insurance space in addition to drawing upon the support of corporate teams. Philip Jarvis acts as the global head for insurance, employing his extensive experience in the full range of insurance transactions and products.  Kate McInerney is the other key contact 0n account of her notable track record in in longevity de-risking and significant de-risking and M&A transactions more generally.

Practice head(s):

Philip Jarvis; Kate McInerney


Testimonials

‘A top practice in the longevity risk transfer market led by Philip Jarvis, who is somewhat of a legend in this area. Apart from the depth of market expertise, we have appreciated the value contributed in terms of strategic thinking to achieve successful negotiations and willingness to effectively engage with budget issues.’

Key clients

Direct Line Group


Trustee of the Barclays Bank UK Retirement Fund


Peak Re


Cinven


Rothesay Life


Hiscox


Athene


PIC


Dai-ichi Life Holdings


Athora


Work highlights


  • Advised Direct Line Insurance Group plc, a UK publicly listed insurance company, on its strategic reinsurance agreements for capital management purposes.
  • Advised the Trustee of the Barclays Bank UK Retirement Fund on a longevity swap covering £7 billion of its pensioner liabilities with The Prudential Insurance Company of America.

CMS

CMS has two particular strengths in its ability to handle major pension de-risking transactions in the insurance space and the firm’s regulatory offering in relation to new technology-driven entrants into the insurance market, the latter handled largely by Pippa Tasker. The team has broader capabilities in smaller and medium sized M&A, and draws on the firm’s wider financial regulation teams to assist more established insurance clients. Owen Ross heads the team with expertise in corporate finance and a focus on the pension de-risking and M&A work, as does Jenny Nanalal, who brings her own focus on capital-driven transaction and associated regulation; James Parker from the pensions team; and Rizwan Rahman who covers the full range of insurance-related corporate transactions. Angela Greenough provides a strong regulatory offering, particularly operational regulation, with Thomas Lockley and Paul Edmondson of the wider financial services team also having regulatory capabilities. James Geer joined the team in September 2022 with a particular sector expertise in pensions and life insurance.

Practice head(s):

Owen Ross; Paul Edmondson


Other key lawyers:

Pippa Tasker; Angela Greenough; Rizwan Rahman; James Parker; Paul Edmondson; Jenny Nanalal; Thomas Lockley; James Geer


Testimonials

‘Very knowledgeable team and has been a one stop shop across all our needs including IP, Litigation, and Regulation.’

‘Paul Edmondson has been great: very knowledgeable and commercially astute.’

‘The CMS Corporate Insurance Team are the premier practice in London. No other firm we deal with provides the same breadth of personnel and experience. They are also super responsive and importantly, nice people to work with!’

Key clients

Pension Insurance Corporation


Legal & General


Phoenix


Rothesay


Pacific Life


RGA


Insight


MetLife


MS Amlin


Unum


Athora


Just Retirement


Sanlam


Monument Re


USQ Risk


Work highlights


  • Advised Pension Insurance Corporation on a record breaking £6.5bn buy-in transaction with trustees of the RSA pension schemes.
  • Advised MetLife, Inc on its $693m sale of its Greek and Polish businesses to the NN Group.
  • Advised Aviva Investors on the outsourcing of asset servicing for more than £230bn assets under management across the Aviva liquid funds in the UK, Luxembourg and Ireland.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP cover the full scope of insurance work, with established strengths in life insurance, namely in pension longevity and de-risking matters, insurance broking M&A, and work around start-ups in the insurance space, particularly those with private equity and US-based funding. The firm’s global footprint lends the firm to handling complex cross-border mandates, just as its sector specialism allows it to undertake the full range of M&A, regulatory, and sector-specific transactions. Hugo Laing heads the practice being a specialist in insurance transactions and life insurance. Martin Mankabady is the co-head of the firm’s global insurance group, advising non-life businesses that include brokers, insurers, and major tech companies with insurance-related activities, and Paula Gaddum in Manchester leads on non-contentious regulatory work. Adriana Cotter regularly advises overseas finance clients on investment into the UK insurance market, and principal associate Rosamund Wood covers the crossover between pensions and insurance.

Practice head(s):

Hugo Laing; Martin Mankabady; Paula Gaddum


Other key lawyers:

Adriana Cotter; Rosamund Wood


Testimonials

Reasonable, pragmatic and commercial.’

A responsive, dependable team who are very well regarded in the market. Excellent value for work done.’

Knowledgeable, experienced, approachable and responsive.

Martin Mankabady is an excellent, technical and highly pragmatic lawyer. He is also thoroughly likeable and very responsive.

A responsive, dependable team who are very well regarded in the market. Excellent value for work done.

Hugo Laing is very responsive and always highly commercial in approach. Rosamund Wood is always a very reliable, technical practitioner.’

Key clients

SCOR SE – London Branch


Phoenix Life


Aviva


Lloyds Banking Group


Legal & General


Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is able to provide expert advice across the full gamut of insurance matters, working in major M&A for life, non-life, and broker clients, having a particular strength in portfolio transfers, advising a number of new market entrants in the development of their new insurance offerings, and providing an expert regulatory offering. These regulatory strengths have been bolstered by the promotion of Grant Murtagh to partner in May 2o23, who also brings his particular expertise in complex longevity reinsurance transactions. The promotion of Shaun Lee is similarly a boon for the team’s work in relation to brokers and private capital. Geoffrey Maddock heads the practice with his excellent market reputation straddling transactional and regulatory mandates, working alongside the notable Barnaby Hinnigan who similarly acts for both insurers and intermediaries in their regulatory and corporate concerns. Alison Matthews is a leading authority in Solvency II and acts across a range of regulatory issues, including recent Brexit-related restructures and FCA reforms.

