Insurance and Reinsurance, Legal 500 2025
Andrew Wales is well known for insurance and reinsurance, energy, shipping and professional negligence.
He also has significant experience in civil fraud and general commercial cases. His practice regularly involves issues of jurisdiction and conflict of laws. He regularly appears in the High Court and in arbitration and has also appeared several times in the Privy Council. He is recognised by the directories for his insurance and professional negligence work. Andrew Wales sits as a Recorder in criminal and civil cases. He is a member of the international panel of maritime arbitrators of the Marine Offshore Oil and Gas Association (MOOGAS) in Singapore.
Speaker at C5 Fraud Conference in Geneva, March 2017.
Member, Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association.
Andrew Wales has conducted two full appeals before the Privy Council, one alone and the other being led by Gavin Kealey QC. Both cases related to private share transactions in The Bahamas. Andrew Wales also advises Bahamas-based clients in connection with insurance issues.
Currently instructed in an ICC arbitration (claim for c. €130m) relating to the supply of steel for the South Stream gas pipeline under the Black Sea.
Much of Andrew Wales’ work in this area over the last few years has involved insurance issues involving financial institutions and fraud. He has extensive experience of Professional Indemnity and D&O policies, especially for banks and similar institutions. His work has required familiarity with CDO transactions, private equity investments, offering circulars, IPOs, structured finance (e.g. Enron related) and various forms of securitisation.
Andrew Wales specialises in areas of commercial work where disputes are regularly determined in international arbitration. He has appeared in several international arbitrations against foreign (notably US) lawyers, both ad hoc and under institutional rules. In 2015, he is involved in an ICC arbitration (claim for c. €130m) relating to the supply of steel for the South Stream gas pipeline under the Black Sea. In 2014-2015, he was involved in an international arbitration claim on a bespoke policy of patent infringement liability insurance, relating to liability for patent infringement in the pharmaceuticals sector in the USA. In 2013, he was instructed in an $84m international insurance arbitration under a contract governed by Cayman Islands law and subject to ad hoc London arbitration. He has also recently been instructed in the early stages of a $40m international arbitration dispute relating to an international contract for the supply of gasoil by a European energy trader to a South American government. In 2013, he also appeared in the Commercial Court in a significant banking-related case involving attempts to enforce an US$8.5m arbitration award against monies payable by a bank under letters of credit. Andrew Wales has appeared in two recent reported decisions arising from his arbitration practice:
Andrew Wales is regularly involved in shipping and international trade disputes, mostly in arbitration. In 2015, this has involved several instructions relating to the sale and purchase of oil. He is also currently instructed in an arbitration relating to the time charter of an oil tanker.
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7KBW in landmark Russian aviation trial
7KBW shortlisted for 17 awards in The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024
7KBW shortlisted for 14 awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2022
Supreme Court gives landmark judgment in COVID-19 business interruption test case appeal: 7KBW team acts for MS Amlin
Gavin Kealey QC quoted in The Financial Times and by Law 360 in the FCA “Business Interruption” Supreme Court Appeal
Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association
COMBAR
LCLCBA
M.A. (Cantab);
LL.M (University of Virginia) Cambridge: Senior Scholar, Trinity 1989-90;
Wright Rogers Scholar 1988;
Slaughter and May Prize 1990;
Hamson Prize 1990.
Top first class degree in law in the University, 1990.
Gray’s Inn: Arden Scholar 1992;
Prince of Wales Scholar 1991;
Inns of Court Studentship.
Macaskie Award. BACFI Prize.
Classed as ‘Outstanding’ for the BVC.
"Andrew has a brilliant mind, piercing logic and creativity which is balanced by common sense and an appreciation of the practicality and commercial realities."
Insurance, Chambers UK Bar 2025