Retour United Kingdom - The Bar

Insurance And Reinsurance

7 King’s Bench Walk

2 Temple Gardens

4 New Square

Brick Court Chambers

Crown Office Chambers

Fountain Court Chambers

Leading Silks

Aidan Christie KC – 4 Pump Court ‘Go-to leading counsel for the most complex and sensitive insurance and reinsurance matters. An outstanding knowledge of the market which is a real asset to clients, all delivered sensitively and commercially.'

Charles Dougherty KC –2 Temple Gardens 'Charles is an eloquent and calm advocate who has a clear voice in the court room.'

David Edwards KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘David is excellent.'

Peter MacDonald Eggers KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Unmatched knowledge and recall of his subject. A calm level head and a charming advocate who is trusted by the judge or tribunal.’

Jonathan Gaisman KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Jonathan is of course highly intellectual and his advocacy is clear and determined. He is a superb leader in a complex dispute and is advocacy is always well prepared and focused.'

Siobán Healy KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Extremely hardworking, resilient and a great team player.'

Mark Howard KC –Brick Court Chambers ‘Put simply, he has the court’s ear in a way that other senior silks do not. Always cuts to the heart of the issue with impeccable judgment.’

Gavin Kealey KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘By far the leading advocate at the insurance Bar in a league of his own. Ruthless in cross-examination. Creative and ingenious when it comes to analyzing and developing complex legal arguments. A pleasure to work with and gets results.’

Dominic Kendrick KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Charming and tenacious.’

John Lockey KC –Essex Court Chambers

Andrew Miller KC - 2 Temple Gardens

Andrew Neish KC –4 Pump Court

Ben Quiney KC –Crown Office Chambers ‘Ben has a fantastic way of boiling down complex issues in an easy to understand way. His written advices are thorough and digestible. He is also very client friendly and great on his feet.’

David Railton KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Andrew Rigney KC –Crown Office Chambers ‘Andrew is a brilliant advocate, extremely hardworking, impeccably-mannered, and a thoroughly decent human being.'

Rebecca Sabben-Clare KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Rebecca is very gifted technically, she is also very hard working and has a very rounded view of the issues: sitting as an arbitrator assists in this. She has very good judgement and a very impressive client manner.’

Alistair Schaff KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'The go to person for insurance and reinsurance matters. Clever, a pleasure to work with, and a calm, authoritative advocacy style.'

Tony Singla KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘Tony is exceptional in every respect. As an advocate, he stands head and shoulders above almost all of his peers.’

Bankim Thanki KC – Fountain Court Chambers

David Turner KC – 4 New Square ‘Very client focused and accessible, responsive and a pleasure to work with.'

Andrew Wales KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Andrew is an exceptional barrister. Not only is he one of the most intellectually able KCs of his generation, but he is also sensible, practical and commercial. His advocacy is understated but devastatingly effective.’

Richard Waller KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Richard is an excellent advocate and a go-to KC. He is very sharp and provides high quality, reliable advice which takes into account the practical and commercial considerations of the matter.’

Tom Weitzman KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Tom is excellent on his feet and extremely calming in conference. He gets to the heart of the issue very quickly and is a pleasure to deal with.'

Guy Blackwood KC –Quadrant Chambers ‘Guy is the leading marine insurance and war risks KC in the market by a considerable distance.’

Bob Moxon Browne KC – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Bob brings invaluable experience to every case. Nothing that arises during the course of a case that will surprise him.'

Anneliese Day KC – Fountain Court Chambers

Ben Elkington KC – 4 New Square ‘Ben is a superb advocate, a very smooth operator in court. He is very responsive and a real team player. Always a pleasure to work with.'

Adam Fenton KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Easy to work with. Adam works hard, provides useful advices and is a first choice for several clients.’

Christopher Hancock KC – Twenty Essex ‘A top silk.’

Stephen Hofmeyr KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Jonathan Hough KC –4 New Square 'Jonathan is quite exceptional. A fantastic brain, brilliant with clients, and the standard of his drafting is a model for others to aspire to.'

Ben Hubble KC –4 New Square ‘Ben is excellent – he is superb with clients, simplifies the complex, and provides technical and commercial advice, and is not afraid of a fight.’

Jawdat Khurshid KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A very commercial and user-friendly silk, clients really like him. Exceptionally clever – clear, concise and persuasive both in written submissions and on his feet. All round impressive.’

Harry Matovu KC – Brick Court Chambers 'Harry has the gift of making complex matters seem simple. He definitely can see the wood through the trees. His drafting is a pleasure to read.'

Graeme McPherson KC –4 New Square

Neil Moody KC – 2 Temple Gardens ‘One of the very, very best - charming, erudite and incredibly knowledgeable.'

Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Leigh-Ann is careful, as is vital in complex insurance, but keeps her eye on the main game. She is hard-working and also has flair.’

Paul Reed KC –Gatehouse Chambers ‘Paul is the leading authority on construction and engineering insurance. Having him on your team provides instant reassurance. His advice on difficult issues is consistently on point.’

Simon Salzedo KC –Brick Court Chambers ‘Simon is hugely intelligent, delightful to work with and has a disarming ability to make the most complicated of propositions sound simple.'

David Scorey KC –Essex Court Chambers 'David is very much a team player, equally strong on paper and on his feet.'

Nigel Tozzi KC –4 Pump Court ‘Nigel is accessible, to the point and the point is always right – but importantly he is also incredibly well-viewed by lay clients.’