Practice head(s):

Geoffrey Maddock


Other key lawyers:

Barnaby Hinnigan; Alison Matthews; Grant Murtagh; Shaun Lee


Testimonials

They are a great team. I’ve worked with them over a number of years and completely trust them.’

Grant Murtagh is my main contact. He is a brilliant technical lawyer and a nice guy.’

I have worked with this team for in excess of 25 years. They have deep industry knowledge and are a trusted partner to our firm. Something worth commenting on is their long held belief in growing their own talent and promoting from within. This sense of continuity and experience is something I have valued over the years.

Key clients

Willis Towers Watson


Sirius Point


Ardonagh Group


Phoenix Group


Pension Insurance Corporation


ReAssure


Resolution


Royal London


Canada Life Group (UK) Limited


Association of British Insurers


Aon


Work highlights


  • Advised the Ardonagh Group on the investment by shareholders Madison Dearborn Partners and HPS Investment Partners, as well as several other large global institutions.
  • Advised Phoenix in regulatory and transactional matters on the consolidation of its holding of a multi-billion pound book of complex assets and related collateral.
  • Advised Aon on a novel reinsurance and lending transaction involving Riverstone and JP Morgan, with Riverstone receiving $300m of reinsurance cover and regulatory capital benefits.

HFW

HFW possesses ‘excellent insurance regulatory knowledge‘ as part of its specialist insurance practice, with a particularly strong reputation for its work in Lloyd’s market and a growing presence in the insurtech space. The firm’s offering in the insurance sector has been substantially bolstered by the addition of the ‘commercially-focusedBob Haken from Norton Rose Fulbright in December 2022, bringing his significant expertise in the legacies and Lloyd’s markets, and broader experience that encapsulates regulatory and transactional mandates. He joins practice head Ashwani Kochhar, who himself has a noted Lloyd’s market specialism, and William Reddie, who brings experience from his secondment with a financial regulator and Lloyd’s managing agent to his wide ranging practice in the insurance sector.

Practice head(s):

Ashwani Kochhar


Other key lawyers:

Bob Haken; Will Reddie


Testimonials

‘Excellent insurance regulatory knowledge.’

‘Will Reddie is always strives to make sure he is available and consistently goes the extra mile.’

‘I deal with Will Reddie and have done for a long period. It helps that he understands our requirements and the background to our business.’

‘Will Reddie has an understanding of what we need.’

‘Great knowledge and understanding of how to work with clients and in-house team to deliver an effective and efficient service of high quality expert advice and guidance.’

‘Bob Haken is a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge. A commercially-focused lawyer who is always on hand to deliver top quality advice that the business understand.’

Key clients

Markerstudy Group


Several members of the Munich Re group


Asta Managing Agency Limited


Tindall Riley


HIPCC Limited


Occam Underwriting Ltd


Helodrium Limited


Standard Club


AXA XL


Travelers


RiverStone


Catalina


National House-Building Council


JP Morgan


Work highlights


  • Advising Standard Club on its merger with North of England P&I Club.
  • Advised Markerstudy on its sale to OneFamily of Beagle Street, the life and critical illness business of BGL Insurance, following Markerstudy’s acquisition of BGL Insurance in 2022.

Linklaters LLP

Linklaters LLP has insurance capabilities across a wide range of corporate transactions, namely M&A and reinsurance, but also advises insurance clients in relation to their capital market and pension de-risking matters. Duncan Barber lends his significant experience and eminent market reputation practice, with a recent track record in complex reinsurance and reorganisation matters, while Kanyaka Ramamurthi brings her experience on secondment to a leading insurer and broad expertise across corporate work for insurance clients. The wider firm’s pensions and capital market teams are also of note in this area. Former practice head Dan Schuster-Woldan  left the firm to join Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in February 2024.

Other key lawyers:

Duncan Barber; Kanyaka Ramamurthi


Testimonials

Lots of rich experience from a variety of scenarios.’

More pragmatic and real world rather than theoretical.

Top quality regulatory capital markets practice that has been at the forefront of this market over the course of its continued evolution for a significant number of years.’

Accessible, quality advice. Problem management.

Their level of specialist expertise in insurance debt capital markets is excellent. Insurance is not a well-understood sector and their ability to navigate the complexities of the sector (including unusual names in the sector such as a mutual) is impressive.

Their experience of complex trades in the insurance sector is second to none. They are also extremely responsive and a pleasure to work with. The quality and clarity of their communication is excellent. 

Key clients

Phoenix Group


Ageas


Zurich


AXA


Lloyds Banking Group


QBE


Rothesay


Athora


Generali


Lombard International


Utmost


MS Amlin


Several private equity funds including; BC Partners, Carlyle, Oaktree, CDPQ, Warburg Pincus and Hg Capital


Work highlights


  • Advised Phoenix Group on its £248m acquisition of Sun Life of Canada UK.
  • Advising Phoenix Group in transferring a  long-term insurance business to Phoenix Life Assurance Europe dac by a Part VII transfer and parallel Irish law Scheme.
  • Advised on the sale and purchase of 100% of the Innovation Group to Allianz X.

