Insurance

Stranded planes

$300m Ukrainian aircraft claim thrown out by Commercial Court

As the mammoth Russian aircraft claim make its way to trial in October, a similar case involving jets stranded in Ukraine has been struck out. The smaller Ukrainian aircraft claim has been stayed by the Commercial Court in a judgment handed down today. Aircraft lessor claimants represented by Herbert Smith Freehills, Hausfeld and McGuireWoods have […]

Zurich

UBS and Zurich swap lawyers in new secondment scheme

Two Swiss powerhouses have collaborated to offer their in-house legal teams a two-way secondment programme. Private bank UBS and insurer Zurich Insurance have agreed to swap two secondees each for a three-month placement. Intakes happen in the spring and autumn of each year, meaning that four secondment swaps occur per year. The programme is spearheaded […]

Bloomer

Howden mourns loss of top lawyer

Will Bloomer, Howden’s chief corporate and legal affairs officer, has passed away, with the insurer today paying tribute to its late legal head. Howden said in an announcement that Bloomer died suddenly and unexpectedly last week, and his survived by his wife Nikki and children. In a statement, Howden CEO David Howden said: “Bloomer’s impact […]

Jo Nayler

Ki Insurance recruits new GC

The general counsel at Crown Agents Bank has moved to Ki Insurance after just five months. Joanna Nayler made the move from the cross-border payments and FX services provider to become GC and compliance director at the insurance firm as of March 2024. Ki Insurance is a digital insurance company, driven by algorithmically powered underwriting. […]

Nord Stream

Russian-linked Nord Stream files claim after 2022 blast

The consortium behind Nord Stream, which runs a network of pipelines under the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany, has moved to sue its insurers Lloyds and Arch Insurance. According to the public filing system, multinational consortium Nord Stream AG has filed a part 7 claim against the insurance duo. Nord Stream is 51 per […]

Clydes set to axe 14 partners in post-BLM shake-up

Insurance giant Clyde & Co has launched a UK restructure with up to 14 partner roles understood to be under threat. It is understood that the partners affected were informed of the restructure at the start of January. Sources close to the firm said roles in Clydes’ defendant casualty practice, which covers employer, public, road […]

RPC’s insurance head unveils new three-year growth strategy

RPC’s insurance head is looking to expand the firm’s capabilities in two key areas ahead of a revamped strategy to kick off the 2024/25 financial year. Simon Laird’s three-year strategy for the insurance group will run until the end of the 2027/28 financial year and seeks to grow in two key areas that the firm […]

Peter McCusker, Pinsent Masons

Pinsents hires Royal London’s deputy GC

The deputy general counsel of mutual insurer Royal London is switching back to private practice after over a decade in-house. Peter McCusker is moving to Pinsent Masons’s corporate team from April. The in-houser had been working with the firm on a long-term legacy simplification project that aimed to modernise its life and pensions business via […]

BLM’s 25-year Warburtons relationship disintegrates after Clydes merger

Clyde & Co has been replaced by Warburtons as the bakery’s primary provider of employee personal injury and motor injury claims. The work was taken over by Kennedys as of the start of this month. BLM had conducted this work for 25 years before being replaced by a team at Clydes following the £700m merger between […]