Rachel Ansell KC - 4 Pump Court

David Bailey KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘David is exceptionally easy and pleasant to with with. He instantly understandable the various issues at stake even the most complex ones and never fails to come up with ingenious strategies and solutions, always considering what would serve the client best. He really is an extraordinarily skilled barrister.’

James Brocklebank KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘James is particularly excellent when it comes to understanding technical arguments and advocating his case clearly and persuasively in a way that is easy to understand. His cross examination is also excellent – sharp, clear, and to the point. He gets to the crux of the matter.’

Andrew Burns KC –Devereux ‘Andrew is a decisive and knowledgeable lawyer in the specialist area of top-ups. He is particularly good in conference, using his significant experience to give clients’ confidence. He is a confident advocate, often instructed on difficult matters.’

Nicholas Craig KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘His advocacy is powerful and persuasive. He remains approachable and calm under pressure. He is a pleasure to deal with.'

Derrick Dale KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Philip Edey KC –Twenty Essex ‘Philip is one of the stars of the Bar – he is a brilliant technical lawyer, very easy to work with and commercial. He is listened to by the court and is a joy to watch on his feet or on paper.’

Justin Fenwick KC –4 New Square

Andrew Green KC – Blackstone Chambers ‘Amazing advocate and good client handling skills notwithstanding court pressures.'

Jeffrey Gruder KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘Jeffrey is the consummate professional. He lives and breathes these Covid-19 claims. There is no-one who could be rated more highly in this arena.’

Neil Hext KC –4 New Square ‘Excellent on his feet in court, very clear advice and well drafted pleadings. A great all-rounder.’

Isabel Hitching KC –Crown Office Chambers ‘Isabel is a great team player, working with us as instructing solicitors and with the clients as needed. She is a strong advocate and is increasingly respected by the judiciary. She brings an intellectual rigour and attention to detail.’

Michael Holmes KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A silk with encyclopedic insurance and reinsurance market knowledge who is a pleasure to work with.’

Timothy Howe KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Nigel Jones KC –Gatehouse Chambers

Michael Kent KC –Crown Office Chambers ‘Michael is among the best appellate counsel in this area. He has a profound grasp of the case law and is always two steps ahead of others in the room – any room. His advocacy is diffident and highly effective. He can run rings around experienced silks with high reputations.’

Charles Kimmins KC –Twenty Essex ‘Charles is a first rate silk and someone whom we work with extensively. His paperwork is exceptional and his oral advocacy is simply superb. He is also extremely user-friendly and can be relied upon without exception to be available to provide urgent and difficult advice. He is extremely reliable in front of clients and a very safe pair of hands for the toughest of cases.'

Adam Kramer KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Adam is in the super-hero league of KCs, and is amongst the very best acting on the policyholder side in insurance coverage disputes. He has appeared in a number of high-profile test cases, in each of which he has been pitched against KCs many years his senior, but against whom he has won every time.’

Ben Lynch KC – Fountain Court Chambers 'A first-class silk.'

Stephen Midwinter KC –Brick Court Chambers ‘Stephen has always been excellent on his feet. All his written work is punchy. His greatest asset is a very quick brain. Plus, he is very down-to-earth and responsive.’

Martin Moore KC – Erskine Chambers 'One of the leaders, with unrivalled experience in insurance business transfer schemes.'

Jeremy Nicholson KC –4 Pump Court

Alison Padfield KC – 4 New Square ‘Alison is an absolute pleasure to work with. She is always prepared, calm and unflappable and has a very easy manner that puts clients from all walks of life entirely at their ease.'

Howard Palmer KC –2 Temple Gardens ‘Howard has a superb technical knowledge with an ability to make difficult arguments digestible. He has a fantastic temperament, and is a pleasure to work with.'

Luke Parsons KC –Quadrant Chambers

Thomas Plewman KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘He is extremely clever and hard-working. He finds and focuses on the core issue and presents his case with crystal clarity.'

Simon Rainey KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Top silk, very clear and concise in his presentation and cuts to the core points quickly.'

Akhil Shah KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Daniel Shapiro KC –Crown Office Chambers ‘Danny is a highly capable lawyer. Danny has an excellent grasp of the legal principles at play and cuts through the detail to get to the most relevant and important points. He allies this with a very calming manner with both clients and the court as well as excellent judgement. He is firm with opponents but balanced and well-respected.’

Jamie Smith KC –4 New Square ‘Jamie is fiercely intelligent and can quickly get to grips with very complex matters. His methodical approach, together with his easy manner, inspire confidence and the collaborative approach he adopts with both his juniors and those who instruct him makes him a pleasure to work with.'

Richard Southern KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Richard is a very authoritative advocate. He is always well-prepared and has the ability to gain the judge’s confidence based on his restrained and meticulous oral submissions. Very good strategic judgement as well.’

Roger Stewart KC –4 New Square ‘Focused and succinct in oral and written advice. Sees the whole picture from the outset- particularly how a judge will look at a case at trial.'

Mark Templeman KC – Essex Court Chambers 'Careful, meticulous and charming.'

Colin Wynter KC – Maryon Wynter Chambers ‘Colin is excellent both on his feet and on paper, and does not back down from a contentious point.’

Michael Ashcroft KC –Twenty Essex ‘Michael is a good lawyer and a sensible arbitrator.'