Norton Rose Fulbright

With strong capabilities across transactional, regulatory and advisory, and projects matters, Norton Rose Fulbright advises a number of high-profile players in the insurance market, assisting both major insurers and financial institutions in their insurance sector mandates. Drawing upon the wider firm’s international M&A capabilities, the team is well-placed to assist in complex cross-border M&A; such work is a focus of James Bateson, the global head of both insurance and financial institutions, as is complex restructures. Maria Ross‘s practice also encompasses such mandates as part of her wider specialisation in life insurance, and both Maria and James are equally capable in handling regulatory matters. Matthew Foster and Nicholas Berry both bring a similarly blended approach, with Matthew additionally leading the global warranty and indemnity practice and Nicholas having particular expertise in respect of insurtech. The firm also possesses in depth experience in the Lloyd’s market, with involvement in the development and structuring of third party syndicate arrangements, financing facilities, M&A, and legacy transactions. Bob Haken left the firm in December 2022 to join HFW.

Practice head(s):

James Bateson


Other key lawyers:

Maria Ross; Nicholas Berry; Matthew Foster


Testimonials

‘Deep insurance market expertise.’

 

Key clients

777


AIG


AmTrust


Aquiline Capital Partners


Asta Managing Agency Limited


Bain Capital Credit LP


Catalina Holdings UK Limited


Charles Taylor Limited


Chubb


Howden Group


Markel


Marsh & McLennan


MS Amlin


Nexus Mutual


North of England P&I Association


PIB


Probitas Managing Agency Limited


QBE


RiverStone International


Travelers


Zego


Work highlights


  • Advised RiverStone International on its acquisition of Endurance at Lloyd’s from Sompo International, together with associated reinsurance arrangements.
  • Advised Brickell in relation to its proposed acquisition of Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd.
  • Advised North P&I Club on its proposed merger with the Standard Club.

Pinsent Masons LLP

Pinsent Masons LLP provides a full-service offering across the range of insurance work, but is more primarily focussed on transactional mandates, having a particular niche in complex legacy book with-profit transactions and being notably strong in the full spectrum of M&A. Hammad Akhtar is the global head of transactional services, bringing extensive experience in complex transactional mandates in the financial services sector to the insurance practice. Hannah Brader is the practice head, with particular expertise in M&A in the insurance space in addition to joint ventures, reorganisations, and other corporate transactions. Chrissy Findlay is similarly focused on corporate transactions in the insurance space, Iain Sawers, noted as ‘knowledgeable, smart, hard-working and pragmatic‘, focusses on insurance regulation and distribution.

Practice head(s):

Hannah Brader; Hammad Akhtar


Other key lawyers:

Iain Sawers; Chrissy Findlay


Testimonials

The senior team have great market knowledge and a real appreciation of the commercial challenges faced by insurers.

Iain Sawers is knowledgeable, smart, hard-working and pragmatic.

Brilliant depth of clients; they know everyone!’

Key clients

Aegon


Allianz Group


Aviva Group


AXA


BUPA


DirectLine


Foresters Friendly Society


Just


Liverpool Victoria


Marsh & McLennan Group


Phoenix Group


Reliance Life


Royal London Group


RSA


Abrdn


Wesleyan


Zurich Insurance


Work highlights


  • Advised Royal London on its simplification of its with-profits fund structure, including by way of creditor schemes of arrangement.
  • Advised Zurich Assurance Ltd on a collateralised insurance and reinsurance transaction by way of an amendment and restatement of an existing pass-through longevity risk transaction.
  • Advised RSA on an exclusive distribution insurance arrangement with John Lewis, and associated complicated regulatory issues.

RPC

RPC possesses capabilities to both handle major transactional mandates for clients while also being capable in handling day-to-day matters; the firm’s core transactional strengths extend to the Lloyd’s space and legacy transactions in addition to a knowledge of both M&A and private equity in the insurance sector. The firm also has a regulatory offering which is led by practice head Matthew Griffith, being the head of the wider financial institutions regulatory group, who brings his valuable experience in-house at major financial service companies. James Mee works across corporate and private equity who is ‘deeply embedded in the sector‘, leading on a number of the firm’s most complex and high-profile transactions in this space. William Hogarth has a broad insurance practice, but also possesses particular niches in insurtech, parametric insurance, and bespoke reinsurance.

Practice head(s):

Matthew Griffith


Other key lawyers:

James Mee; William Hogarth


Testimonials

Deep industry expertise and connections.

James Mee is deeply embedded in the sector.’

Key clients

MS Amlin


Asta Capital


Catalina


Howden


Assured Partners


Mosaic


AIG


Beat Capital Partners


Optio


Markel


RSA


Aviva


Ardonagh


Work highlights


  • Advised MS Amlin Underwriting on its £1.2 billion business transfer and reinsurance with Riverstone.
  • Advised Asta Capital on its sale to Davies Group.
  • Advised Catalina on setting up their Lloyd’s syndicate.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP has an established presence in the transactional space, advising on a number of high-profile and significant corporate and financial deals for private equity, brokerage, and insurance carrier clients. The insurance team ‘interact seamlessly with other teams within the firm‘ and has the wider firm’s global footprint to draw upon to assist in major mandates across the UK and the US. The firm’s reputation in the insurance sector has been enhanced by the hire of Robert Chaplin from Slaughter and May in October 2022, bringing his ‘many years of top tier experience in the insurance space, a brain the size of a planet and an impressive ability to translate legal complexity into a practical way forward on complex insurance regulatory issues.‘ He joins Robert Stirling, who has an established reputation in insurance and asset management work.

