Hattie Alvis
Consultant Solicitor

Hattie Alvis trained and qualified at a market-leading London insurance law firm, where she gained experience in relation to insurance coverage issues and the defence of professional indemnity claims against professionals across various sectors. In particular Hattie has a wide range of experience in claims involving construction professionals (including contractors, architects, engineers and surveyors). Hattie has handled matters litigated to trial, and also has extensive experience across all forms of alternative dispute resolution (including arbitration, adjudication and mediation).

In addition to her experience as a practising lawyer, during her time acting for insurers she spent nine months on secondment as a claims handler at a leading international insurance company, and is therefore well versed in the workings of the insurance market and the manner in which insurers deal with claims.

Michael Blackburne
Consultant Solicitor

Michael has specialised in domestic and international adjudication, litigation and arbitration in the construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy and natural resources, transport and professional negligence sectors for over 40 years. Throughout his career he has handled many high profile, high value, complex and difficult matters representing a huge variety of suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, employers, their professional advisers and insurers.

He has been recognised for many years by the legal directories including The Legal 500, as a leader in the field of Construction and praised in (Construction) 2015 for his “incisive advice and common- sense attitude”. He is also recognised as “excellent” on construction related professional indemnity matters (2015).

An important part of Michael’s work is advising in relation to practical problems arising out of contracts of all kinds including bespoke contracts and the principal standard form engineering and building contracts including, FIDIC, ICE, I Mech E, I Chem. E, JCT, NEC 3, RIBA and ACE and Government forms of contract.

Cases

Transport and Energy

  • Acting for several contractors and sub-contractors in disputes relating to Crossrail
  • Various shipbuilding disputes including acting for Cunard on the re-engineering of the QE2
  • Lead Partner on various major road and rail disputes including a motorway in Portugal
  • Acting for contractors on major delay and disruption claims relating to delayed LNG tanks
  • Acting for contractors in disputes related to terminals including bus stations, railways and airports.

Commercial Buildings

  • Developers in connection with a contractor’s claim for loss and/or expense and extensions of time arising out of the contract for £200m residential scheme in London
  • Numerous disputes between contractors and sub-contractors including £10m defects and EOT claims
  • Various disputes acting for Central and Local Government.

Car Parks

  • Acted for all parties in disputes relating to car parks and acted on a £40m claim against the designers of a car park.

Sports Facilities

  • A Sub-Contractor in a dispute about the “iconic” steelwork for a Premier League Football Stadium
  • Acting as adjudicator in relation to a dispute over reclamation works.

Mining

  • A mining contractor in connection with volume, productivity, price disputes arising out of tin mining.

Waste to Energy

  • Acting for all sections of the industry relating to several waste to energy projects.

PFI Disputes

  • Acting for all sections of the industry in relation to PFI disputes.

Dan Brooks
Partner

Dan Brooks has been noted consistently in the Legal 500 (2018-2024) and in Chambers & Partners (2021-2024), as a ranked individual for coverage advice to policyholders. He is passionate about all things related to insurance law, the London Market and arbitration.

He has built a reputation for resolving or litigating- often by arbitration-complex coverage disputes across a broad spectrum of sectors and product lines, with a focus on Professional Indemnity, Construction and Property & Business Interruption claims. Dan works closely with many of the UK’s Top 100 insurance brokers, broker networks, specialist adjusters and is referred work from conflicted lawyers.

Chambers & Partners says:

“He works very professionally on cases. He shows the right level of empathy and determination to achieve a result.”

Acknowledgements

Noted as a next generation lawyer and rising star in Legal 500 (2017 and 2018)

Noted as a next generation partner in Legal 500 (2019-2024)

Legal 500 says:

‘Dan Brooks stands out as without doubt one of the leading policyholder insurance lawyers in the UK with an impeccable record on insurance disputes. There is no one better to have in your corner.’