Jeremy Brier KC –Essex Court Chambers ‘Jeremy is incredibly responsive and keeps the team up to date on his availability. When he promises something on a certain timeframe you will receive it - without fail. His drafting is powerful and persuasive. He prepares for cases extremely carefully and takes time to think through complex legal issues. He is always a pleasure to deal with.'

Timothy Dutton CBE KC – Fountain Court Chambers 'A very experienced barrister whose advocacy is comprehensible.'

Michael Curtis KC –Crown Office Chambers ‘Very experienced and well versed in property damage, product liability and insurance law.'

James Cutress KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Michael Davey KC – Quadrant Chambers

Michael Davie KC – 4 Pump Court ‘Michael's manner is generally cool, calm and collected. This gives off a general air of reassurance to instructing solicitors and clients alike.'

Clare Dixon KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Clare is a fantastic advocate. She is very persuasive and engaging. She has an ability to make complicated points appear simple, and her submissions are always clear and well-structured. Judges love her.’

Josephine Higgs KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Meticulous and very hard working. Works very well as part of the team, providing clear and helpful advice on strategy and merits.’

Philippa Hopkins KC –Essex Court Chambers 'Philippa has always impressed with her ability to make the complex seem straight forward. She is meticulous, thoughtful, and always gives sensible, commercially astute advice.'

Stephen Kenny KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Richard Liddell KC – 4 New Square Chambers 'Richard is a consummate team player, who is always up to speed on the details of even very complicated matters.'

Roger Masefield KC –Brick Court Chambers 'Not afraid of expressing an opinion, sticks to his guns, team player.'

Andrew Mitchell KC – Fountain Court Chambers

Stephen Moriarty KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Alex Potts KC – 4 Pump Court

Amanda Savage KC – 4 New Square ‘Amanda is excellent. A very fine, collaborative and responsive member of a team and always good to have on-board. She is to-the-point and practical, and great with clients.'

Paul Stanley KC – Essex Court Chambers 'Paul is astonishingly quick to get to the heart of the issues. Refreshing economy and effectiveness in oral and written advocacy. And critically tells it like it is, always courteously.'

Geraint Webb KC –Henderson Chambers 'Incredibly intelligent and immerses himself in the detail, strategic and excellent manner.'

Neil Block KC –39 Essex Chambers ‘Neil’s knowledge and experience in insurance related disputes is second to none. Neil can explain complex insurance policy and cover issues to clients very simply.’

Stuart Catchpole KC – Atkin Chambers

Nigel Cooper KC –Quadrant Chambers

Helen Evans KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Helen is incredibly clever, user-friendly, astute – the complete package.’

Patrick Goodall KC – Fountain Court Chambers

Saima Hanif KC – 3 Verulam Buildings

Marie Louise Kinsler KC –2 Temple Gardens ‘She is the go-to barrister for any conflict of law dispute. Absolutely top rate.'

Rory Phillips KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Rory has the ability to simplify the most complex of insurance matters and explain the implications of policy wording in the context of potential liabilities, commercial impacts and also from a PR perspective. Rory is well rounded and is able to consider things from all angles.'

George Spalton KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘George is the complete package: legal and commercial acumen combined with charm and drive. One would back him against any opponent.’

Crispin Winser KC – Crown Office Chambers 'Crispin is an incredibly talented advocate who is persuasive, calm, and comprehensive, and who delivers oral submissions in a thorough and thoughtful way.'

2023 Silks

Simon Atrill KC – Fountain Court Chambers

Richard Eschwege KC – Brick Court Chambers 'A towering intellect with a prodigious work rate and a joy to work with.'

Sonia Nolten KC –2 Temple Gardens ‘Sonia's knowledge of reinsurance and insurance law is pre-eminent. She knows insurance law inside-out. She is also particularly good at dealing with technical expert evidence.'

David Pliener KC – Gatehouse Chambers ‘David’s elevation to KC was richly deserved. He goes from strength to strength.’

2024 Silks

Oliver Caplin KC – Twenty Essex 'Oliver is extremely calm and collected under pressure. His advice is always reasoned and sound. Overall, Oliver is incredibly reliable and makes every effort to accommodate any urgent needs the client may have.'

Shail Patel KC – 4 New Square ‘He is very incisive and knowledgeable, thinks of creative ways to address issues, is very client focused, commercial and has an excellent reassuring manner with clients. His advocacy is top notch.'

David Peters KC –Essex Court Chambers

Michael Wheater KC – Gatehouse Chambers ‘Technically excellent, very user friendly and good with strategy. Also very commercially minded and great with clients. Well deserved recent promotion to KC.'

Leading Juniors

Sushma Ananda – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘As well as being technically excellent, with the ability to deliver clear advice, Sushma is an effective advocate. She is always responsive and a delight to work with.'

Richard Harrison –Devereux 'Richard is approachable, offers practical commonsense, as well as having in-depth knowledge of insurance law.'

Sandra Healy – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Overall a very experienced barrister for insurance litigation, with good advocacy skills.’

Keir Howie – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Keir is stellar. He is clear and concise in providing his views and legally he is detailed, considered and clearly incredibly intelligent.'

Timothy Kenefick – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Calm and considered. A real team player and gracious with his time for more junior members of the team.'

Alexander MacDonald – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Alex is exceptional and a standout barrister. He is technically strong, there is no point that he can’t master. His written and oral advocacy is of a high standard.’