Practice head(s):

Robert Chaplin; Robert Stirling


Other key lawyers:

Ben Lyon


Testimonials

‘Robert Chaplin has unrivalled knowledge in this sector.’

‘The Insurance team are subject matter experts, even when compared to their peers. Their familiarity within the market help to achieve commercial objectives in a compliant way where other firms may not be able to find solutions. What stands out at Skadden is the way in which the Insurance team interact seamlessly with other teams within the firm. This may seem a given but their Associates work very closely with other teams outside of their direct expertise in order to create a greater understanding of when other expertise is required. It is not always as obvious as it should be and there is a real risk that issues do not get identified. In working much more closely with other teams, this risk is eliminated more effectively than at other firms I’ve dealt with.

‘Robert Chaplin is a partner adept at understanding the client’s commercial objectives at speed, regardless of how complicated they may be, and developing creative solutions in order to meet them where others may struggle to do so.’

‘Excellent corporate insurance team with an ability to cut through complexity and deliver clear, pragmatic, commercial advice. First class updates on topical issues by way of client podcasts covering key issues in an accessible style.’

‘Robert Chaplin has many years of top tier experience in the insurance space, a brain the size of a planet and an impressive ability to translate legal complexity into a practical way forward on complex insurance regulatory issues.’

‘Extremely responsive, with a commercial approach. Good understanding of the market demonstrated across the team.’

‘Rob Stirling is strong on negotiating, taking a pragmatic and commercially minded approach. Rob Chaplin is technically impressive.’

Key clients

The Travelers Companies, Inc.


Phoenix Group Holdings plc


Argo Group International Holdings Ltd


Acrisure, LLC


Willis Towers Watson plc


JAB Holding Company S.à.r.l.


Apollo Global Management, Inc.


Sompo International Holdings Ltd.


Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited


First Central Group Limited


Intact Financial Corporation


Work highlights


  • Advising a consortium as lead equity investors in Fidelis Insurance Holdings Limited’s newly created $3 billion premium Managing General Underwriter.
  • Advised JAB Holding Company S.à.r.l. on its acquisition of a majority stake in CardifPinnacle Insurance plc from BNP Paribas Cardif.
  • Advised the board of directors of Argo Group International Holdings Ltd. on the $125million sale of Argo Underwriting Agency Limited and its Lloyd Syndicate 1200 to Westfield.

Ashurst

Ashurst has an ‘extremely strong understanding of the Lloyd’s and broader insurance markets from a banking perspective‘ and works closely with the private equity team to assist in financing work in the insurance space. The firm also has capabilities in handling cross-border mandates, and are well-placed to advise clients with cross-jurisdictional transactions that involve UK, Europe, US, and others. Adam Levitt heads the team with an established reputation in the market for handling M&A, restructurings, portfolio transfers, capital raisings and risk transfer transactions in the insurance sector. Nick Wong is of note for his experience in the lender side of financing work, and Jacob Gold has advised in a number of private equity and insurance matters.

Practice head(s):

Adam Levitt; Rehana Box


Other key lawyers:

Nick Wong; Jacob Gold


Testimonials

‘The Team at Ashurst are extremely good. We have found them especially useful on our project which is at the confluence of three different regulatory regimes with multi-jurisdictions.’

‘All the key members of the client team are good. Adam Levitt is excellent at dealing with the delicate matters. Jacob Gold has proved to be excellent in managing the day-to-day aspects of negotiations and assisting us on the key commercial judgements.’

‘Extremely strong understanding of the Lloyd’s and broader insurance markets from a banking perspective.’

Key clients

Chesnara


Generali


Global Aerospace


Guardian


Hawthorn Life


Ing Bank N.V.


JC Flowers


JP Morgan Asset Management


Lloyds Bank Plc


MetLife


Pacific Life


Punter Southall Group


Swiss Re


UIA Insurance


Work highlights


  • Advised Chesnara plc on the acquisition of Sanlam Life & Pensions UK Limited, a specialist provider of insurance and long term-savings products in the UK.
  • Advised UIA on all aspects of a solvent wind-down, involving selling renewal rights; selling the group’s service company; handling FSMA insurance transfer regime; and managing pension scheme liabilities.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner is led by Geraldine Quirk, who is notable for her extensive experience in Part VII transfers, which is reflected in the wider firm’s particular strength in these transactions both cross-border and wholly within the UK. Quirk and the wider firm also have broader capabilities in the insurance space, with a track record in handling typical M&A, reinsurance transactions, restructures, and regulatory advice in relation to Brexit and the EU. Adam Bogdanor is noted for his work with leading insurers on a range of transactional mandates, while Andrew Hart is more focused on US clients in relation to their international transactions and EU operations.