Ranked as a leading individual in Chambers & Partners (2020-2024)

Chambers & Partners says:

“He’s commercial, pragmatic and doesn’t take unnecessary points.”

“A very knowledgeable insurance lawyer with a technical level of expertise, who is also user-friendly and puts clients at ease.”

“Daniel is very efficient and effective.”

“He is very impressive and has a really good analytical mind.”

Cases

Professional Indemnity

  • Advised a firm of architects in a PI coverage dispute arising out of a cladding claim and represented them successfully in an arbitration under the 1996 Act.
  • Advised a leading manufacturer of fire rated doors in the UK following the Grenfell investigation, drafted specific notifications of potential claims in excess of the policy limit, advised on scope of cover and strategy.
  • Advised a cladding contractor about disputed primary and excess layer PI claims arising out of the design of a major residential development, involving a broad range of coverage issues with multiple insurers, represented them in negotiations.
  • Advised and represented one of the UK’s leading cladding contractors in a PI coverage dispute arising out of a block notification following Grenfell.
  • Advised a design and build contractor on allegations of late notification under a PI policy following a total loss on a residential building project and represented them in ad-hoc arbitration proceedings under the 1996 Act.
  • Advised a contractor from Northern Ireland on PI claims arising out of the design and build of a wind farm in Ireland and represented them in a subsequent arbitration under the 1996 Act.

Contractor-All-Risks

  • Advised a plant and civil engineering business on the application of a DE3 exclusion in a CAR policy and on aggregation issues following damage to specialist pipework installed in a major brownfield site development in Wales.
  • Advised a specialist engineering business in respect of its claims under a CAR policy and related DE3 coverage dispute following damage to a jet turbine engine, represented that policyholder in three-party mediation with multiple underwriters.

EL/PL

  • Advised and represented a private individual with a seven-figure award in respect of his [third party rights act claim] and related dispute with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
  • Advised a construction haulage contractor following a seven figure employers liability claim and represented them at three-party mediation following a coverage dispute and related professional negligence claim
  • Advised a roofing contractor on PL coverage issues following a fire at the AIG building in London and on related claims.

Property & Business Interruption

  • Advised a waste recycling business and represented them in subsequent LCIA Arbitration in respect of on multiple coverage issues arising out of a fire causing £5m + of property damage and business interruption.
  • Advised a public body from Northern Ireland following a fire claim that destroyed a building and represented them in a subsequent arbitration under the 1996 Act.
  • Advised private individuals following (wrongful) allegations of dishonesty after a serious residential fire – represented the individuals in their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman and related Enterprise Act claim against the insurer.
  • Advised a global manufacturer of glass vitrines on its marine stock-through-put claim and represented them in subsequent litigation in the English Courts.
  • Advised a broad spectrum of large corporates – including retail, hospitality, care-homes and automotive – about the extent of business interruption insurance cover following the occurrence of Covid-19 in 2020.
  • Representing a number of PLCs and corporate clients with BI claims arising from FCA test case issues.

Other risks

  • Advised an ex-employee of a financial institution in respect of his potential D&O claim against his former employer and represented him in an accelerated LCIA arbitration.
  • Advised a haulage contractor about a cyber claim following a social engineering fraud and represented them in a binding determination.

Sadia Bux
Consultant Solicitor

Sadia Bux specialises in insurance coverage disputes and professional negligence claims on behalf of policyholders. She has worked on complex arbitration proceedings and has experience of litigation procedure, as well as forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation.

Sadia trained and qualified at a top London insurance firm, where she assisted on policy coverage disputes and professional negligence claims against a variety of professionals, advised on contract wording for construction contracts, and worked as a professional liability claims handler within the firm’s claims handling department. Her previous experience as a defence lawyer, prior to making the move to advise policyholders, has given Sadia invaluable insight into insurance companies’ approach to claims and coverage disputes.