Caroline McColgan –Crown Office Chambers ‘Caroline is excellent: a very good insurance lawyer, very bright, extremely hard-working, dedicated and terrific with clients. She is also a very good cross-examiner.’

Peter Ratcliffe –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Peter is great to work with. He is always exceptionally well prepared and gives detailed and thoughtful advice. He leaves no stone unturned and is very good with clients. His grasp of the detail of cases makes him a formidable advocate.’

Jonathan Bellamy –39 Essex Chambers

Jocelin Gale – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Exceptional; he is undoubtedly one of the cleverest and most innovative juniors at the Commercial Bar and his skeletons are incomparable for the quality of their argument and insight.'

Tim Jenns – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Tim is able to reduce complex issues to simply stated propositions. He works hard and well and is a clear thinker.'

Simon Kerr – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Simon combines an impressive command of the detail with clear and robust advocacy. He is well prepared, indefatigable and and on top of the case - very helpful to have on side.'

Timothy Killen – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Tim is super efficient, exceptionally bright and hard working. He is also easy to get along with, down to earth and very commercial.'

Elizabeth Lindesay – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Liz is highly intelligent and has a tremendous eye for detail. Her work product is of an exceptionally high standard.'

Marcus Mander – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Sarah Martin – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Sarah goes above and beyond to meet client’s needs. She is incredibly bright, analytical, detail oriented and her written work is excellent.’

James Medd –Crown Office Chambers 'Encyclopaedic knowledge of insurance policy coverage.'

Benjamin Parker – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Ben is very user friendly and clients enjoy working with him. He provides practical advice on complex reinsurance matters and has a good grasp of the issues. His advocacy was very effective - he’s clearly an expert in this field and one of the top choices for future matters.’

Simon Paul – Fountain Court Chambers

James Purchas –4 Pump Court ‘Strong technical knowledge in insurance regulation.'

Michael Ryan – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Michael is an excellent advocate. He punches above his weight comfortably holds his own in the company of KCs. Michael is very good to work with; he is very responsive, thorough and approachable and provides clear advice.’

James Sharpe –Crown Office Chambers ‘James is very capable. He has very good judgement and a very calming manner with both clients and the court. He is firm with our opponents but always strikes the right balance. He has very good legal knowledge and is good combination of technical and practical skills.'

Ben Smiley –4 New Square ‘Simply excellent - able to win the otherwise unwinnable. Very good on his feet and personable. Has impeccable attention to detail and is definitely a silk in the making.'

Jessica Sutherland – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Harry Wright – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Ebony Alleyne – Gatehouse Chambers ‘Ebony is fantastic and solicitors would never have any hesitation in instructing or recommending her. She knows her cases inside out and back to front and never misses any of the detail.’

Celso De Azevedo –Enterprise Chambers

Edward Batrouney – Essex Court Chambers ‘Edward is an exceptional junior counsel. His analysis and drafting skills are exemplary. He is extremely personable and easy to work with. A real star in the making.’

Tom Bell – Gatehouse Chambers ‘A fantastic team player. Very cool and calm, unflappable. Willing to be clear with his advice and not sit on a fence, especially when in conference with clients to put the point across. Does not just take the legal answer, also factors in the other commercial drivers at play and comes to a reasoned approach.’

Clara Benn – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Clara has exceptional legal knowledge and good judgement. She excels at written advocacy, and is growing in confidence in oral advocacy as well. She is measured, sensible and persuasive. It is not surprising that Insurers and solicitors love to instruct her.’

Alexandra Bodnar – Keating Chambers

Michael Bolding – Brick Court Chambers ‘Contributes significantly to the team – fitting in with KCs, solicitors and clients.’

Nicholas Broomfield –4 New Square

Alice Carse – 4 Pump Court ‘Alice is a very experienced junior counsel, with a very good understanding of insurance law, advocacy skills and excellent ability to translate strategy and legal argument into client friendly language. She is a pleasure to work with.’

Suzanne Chalmers – Crown Office Chambers ‘Thorough, detailed, but also pragmatic and user-friendly.'

Niamh Cleary – Fountain Court Chambers 'She quickly gets to grips with the key issues.'

Benjamin Coffer – Quadrant Chambers ‘Benjamin's advice is always clear and succinct. He is able to explain the minutiae of his legal reasoning in simple terms and his drafting work has consistently been excellent.'

Steven Coles –Crown Office Chambers 'Attention to detail is impeccable. His understanding and communication is also exceptional.'

Daniel Corteville – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Daniel is an excellent junior barrister – his work is above that for his call. He gets stuck into the weeds of a case and delivers an excellent work product every time. He is attentive and a great team player. Definitely a star of the future.’

Daniel Crowley – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Dan is a great lawyer with a very attuned eye to the nuances of complex case law. He is direct and can articulate complex point simply.'

William Day – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Will is extremely bright, but brings a high level of commonsense and practicality to his work.'

Max Evans – Fountain Court Chambers

Lucas Fear-Segal –2 Temple Gardens ‘Lucas is clever, diligent and always to keen to tackle the most difficult parts of the case. He is recommended for his legal acuity, enthusiasm and ability to get his clients out of the tightest of corners.’

Julian Field –Crown Office Chambers

Anna Gotts – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Anna has an excellent technical knowledge of insurance, coupled with an impressive work ethic. Nothing is too much trouble, and no stone is left unturned. Her written advice is careful and her judgement is good. Insurers rightly turn to her for advice, with several firms sending her work which normally go to a junior silk. One to watch in the years to come.’

