Department profile
4 New Square Chambers

Insurance

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


4 New Square Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Insurance - London (Bar)

Band 2

Band 2


What the Team is Known For

4 New Square Chambers has an impressive bench of silks and junior barristers with expertise spanning a broad spectrum of insurance and reinsurance matters, supplemented by its renowned professional negligence pedigree. Members of the set represent a strong choice for technically challenging coverage issues and are particularly renowned for their expertise in disputes involving property damage, professional indemnity and product liability matters. They act for defendants and claimants, including a range of corporates across the real estate and energy sectors. Tenants have been instructed in Amtrust Europe Limited v MD Insurance Services Limited, acting for MD Warranty Inspection Services against a £47 million claim. Sources note that "4 New Square Chambers house an immense number of insurance disputes advocates of the highest calibre," who are "quick to grasp complex issues and provide commercially sensible advice."

Lizzy Stewart is the senior clerk and CEO.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerks are very good and knowledgeable.

    Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • The clerking team is very good and led strongly by senior clerk and CEO Lizzie Stuart. They are clear in communications and very fair on pricing.

    Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks are very willing and helpful in offering assistance, particularly when it comes to hearing preparation and liaising with the courts.

    Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks are responsive and helpful.

    Insurance respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 1Roger Stewart
    Band 1Roger Stewart

    Roger Stewart

    Roger Stewart KC is a highly knowledgeable silk in the professional negligence and construction spheres who regularly turns his hand to major insurance disputes. He handles complex international arbitrations as well as litigation. His advocacy experience includes appearances before the Supreme Court.

    • Roger has a really good profile and very good reputation in the professional indemnity space. He is super experienced but still unbelievably hungry for work.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Roger is incredibly incisive and to the point. He provides detailed, bullet point advice that's easy to read. He is excellent at cross-examination and generally on his feet.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • He is an excellent cross-examiner who is very detailed at trial.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Alison Padfield
    Band 2Alison Padfield

    Alison Padfield

    Alison Padfield KC has considerable prowess across both insurance and professional negligence cases, and is particularly noted for her methodical and meticulous approach. She handles insurance and reinsurance arbitrations, as well as litigation, and is also the author of 'Insurance Claims', soon to be released in a sixth edition. Her practice is evenly split between claimant and defendant work.

    • She is commercial, gives succinct, straight advice and clients like her.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • She's very shrewd and diligent. Alison sees immediately what's going on in the case, over and above the legal issues. She is very forthright and direct, and those qualities are immensely valuable.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Alison is very clever and has great intellectual discipline; she doesn't blow with the wind. She's someone for a really difficult question.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Alison provides clear, incisive and commercial advice, but at the same time is always into the detail of the matter. She has a wide range of expertise in insurance-related matters.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Alison has great strength in her knowledge and understanding of insurance law.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Ben Elkington
    Band 2Ben Elkington

    Ben Elkington

    Ben Elkington KC is a well-regarded insurance coverage specialist. He is instructed by both insurers and insureds on a regular basis, and has a notable focus on property damage cases, although he is well versed in all types of non-marine policies. He also demonstrates considerable expertise advising on professional indemnity claims. He is also experienced in acting as an arbitrator in insurance disputes.

    • He is extremely clear in his thinking and very organised in his approach to cases. Ben has an encyclopaedic knowledge of legal issues.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Ben is bright, tough and unfailingly charming. He is a pleasure to work with.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Ben can go toe-to-toe with anyone in this field.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Ben is very commercial, widely experienced and user-friendly.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • His commercial vision, alongside formidable advocacy and an ability to put clients at ease, is second to none.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2David Turner
    Band 2David Turner

    David Turner

    David Turner KC is a highly regarded silk who offers expertise across a range of commercial litigation. His broad practice involves an emphasis on professional liability, product liability and complex insurance disputes. He also skilfully handles reinsurance disputes.

    • He is a really impressive advocate and does an excellent job in cross-examination.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • David is outstanding and provides excellent advice in record time.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • David is a clear communicator with a high degree of insurance-related expertise, who gets into the detail quickly. He is a very good leader of large teams on large and complex claims.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • David is very technically gifted and provides clear advice. He also understands the market and his work output is accordingly commercial, as opposed to purely legal.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Jonathan Hough
    Band 2Jonathan Hough

    Jonathan Hough

    Jonathan Hough KC takes on the full spectrum of coverage disputes, handling both litigation and arbitration cases, and is regularly instructed in disputes between insurers and reinsurers. He has experience in a broad range of matters including professional indemnity, product liability and financial risk.