Mark Dickson
Partner

Mark Dickson is an insurance lawyer with over 25 years’ experience of working with national and international law firms. Throughout his career he has acted for companies and their insurers in a variety of sectors to protect their business interests through defending claims brought against them or in pursuing claims on their behalf.

A track record of delivering results for his clients has been achieved by combining technical ability with a keen commercial awareness.

His practice includes advising on technical policy indemnity and coverage issues, property damage, professional indemnity, and product liability claims, including fraudulent claims and regulatory issues. He is trusted to act on claims of significant value, working with clients to devise strategies to resolve disputes in a timely and cost-effective manner. Mark is often instructed to handle business critical issues where the reputation of the client is at stake.

Described by clients as ’personable, outstanding in business acumen, response and advice’.

Chris Dunlop
Partner

Chris Dunlop is an experienced insurance coverage and litigation lawyer.  Chris specialises in policy drafting and coverage disputes across a variety of areas including notification, aggregation and attachment.

Chris has advised and represented a broad range of policyholders across various professional disciplines, including in particular accountants and construction professionals.  In a construction context, Chris has advised employers, contractors and sub-contractors on both contentious and non-contentious matters, and has broad experience of various construction-related contracts and appointments.

Chris joined Wynterhill from a market leading insurance firm, having built a reputation litigating a number of high profile and reported insurance coverage and professional negligence disputes (including at both Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level).  Chris has also advised on international re/insurance programmes for various global professional service providers.

Cases

  • Acting for Engineers in large scale dispute relating to the construction of Wembley Stadium.
  • Addressing coverage issues arising out of multiple related exposures arising from the activities of Bernard Madoff against financial institutions and accountancy firms.
  • Teal Assurance v WR Berkley & Aspen [2013] UKSC 57 – Supreme Court (July 2013) – Successfully representing Excess Layer Reinsurers in the leading case on Excess Layer attachment issues.
  • WR Berkley & Aspen v Teal Assurance (No.2) [2017] EWCA Civ 25 – Court of Appeal (January 2017) – Further representing Excess Layer Reinsurers in a case concerning the ascertainment of liability for the purposes of an Excess Layer insurance programme.
  • Julie Davey v James Money (& Others) [2018] EWHC 766 (Ch) – High Court – Successfully acting for the Joint Administrators in the leading case on administrators’ duties, culminating in a six week High Court trial.
  • James Money (& Others) v ChapelGate [2019] EWHC 997 (Ch) and [2020] EWCA Civ 246 (Court of Appeal) – Successfully acting for Joint Administrators against litigation funders both at first instance and in the Court of Appeal in the funders’ challenge to the so-called “Arkin Cap”.
  • Drafting numerous PI and D&O Policies and advice relating to the structuring of global (re)insurance programmes.

Matthew Greenberg
Consultant Solicitor

Matthew Greenberg specialises in insurance coverage advice, and has 30 years’ experience practising in dispute resolution with an emphasis on professional negligence.

Matthew is also a qualified mediator, and spent several years mediating a wide range of commercial disputes.  This experience has given him valuable insights into negotiation and has enhanced his negotiating skills.

Annaliese Hemsley
Consultant Solicitor

Annaliese Hemsley qualified as a solicitor at the London office of a large US law firm in 2003 and spent seven years working on insurance, reinsurance and general commercial disputes.   In 2009, Annaliese moved in-house to Top 10 FTSE 100 company British American Tobacco, managing the strategy for a wide range of complex and high-value litigation in multiple jurisdictions, including both defence and claimant work.  Annaliese works on policy coverage disputes and commercial matters.

Stuart Hill
Partner

Stuart Hill has been a solicitor for over 20 years and was a partner in Hogan Lovells between 2002 and 2015. Stuart has drafted and advised on disputes involving most forms of commercial insurance policies, with a particular focus on errors and omissions, directors’ and officers’ liability and crime cover, particularly for financial institutions. Stuart is a contributing author to “Company Directors – Duties, Liabilities and Remedies” (OUP, 2012).