Doré Green – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Doré is meticulous in his preparation with a scientific and forensic approach and provides excellent advice in relation to highly technical insurance and property damage disputes.'

Michele De Gregorio –Crown Office Chambers ‘Very user friendly. Adopts a practical approach. He works well with the leader on the claim, but isn't afraid to bring his own ideas and views to the table.'

Miles Harris – 4 New Square ‘Miles is exceptional – knows insurance law inside out and is equally good on strategy.'

Emma Hilliard – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Great eye for detail, excellent technical knowledge of the business interruption cases, understands commercial needs of the client and gives pragmatic practical advice.’

Kate Holderness – 3 Verulam Buildings 'Kate is a superb senior junior who is well on top of the details of a case and drafts with real precision. Will no doubt be a silk before too long.'

Anthony Jones – 4 New Square ‘Anthony is very good at articulating complex issues in a simple, digestible manner. He slots into the team when we instruct him on matters and is very proactive and forward thinking. He is always contactable and meets deadlines timeously.’

Susannah Jones – Twenty Essex ‘Susannah is, quite simply, an exceptional junior barrister. One of the very best.’

Simon Kerry – Gatehouse Chambers

Christopher Knowles –Fountain Court Chambers

Christopher Langley –Fountain Court Chambers

Athena Markides –Crown Office Chambers ‘Athena deciphers the critical issue really quickly and provides excellent technical and commercial advice that is easily explainable.'

Sarah McCann – Gatehouse Chambers 'Sarah is intelligent and very hardworking.'

Mek Mesfin – 4 Pump Court

Henry Moore – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Henry has a phenomenal memory, which others strongly suspect to be eidectic. This provides Henry with a huge advantage over the other mere mortals at the Bar, as his ability to retain, process and distil information is second to none. Indispensable as junior counsel. Without a doubt a future silk.’

Helen Morton – Essex Court Chambers

Martyn Naylor – 4 Pump Court ‘An excellent junior barrister for tricky insurance and reinsurance questions. Has built up an impressive understanding of the market which is of great use.'

Rani Noakes – 4 Pump Court ‘Rani is very astute. She quickly grasps the issues in complex cases and is highly analytical. At the same time she is able to clearly communicate her advice and has commercial considerations in mind.’

Jason Robinson – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Jason is an excellent advocate. He is all over the detail of technical insurance points but never loses sight of the wood for the trees. As a result, he is a focused advocate and his paperwork is very user-friendly and pragmatic. He is an excellent all-rounder for difficult insurance questions.’

Richard Sage –Crown Office Chambers

Theodor van Sante –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Fantastically insightful into all matters FCA and PRA related.'

Richard Sarll – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Richard has a remarkable ability to articulate complex legal concepts in a clear and concise manner. His advice is well-structured, making it easy for solicitors and clients to understand. Furthermore, he demonstrates a deep understanding of the law. This knowledge forms the backbone of his effective advocacy.’

Carlo Taczalski –Crown Office Chambers ‘Carlo is a very able lawyer - he has very good technical grasp of legal principles, he has very good judgment and is a clear and compelling communicator, both to clients and to the court.'

David Thomas – 2 Temple Gardens ‘David is a details man. He is very good and getting to the crux of the issues and assisting with the setting of overarching strategies in accordance with the client's specific requirements.'

Carl Troman – 4 New Square ‘Carl is simply first class, his analytical skills are excellent, he quickly establishes the confidence of his clients, and is a pleasure to work with.'

David Walsh –Essex Court Chambers ‘David makes successes of his cases.’

Mubarak Waseem – Essex Court Chambers ‘Mubarak is a real upcoming star of the insurance Bar. He inspires confidence in clients, had a great intellect and is extremely personable with it.’

Peter Webster – Essex Court Chambers ‘Very hard working and intelligent. Also very reliable and calm under pressure.’

Frederick Alliott – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Fred is a strong junior and very easy to work with. His advocacy on interim applications has been clear and compelling.’

Tom Asquith – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Tom is highly personable, clear and efficient, and provides advice with both legal and commercial acuity.'

John Bignall – 7 King’s Bench Walk

Joshua Brown – Crown Office Chambers ‘Very approachable and quick to grasp the issues in hand.’

William Clerk –2 Temple Gardens ‘Will has a first class knowledge of black letter insurance law. He’s a go-to junior for brain-bending points. Incredibly popular with clients and punches well above his weight in his insurance practice.’

Ivor Collett – Crown Office Chambers

Sarah Cowey – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Sarah has great attention to detail which has come in useful in reviewing the vast number of underlying documents generated in relation to these disputes to find the key needle in haystack items. She is extremely bright and knowledgeable about the underlying subject matter, including the reinsurance law aspects, and has a clear and lucid style of writing which is persuasive in terms of advocacy.’

Stephen Du – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Very good indeed. Very responsive, a clear thinker and a good trial advocate. Very sound performer.’

Sophia Dzwig – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Sophia was always very quick to respond. She is clearly very intelligent. As she increases her experience, she will become a very strong barrister.'

Joseph England – Quadrant Chambers ‘Joe is incredibly enthusiastic.'

Jason Evans-Tovey – Crown Office Chambers

George Eyre – Gatehouse Chambers 'Very bright, up and coming junior. Good drafting skills and user friendly.'