Practice head(s):

Geraldine Quirk


Other key lawyers:

Adam Bogdanor; Andrew Hart


Key clients

Aspen


Aegon


AIG


Amlin


Liberty


Aviva


AXA Insurance (UK) plc


RiskPoint


Berkshire Hathaway


Chubb/Ace European Group


Clal Insurance


CNA Hardy


Enstar


Hampden Plc


Euler Hermes


Lancashire


Randall & Quilter


Sun Life of Canada


AmTrust


Collinson


Work highlights


  • Advised RiverStone International on loss portfolio transfer reinsurance agreements with affiliates of AXIS Capital Holding Limited covering net reserves of $400m and cover up to a limit of D$605 million.
  • Advised Stonebridge International Insurance Limited on the transfer under the UK’s transitional business transfer regime of its EU business to a Maltese protected cell company
  • Advised on the £72m Sale of Tradex, an insurer, to a fund of Pollen Street Capital and sale of Clegg Gifford, a broker, to Markerstudy.

Clyde & Co

Clyde & Co‘s wide-ranging advice includes traditional M&A, the legacy market, and reinsurance and alternative risk transfer agreements, and extends to assisting clients in product development and distribution, international programmes, and Brexit-related issues. Ivor Edwards heads both the London team and the wider European-based teams across Germany, France, and Spain, with wide ranging capabilities in the insurance sector and a particular reputation for his expertise in Lloyd’s market. Stephen Browning brings extensive experience in handling corporate, financial, and regulatory work across a range of insurance markets, and Mark Williamson is noted for his track record in advising insurance sector clients of a range of sizes, with a niche expertise in the intersection of insurance and tech.

Practice head(s):

Ivor Edwards


Other key lawyers:

Stephen Browning; Mark Williamson


Testimonials

‘The insurance team at Clyde & Co’s London office has an incredible in-depth knowledge of the market, the different players and practices. They systematically come with very pragmatic/business oriented solutions and options, with a fast response time.’

‘Ivor Edwards, Partner, is someone incredibly smart and fast thinking able to find incredibly innovation solutions to very complex situation.’

There is strength and depth in the team and great team collaboration. The team strive at all times to deliver concise practical legal advice taking into account commercial considerations and any wider implications.

Key clients

Motability Operations Limited


Work highlights


  • Advising Motability’s commercial arm, MOL, on the transition of their Vehicle fleet insurance from RSA to Direct Line.
  • Advising a life insurance company on the reinsurance and alternative risk transfer together with investment management and portfolio transfer management of the entire product business of a middle eastern life company.

DAC Beachcroft LLP

DAC Beachcroft LLP provides a ‘full service across the insurance industry‘, advising a number of market-leading insurers across M&A and regulation, in addition to Jade Kowalski heading up a niche practice in data protection across the insurance sector. Practice head Mathew Rutter advises both insurers and brokers internationally with an emphasis on insurtech, governance, consumer credit, payment services, and retail financial services. The firm has a deep bench to draw upon, including the likes of Mark Neville, who works in UK and overseas insurance arrangements; Julian Miller, who is a coverage specialist; James MacNish Porter, who works in regulation, distribution, and outsourcing; and Charlotte Halford, who is developing a practice in AI in this industry. Angela Hayes, Jonathan Deverill, Jonathan White, and David Sims bring their corporate, financial regulation, and employment practices to the firm’s insurance work.

Practice head(s):

Matthew Rutter


Other key lawyers:

Mark Neville; Jade Kowalski; Julian Miller;  Angela Hayes; James MacNish Porter; Jonathan Deverill; Jonathan White; David Sims; Charlotte Halford


Testimonials

‘The insurance practice is very strong: market-leading and headed by some excellent lawyers. Pricing is fair, being clear and highly competitive, with a sense of real value for money being delivered. The team focus on the question asked and delivering a practical response but will also probe the client’s thinking, making sure that the right aspects of the issue are addressed.’

‘Our main contact is Mathew Rutter, who is clear, focused and responsive. He gets quickly to the heart of the issue and has strong technical knowledge and good contacts within the firm. Andrew Parker is very good; his advice and his thinking is clear and incisive, dealing with complicated fact patterns (seemingly) effortlessly. He has an excellent industry knowledge and a great understanding of our business, even though he has worked with us on only a couple of occasions over several years.’

‘A full service across the insurance industry from M&A to regulatory, distribution, claims and policy wording. Responsive and with the mitigation of risk in mind.’

Key clients

AIG


Gallagher


Bupa


Covéa Insurance


AXA Insurance UK


AXA PPP healthcare


AXA Partners


Ageas Insurance


HSBC Insurance


Allianz


Marsh


Ecclesiastical


Association of British Insurers


Hiscox


QBE


Work highlights


  • Working with nearly all of the leading insurers and insurer syndicates to help develop their cyber-insurance policies.
  • Assisting a UK-based Friendly Society on the acquisition of an insurance business, with the intention of helping the under-served.
  • Advising a well-known European insurer on the conditional sale of a broking business.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP draws upon the wider firm’s strengths in corporate and commercial transactions, particularly that of the New York office, and combines it with the ‘particularly well connected‘ financial institutions team with links to the ‘wider insurance markets‘ to assist insurance clients in high-profile, complex, and cross-border M&A mandates. Clare Swirski is the co-head of the practice, and being both ‘hugely experienced’ in the  regulatory and transactional aspects of the insurance sector and ‘very commercially aware‘ to provide excellent advice to players in the insurance market. James Scoville is the other co-head, focusing on complex transactions around insurance companies in addition to securities matters and capital markets transactions.