Cases

  • Successfully applying for a receiver to take over conduct of certain High Court claims being brought by the Libyan Investment Authority (2015 EWHC 1925(QB));
  • Bringing Commercial Court proceedings on behalf of a Mexican insurer seeking the recovery from reinsurers of the losses arising out of Hurricane Juliette ([2011] Lloyd’s Rep IR 544)
  • Advising financial institutions on the insurance recovery aspects of regulatory reviews of the selling of personal pensions, FSAVCs and mortgage endowments;
  • Briefing and successfully arguing the English law aggregation issues arising in a New York life reinsurance arbitration concerning the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Michael Howard
Partner

Michael Howard has acted on insurance coverage disputes for leading insurance firms for nearly 20 years where he has acted for both sides of the market.

He specialises in policy coverage disputes arising in a wide variety of areas including professional negligence, notification, aggregation, property and liability. He also advises on the drafting of policy wordings.

In addition to his legal experience, Michael has a strong insurance background gained from spending 12 years in the London and Hong Kong commercial insurance sector.

Jenny Hutchinson
Consultant Solicitor

Jenny Hutchinson specialises in insurance coverage advice and professional negligence claims against barristers, brokers, estate agents, loss assessors, solicitors and surveyors.

Jenny trained and qualified at a top London insurance and professional indemnity law firm. During this time she worked as a professional liability claims handler in the firm’s claims department; spent nine months on secondment at a leading international insurance company; was involved in a multi-million pound insurance coverage dispute relating to aggregation; and defended multiple claims against a variety of professionals.

Jenny is a member of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association.

Roger Jones
Partner

Roger Jones has specialised in resolving insurance disputes on behalf of his clients for the last thirty years, initially acting on behalf of insurers as a Partner in the top ranked defendant law firm, Kennedys Law and, for the last two years, acting solely on behalf of policyholders as a Partner at Wynterhill.

Whilst initially having a practice involving liability disputes he has recently been focussing on business interruption disputes, cargo and theft coverage issues, property damage coverage claims and professional indemnity matters.

He cuts through to the key issues of a dispute providing commercial, practical and pragmatic advice.

Clients praise his “technical and commercial contribution”, “client service” and “exemplary advice”.

He knows how insurers approach cases and which arguments are the best ones to run for his policyholder clients.

Cases

Business interruption claims

  • Advising various SME clients in relation to 2020 Covid-19 related losses under the non-damage extensions of their BI policy wordings arising from FCA test case issues.
  • Subsequently advising various corporate and professional clients on issues not dealt with by the FCA test case.

Cargo and theft claims

  • Acting for a client who had been the subject of a complex fraud resulting in the theft of a substantial consignment of goods where its claim had initially been declined by insurers.
  • Acting for a tractor dealer business following the theft of six tractors after insurers initially denied cover based on definition of goods kept in the open.
  • Acting for a client whose lorry trailer unit and contents was stolen overnight after insurers initially declined cover due to the client purportedly failing to take reasonable precautions to prevent the theft.

Professional indemnity matters

  • Advising and representing a private individual who suffered life-changing injuries in his negligence claim against his previous solicitors with damages in excess of £1.5m.
  • Advising and acting on behalf of an SME client following an arson attack on his commercial property claiming an indemnity against both his insurers and insurance brokers.
  • Advising an SME client following a multi-million pound fire at its warehouse in relation to a claim against its insurance broker.

Property damage coverage matters

  • Advising on coverage issues for a property maintenance company in a multi-million pound property damage claim.
  • Advising on policy coverage issues in relation to a product liability claim following a fire in Dublin causing property damage and business interruption valued at over €1m.
  • Advising on coverage issues regarding a €5m fire at a ski chalet in France (policy governed by English law).
  • Advising and acting for various interested private individuals regarding insurable interest issues following a building collapse where insurers had reserved their rights to provide cover.

