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+44 (0)20 7910 8300Chambers has “members who are routinely sought out to defend and pursue complex and high-value claims”, including from the life sciences sector (Chambers UK 2020, Insurance).
Members of chambers have extensive experience of advisory work and dispute resolution across this important practice area. Our commercially-focused practice spans contract law and civil wrongs, and includes managing the consequences of ancillary regulatory and criminal proceedings, and any associated breaches of consumer law.
Our members have acted in significant group actions. They have advised on disputes involving the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, as well as disputes concerning the construction, energy, shipping and manufacturing industries. Members are also regularly involved in liability insurance and reinsurance disputes, including medical negligence and product liability claims. They have advised, and acted in, cases concerning breast cancer, mesothelioma, hormone replacement therapy, contraception, anti–psychotic drugs, hip replacements, pesticides, chemical contamination, opioids, aeroplane engine blades and many other products.
They are also expert in heavyweight commercial claims between insurers in this area, including dealing with the construction of “Bermuda Form” policies in product liability matters affecting the US market. Members give advice to both policyholders and insurers on insurance compliance issues, as well as defensive precautionary improvements, by request, to help ensure proper continuing risk management.
Much of our work in the area is covered by arbitration, and remains confidential; however, signature cases include AstraZeneca insurance v XL Bermuda, the Balmoral Group litigation, and Kingspan v Borealis.
On 28 February 2013 we reported on the decision of Flaux J in Astrazeneca Insurance v XL Bermuda and Ace Bermuda [click here], the first case in which the English courts had been asked to consider the proper interpretation of a “Bermuda Form” policy. The case concerned a claim by Astrazeneca Insurance, the captive insurer […]
David Allen QC, James Brocklebank, Sushma Ananda, and Elizabeth Lindesay acted for the Defendants, Borealis A/S and Borealis UK Limited in a product liability and misrepresentation claim brought by various companies in the Kingspan Group. The claim, said by the Claimants at the start of the trial to be worth in excess of £100 million, […]
David Allen, Charles Holroyd and Benjamin Parker were involved in this leading case on the seller’s obligations as to the quality of goods supplied under international sale contracts. One of the largest product liability cases in the Commercial Court, David Allen Q.C. led Charles Holroyd for the Defendants, successfully defending a claim exceeding £50 […]