Practice Profile
Julia practises across all areas of commercial law, with a particular emphasis on insurance, jurisdiction / conflict of laws, professional negligence, shipping, civil fraud, and commodities. She accepts instructions as junior counsel and on her own in all of 7KBW’s specialist areas.
Julia’s current led work includes a jurisdiction dispute in relation to a sovereign debt claim, and a product liability matter. She regularly appears as sole counsel in the County Court.
Recent instructions have included acting for the successful claimant in ABN Amro Bank v RSA [2021] EWHC 442 (Comm), the five-week Commercial Court trial of a £33.5 million claim against the bank’s marine cargo underwriters and brokers (led by Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC and Benjamin Parker). She was led by David Edwards QC in Compagnie des Grands Hôtels d’Afrique SA v Purdy [2021] EWHC 1031 (QB), a dispute arising from a letter of request which raised issues relating to the privilege against self-incrimination and Article 6 ECHR. She also acted for a group of alleged fraud defendants in the SKAT litigation, led by Keir Howie.
Julia has recently spent time on secondment at a specialist London shipping firm, and with the insurance & reinsurance team at an international law firm. She is also a member of the Government’s Junior Junior scheme.
Before being called to the Bar, Julia read Classics at Magdalen College, Oxford where she achieved a First in both Honour Moderations and Finals. She subsequently attained a Senior Status degree in Law at St John’s College, Cambridge.
- Acted as junior counsel for the successful claimant in ABN Amro Bank v RSA [2021] EWHC 442 (Comm), the Commercial Court trial of the bank’s £33.5 million claim against its marine cargo underwriters and insurance brokers (led by Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC and Benjamin Parker).
- Advised (while on secondment at an international law firm) on various matters, including in relation to product liability, marine, professional indemnity and property damage insurance.
- Advised on the jurisdiction and conflict of laws rules applicable to insurance contracts following the completion of the Brexit implementation period.
- Advised on questions of construction of professional indemnity and commercial combined insurance policies.
- Advised on various aspects of the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010.
- Assisted (as a pupil) the First Interveners in the FCA Business Interruption Insurance Test Case at first instance (The Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd [2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm)).
- Assisted (as a pupil) in advising on and drafting statements of case in relation to a wide range of insurance policies, including with respect to mortgagees’ interests, war risks and marine hull risks, comprehensive credit risks, political risks and construction sector insurance.
- SKAT v Solo Capital Partners LLP [2021] EWHC 974 (Comm): instructed as part of the team acting for one of the defendants in a fraud claim by the Danish revenue authorities, valued at more than £1 billion (led by Keir Howie).
- Advised on the jurisdiction and conflict of laws rules applicable to insurance contracts following the completion of the Brexit implementation period.
- Assisted (as a pupil) on the defence by subrogated insurers of an application for an anti-suit injunction to restrain proceedings in Russia in favour of ICC arbitration in London (Enka Insaat ve Sanayi AS v OOO Insurance Co Chubb [2019] EWHC 3568 (Comm)) which was then appealed to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
- Advised (while on secondment at a specialist London shipping firm) on various arbitral disputes, including with regard to bunkers, demurrage and charterparty construction.
- Assisted (as a pupil) on the defence by subrogated insurers of an application for an anti-suit injunction to restrain proceedings in Russia in favour of ICC arbitration in London (Enka Insaat ve Sanayi AS v OOO Insurance Co Chubb [2019] EWHC 3568 (Comm)) which was then appealed to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in an arbitration before the LMAA in relation to a bunkering dispute.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in drafting a statement of case for an LCIA arbitration relating to a comprehensive credit insurance policy.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in advising on various matters in relation to an LCIA arbitration claim under political risks insurance.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in advising on an LCIA arbitration claim by a commodity trading company.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in drafting a statement of case for an LCIA arbitration by an oil trading company relating to a comprehensive credit insurance policy.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in an arbitration before the LMAA in relation to a bunkering dispute.
- Advised (while on secondment at an international law firm) on a dispute under a binding authority.
- Acted as junior counsel for the successful claimant in ABN Amro Bank v RSA [2021] EWHC 442 (Comm), the Commercial Court trial of the bank’s £33.5 million claim against its marine cargo underwriters and insurance brokers (led by Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC and Benjamin Parker).
- Assisted (as a pupil) in advising on a claim involving allegations of professional negligence against a solicitor and related issues as to compliance with the Solicitors Act 1974.
- Assisted (as a pupil) on the defence by subrogated insurers of an application for an anti-suit injunction to restrain proceedings in Russia in favour of ICC arbitration in London (Enka Insaat ve Sanayi AS v OOO Insurance Co Chubb [2019] EWHC 3568 (Comm)) which was then appealed to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
- Advised (while on secondment at a specialist London shipping firm) on various arbitral disputes, including with regard to bunkers, demurrage and charterparty construction.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in advising on a claim arising from the detention of a vessel under certain war risks and marine hull risks insurance policies.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in an arbitration before the LMAA in relation to a bunkering dispute.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in advising on an LCIA arbitration claim by a commodity trading company.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in drafting a statement of case for an LCIA arbitration by an oil trading company relating to a comprehensive credit insurance policy.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in an arbitration before the LMAA in relation to a bunkering dispute.
- Assisted (as a pupil) in drafting a particulars of claim seeking an indemnity in respect of employer’s liability under a construction sector insurance policy.
Latest reported cases
- Bar Professional Training Course, City University, London: Very Competent (2019)
- BA Law (Senior Status), University of Cambridge (2018)
- BA Classics, University of Oxford: First Class (2016)
Scholarships and Awards
- Norman Tapp Memorial Prize for Advocacy (Gray’s Inn) (2019)
- Finalist, Gray’s Inn Senior Moot Final (2019)
- Winner, Landmark Chambers Property Moot (2018)
- Uthwatt Award for the BPTC, Gray’s Inn (2018)
- Kenneth Emsley Prize for performance in examinations, St John’s College, Cambridge (2018)
- Gray’s Inn CPE Award (2016)
- Demyship (academic scholarship), Magdalen College, Oxford (2014)