Cécile Lonjarret
Consultant Solicitor

Cécile Lonjarret is an assistant coverage lawyer with a lot of valuable market experience: she started as a defence lawyer on the insurer side (professional indemnity claims against architects, accountants, solicitors, barristers and financial advisers and was seconded to a global insurer for a period) but in recent years  has been focused solely on policyholders and the insurance broker market.

Cécile joined Wynterhill from a top-ranked London insurance practice where, as a policyholder coverage lawyer, she worked with a number of experienced  Partners involved in complex disputes relating to professions, financial risks and construction. Cécile has a lot of procedural experience of litigation, arbitration  and mediation.

Scott Nightingale
Partner

Scott Nightingale has, for the past 20 years, practiced exclusively in the insurance sector, providing legal and claims solutions for clients on a wide range of insurance related issues. He has considerable experience advising in respect of claims involving property damage, professional indemnity, product, and general liability.

Scott has a particular interest and expertise in cyber and data privacy law, having latterly worked as a Legal Director in the market leading Cyber and Data Risk team at Kennedys Law where he practiced as a regulatory and breach response lead advising on cyber related incidents and GDPR breach and data privacy related claims.  Scott’s cyber practice now focusses on advising on coverage issues arising under cyber insurance policies, including business interruption, ‘betterment’ exclusions and breach response exposures.

Scott is passionate about helping policyholders achieve the desired outcome and is commercial, pragmatic, and tenacious in his approach.

Mark Pollatos
Consultant Solicitor

Mark joined Wynterhill having spent 12 years working in the claims departments of some of the largest insurance companies in London. He has a wealth of experience in handling claims and resolving complex coverage issues under management liability, financial institutions, commercial crime and professional indemnity insurance policies.

Mark has a particular focus on advising policyholders on their rights under warranty & indemnity insurance policies, assisting them with presenting their claims and getting those claims paid.

Steve Smart
Consultant Solicitor

Steve Smart is a consultant solicitor with Wynterhill and is an experienced insurance lawyer. He has spent over 35 years in the general insurance industry as a broker, underwriter and solicitor, so he understands the insurance market both commercially and legally.

Steve was General Counsel for the insurer AIG in the UK for ten years and has previously served on a number of legal and regulatory bodies, including the FSA’s General Counsel’s forum and the Bank of England’s Financial Markets Law Committee. He is currently the non-executive Chairman of Lancashire Insurance Company UK and regularly features on national and regional radio as an insurance claims expert, including LBC’s Money Hour and BBC Radio’s Sound Advice.

Ric Wightman
Consultant Solicitor

Ric Wightman trained with Simmons & Simmons and qualified as a solicitor in 2009.

Ric joined Wynterhill in 2019 from a leading global insurer where he managed the professional indemnity, cyber and title indemnity claims team in the UK, developing an intimate understanding of policy wordings, how insurance companies review notifications and take coverage decisions, and how they approach disputes with policyholders and their brokers.

Since returning to private practice Ric has advised policyholders and brokers in relation to coverage disputes concerning the following insurance products: business interruption, construction (CAR, D&C, latent defects, PL), management liability, professional indemnity, property and specie. Ric also acts on behalf of claimants in professional negligence disputes and other commercial litigation, and regularly receives referrals from conflicted lawyers.