Practice head(s):

Clare Swirski; James Scoville


Testimonials

‘An outstanding team displaying superior knowledge across the sector. Very professional approach and a very “can do” attitude. Outstanding creativity, work ethic, commerciality and experience. Very much the team you want in your corner for any negotiation.’

‘The team has a very good balance of strong technical skills and commercial awareness. They are particularly well connected in the Lloyd’s and wider insurance markets. They are very client focussed and you can rely on the quality of the deliverables produced. They are also great fun to work with and are challenging but not unnecessarily confrontational working as part of a deal environment.’

‘Clare is a hugely experienced and very astute lawyer, who is extremely calm even in high pressure situations. She is very strong technically but also very commercially aware. They make a great team.’

‘The team’s ability to work with the regular, complex issues facing an international start-up life insurer is exceptional. Their understanding of the key areas, and quality of advice in navigating complexity, is excellent.’

‘Clare Swirski has provided excellent advice. I would recommend them to anyone operating in our space.’

One of the top teams in insurance.’

Key clients

AXA Group


Covéa Mutual Insurance Group


Resolution Life Group


Ascot Group Limited


American International Group


AIA Group Limited


Canopius Group Limited


Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co


Compre Insurance Group


TIAA/Nuveen


Fortitude Re


Global Atlantic Financial


Prudential Financial


Elliott Advisors


Carlyle Group


MTech Capital


Helios Underwriting Plc


Work highlights


  • Advised on Resolution Life’s strategic partnership with Blackstone regarding its life insurance and annuity consolidation business.
  • Advised the Covéa group in its $9 billion acquisition of PartnerRe.
  • Advised Canopius in its entry into a Loss Portfolio Transfer Reinsurance Agreement, related Claims Handling Agreement and security documentation with RiverStone International.

DLA Piper

DLA Piper is notable for both the both the firm’s strengths in cross-border work, drawing upon its global footprint, and its cross-practice insurance sector team that deploys specialist’s in regulation, transactions, and tech to the respective mandates. Amrit Mclean heads up the transactional work for the insurance sector, employing her substantial experience in pension de-risking, while George Mortimer, promoted to partner in May 2022, leads on regulatory work with a track record in Brexit-related restructures and international insurance regulation more generally. Anthony Day is the international head of insurtech and supports a range of clients on tech arrangements and commercial contracting.

Practice head(s):

Amrit Mclean; George Mortimer; Anthony Day


Other key lawyers:

Jonathan Clarke


Testimonials

‘The insurance team across the UK and European network of DLA offices which my team have used are superb: responsive, client focused and commercial.’

‘Jonathan Clarke is my main point of contact who is commercial in his approach but overlaid with the requisite technical knowledge.’

‘The DLA team are extremely practical and commercial and up to date on their knowledge of the law and how different regulators work across the globe.’

‘George Mortimer, Insurance and Regulatory lawyer in London, is the most approachable and available lawyer I know and has the ability to explain easily highly complex regulatory issues on a moments notice.’

Key clients

Abrdn


Aegon


Aetna


AIG


AIG Life


Allied World


AON


Arag


Arch


Athora


Aviva Plc & Aviva Ventures


AXA


Brit Global Speciality


Brockwell Capital


Carrick Speciality Holdings


Compre


Coverys


Crawford & Company


DARAG


Euclid


Everest Re


FM Global


Fortegra


Fusion Speciality


Generali


Great Lakes


Hamilton


Liberty (Liberty Specialty Markets and Liberty Seguros)


Likewize


Liverpool Victoria (LV)


Markel


Marsh & McLennan Company Inc


Mphasis


MS Amlin


Munich Re


Nexus Underwriting


Optio


Pension Insurance Corporation


Phoenix Group


QBE


Riskpoint


Rothesay Life Plc


Royal London


Standard Life


Starstone


Scottish Friendly


Scottish Widows


Society of Lloyd‘s


Talbot


The Trustees of Royal Insurance Group Pension Scheme


Themis


Tokio Marine HCC


Volante


Work highlights


  • Advised PIC on its £1.1 billion pension insurance buy-in with the Trustee of the EDS 1994 Pension Scheme in July 2022.
  • Advised the Society of Lloyd’s, the world‘s premier insurance market organisation, in relation to its business critical re-platforming and outsourced operation agreement with DXC.

Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins works on some of the most complex and high-profile deals in the insurance market, advising on M&A, private equity, capital raisings, and pension de-risking. The firm also has developing capabilities in a number of emerging sectors, including insurtech, pension superfunds, and insurance regulation. Victoria Sander leads the practice, specialising in insurance transactional mandates such as M&A, reinsurance, and distribution agreements. She draws upon the wider corporate transactional strengths of the team, working alongside Kem Ihenacho, Neil Campbell, Mike Turner, Shing Lo, and Beatrice Lo with their experience in cross-border M&A and private equity transactions.

Practice head(s):

Victoria Sander


Other key lawyers:

Kem Ihenacho; Neil Campbell; Mike Turner; Shing Lo; Beatrice Lo


Testimonials

‘They are a one stop shop for complex insurance matters, as they cover a spectrum of work, ranging from corporate transactions, insurance advisory to pensions de-risking and reinsurance. When we instruct Lathams, we know that the team supporting us would be the best in their field and dedicated to deliver us the best service.’