Joshua Folkard – Twenty Essex ‘Josh is an extremely bright and inventive lawyer, who really engages with a case and can be relied on to come up with new and effective lines of argument.'

Simon Goldstone –4 Pump Court

John Greenbourne –Crown Office Chambers ‘Very approachable and accessible.'

Michael Harper – Crown Office Chambers 'Michael has a real eye for detail and immerses himself in the case. A seriously talented junior, excellent in both his drafting and ability to engage with clients.'

Jack Harris – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Very knowledgeable with regard to the law, very astute tactically, and very approachable.’

George Hilton - Monckton Chambers ‘George is attentive to the detail of matters and will always consider the commerciality of matters where required. He provides sound advice and direction as to what is required on the matters in order to achieve the best possible outcome.’

Rebecca Jacobs – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Rebecca is extremely responsive and patient. She is willing to go above and beyond to assist and turns high quality work around very efficiently.’

Max Kasriel – Fountain Court Chambers 'Max is a strong, user-friendly junior.'

Diarmuid Laffan – 4 New Square ‘Diarmuid has great insurance law knowledge and gives clear, practical, strategic advice – you want him in your corner.'

Ralph Morley – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Ralph is unbelievably bright, well-spoken and charming.’

David Myhill – Crown Office Chambers

Peter Oliver – 4 Pump Court ‘Peter was exceedingly helpful and isa able to approach the issues from both a medical and legal background given his previous career as a doctor.’

Rowan Pennington-Benton – 3 Hare Court ‘Rowan is creative, hard-working and a tenacious advocate. He makes his points forcefully and articulately.’

Quentin Tannock – 4 Pump Court 'Quentin's ability to take an issue and devise a unique strategy makes him a highly effective advocate. Through pragmatic advice that is both technical and decisive, Quentin gains the respect of both those who instruct him and his professional clients.'

Adam Turner – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘He is an extraordinary junior. Adam is thoughtful and clever; he is organized and entirely happy working on his own initiative.’

Jessica van der Meer – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Jessica is very thorough and methodical in her approach across all of her areas of experience. She is alive to issues to and offers insight beyond the scope of her instructions which is appreciated by those instructing her.’

Kate Vaughan-Neil – 4 Pump Court 'Kate employs a scrupulous approach when considering the facts of the matter and advising on the legal implications, and is consistently diligent in her approach to all matters.'

Emma Catia Walker – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Emma provides strong, supported advice, which in turn provides great outcomes for our clients.’

Peter Webster – Essex Court Chambers ‘Very hard working and intelligent. Also very reliable and calm under pressure.’

Helena White – Gatehouse Chambers ‘Helena is very good with client and explaining the most complex areas to them in a way that they understand. She put\'s them at ease. She has a commercial outlook which clients like and her advice always recognizes this.'

Tom Wood – Brick Court Chambers ‘Tom provides very clear written advice and works well as part of a team.’

Louis Zvesper – Gatehouse Chambers ‘A highly intelligent and thoroughly likeable junior. Excellent with clients. Wise and calm beyond his years. Louis has made a real name for himself as a leading junior in insurance.’

Rising Stars

Toby Chandler – Crown Office Chambers ‘Toby’s advice is clear, concise and he is very user friendly and easy to get on with. Very much a valued member of the team.’

Hamish Fraser – Crown Office Chambers ‘Excellent drafting. Thoughtful. Highly intelligent Well ahead of his years in terms of drafting, research and views.’

Julia Gibbon – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Julia drafts beautifully. She has a very sharp mind, even by the standards of the commercial Bar. She works quickly and is unflappable. She is a go-to choice for a junior who is very highly regarded by everyone who works with her.’

Douglas Grant – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Doug has excellent attention to detail. He is very quick in understanding complex technical points.'

Kate Legh – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Kate is such an approachable counsel who provides very good, well reasoned advice.’

James Partridge – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Really top-class brain and writes incredibly well. A real star of the future.’

Insurance and reinsurance in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

7 King's Bench Walk

Known in the industry as the ‘leader in insurance and reinsurance disputes,’ with ‘rich history and top quality barristers of all levels,’ 7 King’s Bench Walk remains a pre-eminent set for all aspects of insurance and reinsurance work, with barristers instructed on the year’s high profile and high value cases, as well as aiding in the development of the law. During 2023, aviation litigation became one of the core areas of the insurance practice, with Andrew Wales KC, Clara Benn acting for AIG, and other members such as Rebecca Sabben-Clare KC and Alistair Schaff KC acting as opposing counsel in Aercap Ireland v AIG Europe and Lloyds Insurance Company which is the lead case begun by lessors against the aviation insurance market concerning the Russian government’s effective seizure of aircraft from foreign lessors. On top of this, members including Michael Ryan, Peter MacDonald Eggers KC, Sandra Healy and Gavin Kealey KC have been involved in the Covid-19 business interruption series of test cases, with Josephine Higgs KC acting for policyholders on Prevention of Access clauses in Gatwick Investment Ltd & Ors v Liberty Mutual Insurance. Julia Gibbon and Douglas Grant are names to watch.

Les références

‘Gary Rose is an excellent clerk.’

‘7KBW is undoubtedly a leader in insurance and reinsurance disputes. It has a rich history and top quality barristers of all levels.’

