Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Insurance - London (Bar)

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

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Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Roger Stewart
1
Roger Stewart
1
Band 1

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.

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.

He is an excellent cross-examiner who is very detailed at trial.

2
Alison Padfield
2
Band 2

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.

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.

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

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.

Alison has great strength in her knowledge and understanding of insurance law.

Ben Elkington
2
Ben Elkington
2
Band 2

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.

Ben is bright, tough and unfailingly charming. He is a pleasure to work with.

Ben can go toe-to-toe with anyone in this field.

Ben is very commercial, widely experienced and user-friendly.

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

David Turner
2
David Turner
2
Band 2

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.

David is outstanding and provides excellent advice in record time.

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.

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.

Jonathan Hough
2
Jonathan Hough
2
Band 2

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.

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.

He is very impressive on complicated areas of insurance.

Jonathan Hough is an able advocate.

His turnaround time is remarkable and the quality of the work is very high.

Neil Hext
2
Neil Hext
2
Band 2

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.

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

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

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

His advocacy is to the point and he guides the judge so consistently.

Ben Hubble
3
Ben Hubble
3
Band 3

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.

He is a strong practitioner and a good, persuasive advocate.

3
Carl Troman
3
Band 3

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.

Clare Dixon
3
Clare Dixon
3
Band 3

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.

Her judgement and written advice are invariably of the highest quality.

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.

Miles Harris
3
Miles Harris
3
Band 3

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.

Ben Smiley
4
Ben Smiley
4
Band 4

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.

4
Graeme McPherson
4
Band 4

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.

Jamie Smith
4
Jamie Smith
4
Band 4

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.

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

Shail Patel
4
Shail Patel
4
Band 4

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.

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.

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

Ranked Barristers at
4 New Square Chambers

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

London (Bar)

Insurance

Roger Stewart KC
1
Roger Stewart KC
1
Band 1
2
Alison Padfield KC
2
Band 2
Ben Elkington KC
2
Ben Elkington KC
2
Band 2
David Turner KC
2
David Turner KC
2
Band 2
Jonathan Hough KC
2
Jonathan Hough KC
2
Band 2
Neil Hext KC
2
Neil Hext KC
2
Band 2
Ben Hubble KC
3
Ben Hubble KC
3
Band 3
Clare Dixon KC
3
Clare Dixon KC
3
Band 3
4
Graeme McPherson KC
4
Band 4
Jamie Smith KC
4
Jamie Smith KC
4
Band 4
Shail Patel KC
4
Shail Patel KC
4
Band 4

Juniors

London (Bar)

Insurance

3
Carl Troman
3
Band 3
Miles Harris
3
Miles Harris
3
Band 3
Ben Smiley
4
Ben Smiley
4
Band 4