Cases

Wynterhill matters

  • Advised a developer regarding its claim under a building defects policy concerning fire safety issues following the Grenfell Tower fire.
  • Advised a specialist supplier of cross-laminated timber panels regarding notification issues under a professional indemnity policy.
  • Advised a contractor specialising in the design, manufacture and installation of building envelopes regarding design vs. workmanship issues under a professional indemnity policy and an associated recovery action.
  • Advised a developer regarding a DE3 style exclusion in a CAR policy.
  • Advised a Lloyd’s Coverholder following the declinature of its notification of a seven figure issue to its own professional indemnity policy.
  • Advised several businesses in the retail, hospitality and travel sectors regarding business interruption losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, insurance claims under “Disease” and “Hybrid” style policy extensions and associated issues arising out of the FCA test case.
  • Advised a global fashion brand in relation to seven figure losses claimed under the “Prevention of Access” style extension to its business interruption cover.
  • Advised a leading provider of underground surveying services in relation to its plant and machinery cover and represented it at a mediation in an associated professional negligence dispute and in other associated recovery actions following an asbestos event.
  • Advised a group of care homes and a former director regarding the duty of fair presentation under the Insurance Act 2015 and represented them at a tri-partite mediation involving property insurers and related errors and omissions following a fire.
  • Represented the developer and operator of a renewable energy plant in a six-figure contractual dispute with a supplier.

Other experience

  • Ric has defended hundreds of professional negligence claims in previous in-house roles and has played a leading role at dozens of successful mediations.
  • Ric has extensive first-hand experience of how professional indemnity insurers approach the Pre-Action Protocol and ADR, reserve for claims and costs, are reported to by panel law firms and assess their appetite for risk.
  • Ric played a key decision-making role in relation to two successful trials concerning multi-million pound claims against accountants: Scriven v Scriven and Evans Mockler Limited [2015] EWHC 1690 (Ch) and Instant Access Properties Limited (In Liquidation) v Jeffcote Donnison LLP, Mischcon De Reya and Others [2018] EWHC 756 (Ch).

Colin Wynter KC
Consultant Barrister

Colin Wynter KC was a barrister at Devereux Chambers, and has over thirty years’ experience in insurance law. Colin has appeared in many leading cases over the past two decades. He was named 2013 “Insurance QC of the Year” by Chambers & Partners, and was runner-up in Business Week‘s “Lawyer of the Year” award for the same year. Colin has advised on, drafted and assisted in negotiating revisions to the policy wordings of a significant number of the UK’s leading and household name companies.

Acknowledgments

  • Regarded as a “leading authority” in the field of insurance and praised for his “remarkable” appearances before the Supreme Court
  • “He combines brilliant client service with innovative legal advice.” – Insurance, Chambers UK 2016
  • “Highly rated for both advisory and contentious insurance matters.” – Insurance and Reinsurance, Legal 500 2015
  • “He is very approachable and very bright, and has a work ethic that’s second to none. He is always going the extra mile for clients.” – Insurance, Chambers UK 2015

Cases

  • Aspen Insurance UK Ltd v Adana Construction Ltd [2015] Lloyd’s Rep IR 511, CA – proper construction of public liability and product liability wordings and their inter-relationship within a combined contractors’ liability policy;
  • Employers’ Liability Policy “Trigger” Litigation (Durham & Others v BAI & Others) [2012] UKSC 14;
  • Synergy v CGU & Ors [2011] Lloyd’s Rep IR 500; avoidance for non-disclosure, broker’s alleged negligence;
  • Brit Syndicate v Italaudit Spa [2008] UKHL; avoidance in relation to auditors of failed Italian conglomerate, Parmalat;
  • Aegis Electrical and Gas International Services Co Ltd v Continental Casualty Co [2007] EWHC 1762 (Comm); explosion at refinery; incorporation of insurer’s standard terms into insurance;
  • Rendall v Combined Insurance [2005] EWHC 678 Comm; avoidance in relation to fatalities suffered in World Trade Centre attacks;
  • Turner and Newall v. Royal Sun Alliance & Ors [2003] (Chancery & Court of Appeal) [2004] Lloyd’s Law Reports 336; insurance coverage for asbestos related injuries;
  • New Hampshire v. Oil Refineries Ltd [2003] Lloyd’s Rep IR, 386; avoidance; whether non-disclosure of 6th year of loss history in a five year loss history (a) material, and (b) induced underwriter.