‘Victoria Sander is one of the best corporate insurance partners I work with. Her indepth knowledge of the insurance sector and ability to navigate complex issues is second to none. She is technically excellent and commercial. She is our go to lawyer for complex insurance matters as our trusted advisor, and has supported us through some of our most significant transactions.’

Top team in structured finance.’

Key clients

AXA


CVC


Domestic & General


Just Group


Lombard International Group


Madison Dearborn Partners


Prudential Assurance Company


Rothesay


Scor


Work highlights


  • Advised CVC Capital Partners on the acquisition of 90.01% of Ethniki Insurance from the National Bank of Greece.
  • Advised Lombard International Group on an Amendment Agreement between the company and the existing noteholder of U.S. $40,000,000.

Mayer Brown International LLP

Mayer Brown International LLP works on a range of cross-market, cross-border matters, with capabilities in Lloyd’s market, Part VII transfers, and other insurance transactions, while also working in capital markets and M&A in this space. With the added ability to call upon the firm’s US strong offering in international non-contentious insurance matters, the firm is well-placed to handle transactions that involve the US and other markets. Insurance-linked securities is a particular strength of the firm, with practice head Colin Scagell having substantial experience in this area alongside his wider practice in cross-border public transactions. Rebecca Bothamley is noted for her leading work in the UK transactional liability practice, and Devi Shah provides her experience as the co-lead of the firm’s restructuring, bankruptcy, and insolvency work for insurance clients. Chris Chapman and Musonda Kapotwe are also key contacts for mandates in the insurance sector.

Practice head(s):

Colin Scagell


Other key lawyers:

Rebecca Bothamley; Devi Shah; Chris Chapman; Musonda Kapotwe


Key clients

Athora


Beazley plc


Brit Limited


Convex Group


Enstar Group


GC Securities


The Hartford


Premia


R&Q Investment Holdings plc


Work highlights


  • Advised Beazley plc on a £350 million equity fundraise on the London Stock Exchange, alongside an additional retail share offer.
  • Advised Beazley plc on its launch of the first-ever cyber catastrophe bond.

Sidley Austin LLP

Sidley Austin LLP is closely integrated with the wider firm’s US insurance team and is consequently well-equipped to handle complex cross-border M&A through its global footprint. The team has particular depth in insurance derivatives and structured finance, and has been active in the private equity entry into the insurance market. Martin Membery leads the London team and is also co-head of the firm’s global insurance practice, being noted for the international scope of his practice alongside James Phythian-Adams, who is similarly expert in resolving complex, cross-border mandates in this space. Fatema Orjela brings her private equity expertise to the team’s insurance work.

Practice head(s):

Martin Membery


Other key lawyers:

James Phythian-Adams; Fatema Orjela


Testimonials

‘Outstanding professionals. Partners with true thought leadership and recognised as leading edge in their sector.’

‘Martin Membery and James Phythian-Adams are both true trusted advisors.

‘Industry knowledge, legal acumen, timeliness and billing flexibility.’

‘Martin Membery is very accessible and provides keen insights on business as well as legal matters.’

Key clients

Altamont Capital


Apollo


Arch


Aspen


Athene


GIC


Gallagher


Lloyd’s


Munich Re


Westfield


Work highlights


  • Advising Westfield on its acquisition of the Lloyd’s operations of Argo Group, including Argo’s Lloyd’s managing agency and Argo’s members supporting Syndicate 1200.
  • Advising various private equity firms in connection with the acquisition of Lloyd’s managing agents and syndicates/corporate members and other forms of investment in Lloyd’s.

Addleshaw Goddard

Addleshaw Goddard leverages its strong reputation in the financial services sector and track record in working with leading retail banks to advise these same banks and other high-profile consumer good companies on their insurance propositions. Robert Garwood leads on this work, advising the firm’s insurance clients from end to end on their insurance offerings with ‘great market insight’, working across customer documentation, product governance, and distribution arrangements.

Practice head(s):

Robert Garwood


Testimonials

‘Always responsive, always knowledgeable and advice given in complete awareness of commercial and regulatory setting.’

‘Robert Garwood has great market insight which frames the advice he gives. Robert is always able to accommodate our requests for whatever we ask of him. Robert has a brilliant reputation amongst members of our in-house team.’

Excellent industry and technical knowledge.

Key clients

Generali Global Assistance, Inc.


The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited


AllClear Insurance


Pensions Insurance Corporation


Moneysupermarket.com


Simplyhealth Norradar


HSBC NoBarclays Bank


Nationwide Building Society


ManyPets


Burges Salmon LLP

Burges Salmon LLP has an established regulatory practice due to its broader financial regulatory expertise, with the firm’s regulatory team often acting on cutting-edge projects and new insurance products. The promotion of Martin Cook to partner in May 2022 enhances the team’s insurtech capabilities, joining Matthew Walker who heads the Bristol-based practice and his broad non-contentious insurance experience. Tom Dunn heads the work in funds and financial regulation and advises a number of clients in FCA and PRA related matters in the insurance sector.

Practice head(s):

Matthew Walker


Other key lawyers:

Tom Dunn; Martin Cook


Testimonials

‘Excellent commercial and legal knowledge to guide clients through contention and non-contentious matters alike.’