‘The clerks always go above and beyond to assist, often staying late and working long hours to assist solicitors teams. They are very responsive and diligent at managing matters and diaries.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 2 sets

2 Temple Gardens

The insurance practice at 2 Temple Gardens handles a plethora of insurance and reinsurance cases, from all aspects of non-marine insurance and reinsurance disputes, to scope of indemnity, non-disclosure and aggregation. Members frequently act for and against insurers and deal with all commercial policies, including those covering liability. The set has been involved in the Covid-19 business interruption cases, with Charles Dougherty KC acting in the case of Various Eateries v Allianz which concerned which business interruption losses are covered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Neil Moody KC ’s expertise extends to construction related litigation, while Lucas Fear-Segal has been involved in several precedent setting international insurance cases, and is regarded for ‘being able to offer comprehensive and clear advice on complex areas of law. Of note, the set also has niche experience in life and health insurance, bloodstock insurance and terrorism insurance. Kate Legh and James Partridge are names to watch.

Les références

‘Clerks are always responsive and helpful with any queries you have. Never had to chase them. Matthew Moylan and Ben White are usually the clerks I liaise with – they are excellent.’

‘Matthew Moylan and Lee Tyler can be singled out for praise.’

‘Attentive, responsive and helpful. Lee Tyler and his team are superb.’

Principaux dossiers

4 New Square Chambers

4 New Square Chambers‘ insurance practice benefits from its expertise in related areas including commercial litigation, international arbitration, professional negligence and property damage, which enables members to provide a full service across the leading cases in insurance. Looking at insurance issues arising out of Covid-19, Jonathan Hough KC, leading Ben Smiley and William Harman represented Zurich Insurance Co Ltd in World Challenge Expeditions Ltd v Zurich Insurance Co Ltd which covered a dispute for a claim by a company that arranges expeditions for schools that had to cancel trips as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the team successfully seeking security for costs. The set has a firm grasp on issues of construction covering indemnity, non-disclosure, breach of conditions and fraud. David Turner KC regularly acts on insurance disputes and issues relating to business interruption insurance, while Clare Dixon KC has experience in professional indemnity and material damage.

Les références

‘Alex Dolby and Andrew Call are always very helpful.’

‘This set have a very wide variety of barristers available and offer excellent training programmes.’

‘4 New Square are generally excellent across the board, with some really stand out members. Great clerking team too.’

Principaux dossiers

Brick Court Chambers

With ‘strength in-depth in sanctions as well as insurance,’ members of Brick Court Chambers continue to be instructed on significant and high profile cases within insurance and reinsurance, with members acting on a broad range of claims, ranging from cases related to the Russian aviation claims, to the Covid-19 business interruption cases. Noted for ‘having the court’s ear in a way that other silks do not,’ Mark Howard KC, alongside Tony Singla KC, Stephen Midwinter KC and Edward Ho have been involved in AerCap v AIG (& Others) involving imposed sanctions prohibiting AerCap and other lessors from continuing the leasing of aircraft and parts to Russian airlines. Michael Bolding and Tom Wood are further key names from the set.

Les références

‘Brick Court is very responsive and easy to work with.’

‘They are rightly considered first class.’

‘They are the best – especially, the head clerks.’

Principaux dossiers

Crown Office Chambers

Crown Office Chambers is noted as being the ‘go-to set for coverholders‘ within the insurance and reinsurance sector, with members of the set routinely instructed by top tier firms in the space. Andrew Rigney KC‘s practice encompasses both domestic and international cases, and has been on the forefront in the Supreme Court in the FCA Covid-19 business interruption test cases, while Isabel Hitching KC was successful both at first instance and in the Court of Appeal in the case Allianz Insurance Plc v University of Exeter which dealt with the applicability of war exclusion clauses to damage occurring after the end of a war, and is now the leading case on the meaning of proximate cause in the war risk context – the case concerned an unexploded WWII-era bomb, which, during an otherwise successful controlled explosion, caused damage to a university hall of residence. Caroline McColgan stands out for her specialism in warranty and indemnity insurance and for her involvement in the FCA Test case. Hamish Fraser and Toby Chandler are names to watch.

Les références

‘Excellent. Steve Purse is excellent and always goes the extra mile to make sure the service is great.’

‘Very responsive and great do deal with. Andy Flanagan is at the top of his game.’

‘Clerking is strong at Crown Office – Steve Purse and Andy Flanagan get special mentions.’

Principaux dossiers

Fountain Court Chambers

Members of Fountain Court Chambers represent both insurers and insureds, as well as advising in various classes of insurance including property and business interruption, directors’ and officers’ liability, product liability and warranty and indemnity insurance. The set also acts both in coverage disputes and in underlying third-party claims, with involvement in high profile insurance claims arising from the Russian aviation claims, the Covid-19 FCA test cases and other cross-border insurance and reinsurance claims. Anneliese Day KC represents both insurers and insured across a wide variety of cases both in the UK and abroad, while Bankim Thanki KC is part of the team involved in Greensill Capital and Greensill Bank v Zurich Insruance, acting for Zurich in a coverage dispute arising out of claims by Greensill Capital and Greensill Bank under trade credit policies issued by Zurich. Simon Paul and Niamh Cleary are key names from the set at junior level.

