Job Details
The Role
Department : Financial Institutions/Directors & Officers (FI/D&O)
Location : London
Role : Senior Associate or Associate, Permanent
The Team
Our market-leading Financial Institutions ("FI") and Directors and Officers ("D&O) insurance team advises insurers and reinsurers on some of the largest losses of this type in the insurance market.
We act on insurance claims of all sizes arising from activities all over the world, and are experienced in handling complex coverage litigation, arbitration and mediation, monitoring claims for insurers globally, providing strategic input and controlling leakage on large programmes.
We often draft FI and D&O policy wordings, and provide practical advice on risk management and corporate governance issues.
By way of example, we act for insurers and reinsurers on disputes concerning complex investment products, hedging transactions and portfolio management, multimillion pound/dollar mis-selling claims and class actions, regulatory investigations and prosecutions. The matters we deal with are not confined to third party / PI losses, but also encompass first party / crime and fidelity losses. Our team also advises on claims made under Warranty and Indemnity ("W&I") and other transactional insurance policies (which is a growing area), as well as under pension trustee liability ("PTL") insurance policies. We have experience acting in relation to claims emanating from all forms of financial services firms, for example, institutional and retail banks, building societies, insurance companies, pension funds, investment funds and investment managers, financial advisers, pension trustees, hedge funds, private equity firms and stock exchanges.
We also advise on a wide range of coverage issues in relation to D&O claims and exposures not just in the financial services context but against D&Os of all commercial enterprises (and sometimes also charities and not-for-profits).
In short, the work undertaken by the team is varied, interesting, challenging and often high-profile (historic work have involved matters such as the collapse of Worldcom and Enron, Madoff and the subprime credit crisis).
There are six partners in the FI and D&O team in London; James Cooper, Mark Sutton, Mandip Sagoo, Laura Cooke, Stuart Maleno and Karen Boto. In addition, we have 4 legal directors and 18 senior associates/associates and junior associates. We work collegiately, with all fee-earners having the opportunity to work with any of the partners.
As many of our cases involve international elements, language skills are always valued in our team. For example, we have in recent years developed particular work streams which have demanded German, Spanish and Portuguese language skills. Having said this, we have had or have on foot at present cases where the underlying matter is linked to a variety of jurisdictions, for example, US, Australia, South Africa, Israel, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Slovenia, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to name but a few.
Each year, the team hosts a full day conference for the London FI and D&O insurance market which involves speakers from around our international network of offices together with market representatives. This event is now seen as one of (if not the) leading event for the FI and D&O market.
We receive a significant amount of secondment requests from our insurer clients, with a number of our team having spent time on secondment at least once.
While the work of the team is predominantly focused on FI and D&O insurance coverage advice, monitoring and disputes, we do also undertake defence work (often insurance backed, but not always) in respect of UK financial service firms and also directors and officers. Examples include:
In addition to defence work, we regularly advise insurers and reinsurers for whom we act in coverage disputes on underlying liability issues. As such, liability and dispute resolution skills and experience are valued as well as coverage skills.
Essential Skills & Experience
We are particularly looking to add to our team at the Senior Associate or Associate level. The successful candidate will, therefore, have a minimum of 4+years PQE and will display excellent legal ability and initiative, strong coverage technical skills as well as confidence in managing and prioritising a full and varied caseload. They will be a strong communicator with good attention to detail.
Ideally candidates will have FI and D&O insurance coverage and liability experience.
In addition, they will have excellent academics and a willingness to learn and develop their knowledge.
