Sonia Nolten KC > 2 Temple Gardens > London, England > Barrister Profile
2 Temple Gardens Offices
TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 9AY
England
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Sonia Nolten KC
Work Department
Commercial Dispute Resolution, Insurance & Reinsurance, Life & Health, Professional Negligence, Property Damage
Position
Sonia took silk in 2023, having long been recommended as a leading junior in Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500. She is an experienced commercial dispute practitioner specialising in insurance, professional negligence and property damage. The directories have described her as an “an impressive advocate” who is “forensic, sensible and pragmatic,” is “really collaborative” and “understands the key drivers for clients in terms of commercial awareness.”
Sonia is equally at home whether leading or performing her role in a team, acting as advocate and negotiator, and advising clients on sensitive issues and tough tactical decisions. Her focus is always on helping clients to identify and achieve their best commercial, professional and personal outcomes, both in and beyond litigation.
Sonia has been involved in a succession of high-profile cases, up to and including the Supreme Court.
Over the years she has litigated damage claims of all kinds involving product liability, domestic and commercial fires, explosions, floods, collapses, subsidence, landslips, and claims involving arson and defective design, products and working methods. She has developed a significant practice in nuisances arising from the spread of fire, escape of dangerous substances, and those involving loss of amenity, business interruption and financial loss. She has litigated many damage claims with a real property element, such as interference with easements, trespass and reinstatement/insurance issues between landlord and tenant.
Sonia has a lively commercial litigation practice, and has been instructed in numerous commercial disputes, including arbitral proceedings, raising issues including: employee or director fraud; breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance, conspiracy, conversion and receipt of bribes; the construction and validity of contracts, including penalty, liquidated damage, evergreen and insolvency clauses; construction of joint venture agreements and of letters of credit; undue influence and capacity issues; directors’ duties, partnership disputes and shareholder disputes.
Her insurance practice includes coverage issues, policy construction, fraudulent/exaggerated claims, with a particular expertise in life/health insurance.
Professional negligence is usually related to her other fields of expertise and comprises claims against insurance brokers, legal professionals and construction professionals.
Sonia is a Barrister Governing Bencher of the Inner Temple, acts as its Senior Bench Auditor and is Chair of its Finance Committee. In this role she has oversight of the finances of all 9 of the Inn’s departments. She has served on the Inn’s Executive Committee for more than a decade, acquiring considerable experience of the corporate governance of an organisation which is both a large members’ association and a commercial landlord in the City of London.
Career
MA Oxon, First Class, Oriel College Oxford. Awarded Major Scholarship in 2001 and 2002 (Inner Temple). Called to the Bar in 2002. Tenant at 2TG since 2003. Treasury Panel of Counsel 2009-13. Master of the Bench, Inner Temple, 2019. KC 2023.
Memberships
LCLCBA, PNBA, TECBAR, Health Claims Forum.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance
(2023 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Sonia Nolten KC –2 Temple Gardens ‘Ferociously bright, and has a pre-eminent position in the insurance market. She is particularly experienced in dealing with large claims involving fire, which require careful and forensic handling of expert evidence.’
The insurance team at 2 Temple Gardens handle all aspects of non-marine insurance and reinsurance disputes, including jurisdiction and choice of law issues, policy construction, scope of indemnity and effectiveness and scope of notifications and claims. Charles Dougherty KC, who one client noted as ‘engaging and charming,‘ is sought after for his wide experience in insurance and reinsurance claims alongside being involved in business interruption insurance litigation – he represented Allianz in Various Eateries v Allianz where he led Timothy Killen and acted for insurers in a test case brought by the owner of Coppa Club and Nocci in relation to issues of aggregation and policy periods in respect of Covid-19 business interruption loss and what business interruption losses are covered as a result of business closures during the Covid-19 pandemic. Marie Louise Kinsler KC handles cross-border insurance matters, having acted for insurers in a wide variety of claims and has expertise in contribution and recovery claims with an international element, while Neil Moody KC handles a full range of coverage disputes and is retained to advise on business interruption policy coverage issues arising out of Covid-19 lockdowns. Niazi Fetto KC and Sonia Nolten KC are 2023 silk appointments.
London Bar > Professional negligence
(2023 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Sonia Nolten KC –2 Temple Gardens ‘Absolutely excellent in all areas. Thorough, responsive, great on her feet, very good on paper, technical expert and commercially astute.’