    • He is very responsive indeed, and great to work with.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • He is excellent and clients love him. He has this dual expertise in insurance and high-profile public inquiries, both of which he understands very deeply. He is fearsome as an opponent.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • He is very impressive on complicated areas of insurance.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Jonathan Hough is an able advocate.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • His turnaround time is remarkable and the quality of the work is very high.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Neil Hext
    Band 2Neil Hext

    Neil Hext

    Neil Hext KC is a busy silk who is actively engaged in a whole host of insurance-related work, including the full range of coverage and policy issues, as well as significant disputes involving brokers. He is also experienced in handling disputes involving allegations of fraudulent behaviour.

    • Neil is first rate; he is very bright, commercial, authoritative and responsive. He’s on top of his brief and pitches his input at just the right level for what we need.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • His advice is clear, commercial and concise. He is conscientious, extremely personable and super bright. He is just a pleasure to work with.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Neil Hext is very bright, provides a great level of teamwork and service, is good with clients and a great advocate.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Neil gets the best out of people who work for him and never puts anyone down. He is extremely good, calm and collected.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • His advocacy is to the point and he guides the judge so consistently.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Ben Hubble
    Band 3Ben Hubble

    Ben Hubble

    Ben Hubble KC is a respected professional negligence and insurance silk. He is often instructed in large-value and complex coverage disputes. His professional indemnity work features disputes involving solicitors' firms as well as matters involving financial regulatory aspects.

    • Ben is a senior KC with a broad range of experience of professional indemnity cases, covering both defence and coverage, and professional regulation.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • He is a strong practitioner and a good, persuasive advocate.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Carl Troman
    Band 3Carl Troman

    Carl Troman

    Carl Troman is a well-thought-of commercial litigator who appears with regularity in insurance disputes. He has experience in cases involving misrepresentation and non-disclosure, and is particularly known for his strength in property damage disputes.

    • Carl is hard-working and thorough as well as being very approachable and user-friendly.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Clare Dixon
    Band 3Clare Dixon

    Clare Dixon

    Clare Dixon KC is an impressive practitioner who successfully represents clients on both sides of insurance disputes. She is recognised for her strong knowledge of professional indemnity and employers' liability matters.

    • Clare makes a special effort to ensure clients' needs are met and provides constructive advice on difficult matters.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Her judgement and written advice are invariably of the highest quality.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • She always picks up and grasps issues quickly. Her thinking and responses are instant; she is very on it and doesn't need to mull things over.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Miles Harris
    Band 3Miles Harris

    Miles Harris

    Miles Harris is an experienced insurance junior. He demonstrates knowledge of policies including business interruption, D&O and professional liability.

    • Miles Harris is very impressive on paper providing high quality analysis on complex coverage and policy work.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Ben Smiley
    Band 4Ben Smiley

    Ben Smiley

    Ben Smiley's insurance practice involves acting both for and against insureds in a range of matters including liability, business interruption and fire damage claims.

    • He has a fantastic manner, employs commercial awareness throughout and is an excellent all-rounder.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Graeme McPherson
    Band 4Graeme McPherson

    Graeme McPherson

    Graeme McPherson KC acts for both insurers and insured parties in litigation and arbitration matters which encompass a spectrum of coverage proceedings. He is particularly well regarded for his expertise relating to notification issues and professional indemnity claims.

    • He sees things very clearly and is good at giving clear advice. He works very hard and is very responsive.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Jamie Smith
    Band 4Jamie Smith

    Jamie Smith

    Jamie Smith KC maintains a broad practice that combines professional negligence and insurance work. He has particular expertise in dealing with fraud-related matters. He handles complex arbitrations as well as litigation.

    • Jamie is technically excellent and very approachable.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Jamie is supremely clever and very measured. He is a black letter lawyer's dream.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Shail Patel
    Band 4Shail Patel

    Shail Patel

    Shail Patel KC has developed a robust insurance practice that focuses particularly on professional indemnity and disputes involving a significant element of fraud. He is additionally experienced in litigation involving financial lines insurance. He acts for both insurers and policyholders.

    • He is excellent and a go-to silk for complex claims.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • He is very forensic and very savvy. Shail can cut through things to find out where the key issues are. He is also good with clients.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar
    • Shail is fantastic, extremely technical and very user-friendly. He's always a pleasure to speak to.

      Insurance respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at 4 New Square Chambers (14)

London (Bar)

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