Principaux dossiers

Tier 3 sets

3 Verulam Buildings

3 Verulam Buildings has played an active role in the Covid-19 business interruption insurance litigation, with William Day and Adam Kramer KC acting for claimants in Stonegate Pub Company v MS Amlin, as well as for claimants London International Exhibition Centre. The set has also seen growth in cladding insurance claims, with Tom Weitzman KC taking an active role in this arena as well as aviation claims arising out of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In terms of insurance regulation, members of the set, including Farhaz Khan KC have been instructed by top insurance clients such as Lloyd’s in its capacity as a regulator. Sophia Dzwig is noted for her varied insurance practice.

Les références

‘Jack Wheeler provides excellent service and is always available.’

‘Top quality set.’

‘Responsive and helpful.’

Principaux dossiers

4 Pump Court

Noted for being a ‘great set with good strength in depth,’ 4 Pump Court acts for a wide variety of clients, from insured parties and for insurers and reinsurers, to insurance brokers both domestically and internationally. Members of the set cover work across the high-value and high-profile insurance cases currently in the market, from Covid-19 business interruption claims, with Michael Davie KC advising on a number of different cases including Mayfair Banqueting Limited v AXA Insurance UK PLC dealing with an insurance claim for closure of a Mayfair nightclub during the pandemic. Aidan Christie KC is representing reinsurers in an arbitration appeal in the Commercial Court relating to recovery of Covid-19 losses under the Catastrophe Excess of Loss treaty, while Rachel Ansell KC has expertise in insurance claims arising out of Construction All Risks and property damage insurance policies in other jurisdictions. Kate Vaughan-Neil and Quentin Tannock are names to watch.

Les références

‘Chambers is well clerked and led by Stewart Gibbs and Billy Griffiths. They have helped us find innovative solutions for clients around a recovery scheme and have delivered training directly which has been a real help to build relationships.’

‘James Tanner is very helpful and user friendly.’

‘Will Jackman is an extraordinary clerk – he is highly responsive, proactive, has a great can-do attitude and is an absolute pleasure to deal with.’

Principaux dossiers

Essex Court Chambers

Members of Essex Court Chambers continue to act in well-known insurance market disputes, including the Covid-19 business interruption cases, among others. Jeffrey Gruder KC is involved in Corbin and King v AXA Insurance, a Covid-19 test case where the High Court decided that these covers did not provide cover to policyholders in respect of business interruption loss caused by lockdowns. John Lockey KC, David Walsh and Helen Morton have also been involved in the Russian aviation litigation, a series of multibillion dollar insurance claims brought by international lessors and leased to Russian airlines when the Russian state effectively expropriated them after its invasion of Ukraine. Further to this, members have also been involved in a number of political risks and trade credit disputes both domestically and cross-border. David Peters KC was appointed as a silk earlier in 2024, while Paul Stanley KC and Mubarak Waseem are further key names from the set.

Les références

‘Essex Court is indisputably one of the heavyweight sets of the commercial bar.’

‘Great set with good strength in depth.’

Principaux dossiers

Quadrant Chambers

The insurance and reinsurance practice at Quadrant Chambers is involved in a mixture of marine insurance and non-marine insurance cases, with members of the set being involved in a number of high profile insurance claims including the Russian aviation litigation, as well as marine cases arising out of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Guy Blackwood KC is involved in Aercap (and others) v AIG (and others), the case concerning the seizure of Russian aircraft from foreign lessors after the invasion of Ukraine. Simon Rainey KC has a broad marine insurance practice, while Luke Parsons KC has also been instructed by top insurance firm for marine-related work. Benjamin Coffer is another key name from the set.

Les références

‘The clerks at Quadrant always deliver top-notch service and are friendly and accessible. Daniel Westerman and Billy Beckett are fantastic.’

‘Incredibly efficient in responding to queries.’

‘My experience with at quadrant has been consistently positive. I am always directed to someone able to assist and each of those individuals have been exceedingly helpful.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 4 sets

Gatehouse Chambers

The insurance team at Gatehouse Chambers is experienced in policy coverage work, having acted for a range of insureds, insurers and reinsurers. Members routinely advise on coverage and avoidance issues, including dealing with issues of misrepresentation and non-disclosure. Paul Reed KC is regarded as a ‘leading authority on construction and engineering insurance,’ having led Ebony Alleyne and James Shaw on the case of Sky Broadcasting Ltd, Mace Ltd v Insurers, winning a liability declarations trial against insurers and secured interim payment for the cost of repairing damage during construction to the largest flat roof in Europe, that of Sky’s site on Osterley. Michael Wheater KC took silk in the 2024 round.

Les références

‘Very good clerks, always responsive and happy to assist.’

‘The set is modern and user friendly.’

‘Gatehouse have really improved their strength in depth over recent years.’

Principaux dossiers

Twenty Essex

Twenty Essex is experienced across a whole spectrum of commercial insurance and reinsurance disputes, both in arbitration and in court. Members of the set have been involved in a range of cases stemming from global events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic in the case Greggs Plc v Zurich Insurance Plc in which Christopher Hancock KC acted for the bakery chain as to if it was able to recover £2.5m in total, or per store, for the business interruption cause by lockdowns. Philip Edey KC specialises in a range of insurance claims, while Charles Kimmins KC has appeared for various insurers and reinsurers in the Russian aviation claims. Oliver Caplin KC was appointed as a silk in 2024.

Les références

‘Arron Zitver runs a refreshingly youthful and forward-thinking clerking team, who we find to be trailblazers in modernising our interaction with the bar.’

‘Very effective.’

‘The clerks are very user friendly; always available and helpful.’

Classements par PratiqueLondon Bar