‘Matthew Walker is one of the best in the area.’

The Team is a blend of financial regulatory expertise, combined with a comprehensive understanding of the commercial underpinnings of contracts of insurance. Matt Walker has led Burges Salmon’s advice in this area, and been complemented by Tom Dunn\’s deep regulatory knowledge and Anna Davis’ prior in-house expertise at a large insurance firm.’

Matt Walker, being a litigator, is very methodical in the advice he provides, and is clear on potential adverse outcomes associated with advice options put forward and how these can be mitigated.’

Key clients

Shepherds Friendly Society


The Ecclesiastical Group


The Royal London Group


The Exeter Friendly Society Limited


The Financial Services Compensation Scheme


The MAPFRE group


Lombard International Group


Hodge Limited


The Financial Conduct Authority


Zego


The Saltus Group


Work highlights


  • Advised the Saltus Group, an insurance distributor and adviser, on its definitive agreement with Preservation Capital Partners to become the major shareholder of our client.
  • Advised the Ecclesiastical group on its preparation for funeral plan regulation by the FCA.

Stevens & Bolton LLP

Stevens & Bolton LLP  operates out of Guilford, with experience across the range of M&A, Part VII, bulk annuity, and reinsurance transactions in addition to wider regulatory capabilities. The hire of Heidi Sawtell in April 2022 has been a boon to the practice with her experience in working on major corporate transactions and time spent advising the PRA during Solvency II implementation and Brexit. Gary Parnell is the other practice head with his established experience in handling distribution arrangements, affinity partnership projects, outsourcings, IT projects, and insurtech matters. David Steinberg, Joe Bedford, and Jenny Robertson are other key points of contact.

Practice head(s):

Gary Parnell; Heidi Sawtell


Other key lawyers:

David Steinberg; Joe Bedford; Jenny Robertson


Testimonials

‘Good team of lawyers building a nice niche for assisting insurers.’

‘Heidi Sawtell is a real star and great talent, as with Gary Parnell.’

 

Key clients

AllClear Ltd


Allianz Insurance plc


The Ardonagh Group


The administrators of CX Reinsurance Company Ltd


The administrators of East West Insurance Company Ltd


The scheme administrators of The Home Insurance Company


Just Retirement Management Services Ltd/Just Group plc


Medical & Commercial International Ltd


Unum Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advised on the sale of Worksmart, a specialist supplier of regulatory technology, to Davies Group, the leading specialist professional services and technology business serving insurance.
  • Advised on the acquisition of Lorega Holdings Ltd, the UK’s leading supplier of loss recovery insurance, by a subsidiary of Geo Specialty Group.
  • Advised a leading insurance services firm on UK regulation concerning an overseas subsidiary company, including the overseas persons exemption under the Regulated Activities Order.

Carter Perry Bailey LLP

Carter Perry Bailey LLP are an insurance and reinsurance boutique that ‘do what they do very well’, with the practice head Stephen Carter encapsulating the wider practice in his mixed contentious and non-contentious expertise in the insurance space, with experience handling contract construction, regulatory mandates, and the drafting of insurance documents. Bernadette Bailey has a similarly diverse practice, working particularly with brokers on regulatory issues.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Carter


Other key lawyers:

Bernadette Bailey


Testimonials

‘A highly experienced team that is focused on their clients’ needs.’

‘Stephen Carter in particular continues to provide balanced/commercial advice. He will tell you if you have got it wrong, or if your case doesn’t stack up and is tenacious when it comes to litigation.’

‘The firm goes above and beyond market standards to ensure the clients interests are fully served. This helps to establish both a long term relationship with its clients and offers clients the satisfaction that they are in good hands with a robust and experienced legal team. This is all achieved through close understanding of the clients problem and a willingness and professionalism to achieve the desired results. No stone is left unturned.’

‘Stephen Carter and Bernadette Bailey are very practical and capable individuals as well as being very focused on providing added benefit to clients. Easy to get hold off and down to earth partners. They do what they do very well.’

Key clients

Community Re


G-Force Insurance Brokers


Patria Re


Norwich Group


Litmus Analysis Limited


NDI Insurance Brokers


Sande Investments


Oldham Council


Shareholders of Helodrium Limited


Genesis Insurance Brokers


Work highlights


  • Acting in the sale of a UK broker/coverholders to an overseas insurance company.
  • Acting in the sale of a UK insurance consultancy and broking company to an overseas purchaser.
  • Acting for a UK investor in the acquisition of an interest in a UK insurance broker.

Stephenson Harwood

Stephenson Harwood has a particular focus on advice to insurance brokers, offering comprehensive M&A and regulatory advice for this client base with capabilities that extend to cross-border matters. Sam Gray heads up this work as the head of the corporate finance practice, employing his broad M&A experience to these brokerage matters.

Practice head(s):

Sam Gray


Key clients

CLS Risk Solutions


Lucida Broking Holdings Limited


The Ardonagh Group Limited


Arthur J. Gallagher & Co


Jencap Group LLC


Work highlights


  • Advised The Ardonagh Group on the acquisition of US$250m-GWP broking business Oxford Insurance Group from USI Insurance Services.
  • Advised longstanding client on the acquisition of Another Day Limited.
  • Advised the founder on the sale of CRK Commercial Insurance Services Limited to Acrisure.