Insurance & Professional Risks team news

There are some exciting changes and promotions in the Insurance & Professional Risks team at Herbert Smith Freehills effective from 1 May that we wanted to share with our clients and contacts.

Alexander Oddy takes over as head of the Insurance & Professional Risks team in London as Paul Lewis becomes new joint managing partner for Disputes and the UK/US Regional Head of Practice. In the same team, David Bennett, who specialises in Health & Safety, Personal Injury and Product Liability, has been promoted to Partner and Dan Saunders to Of Counsel. Dan's practice focuses on Professional Liability and contentious pensions matters.

There are also two new partners in our Corporate insurance team in London – Grant Murtagh who specialises in non-contentious insurance and regulatory work, and Shaun Lee who is a corporate M&A lawyer with expertise across financial services and real estate, and who has led on many of our key insurance intermediary deals.

Outside the UK, we have two new insurance disputes partners in Alejandra Galdos in Madrid and Anne Hoffmann in Sydney. Alejandra has significant experience acting for policyholders and insurers in insurance coverage disputes and specialises in claims in the energy, engineering, and construction sectors in Spain, EMEA and Latam. Anne's work focuses on acting for policyholders, particularly in the financial services sector.

Alexander Oddy, new Head of the Insurance & Professional Risks team in London said:

"I am delighted to be taking over the reins of the London team at a time when we continue to go from strength to strength working on some of the most high profile and important mandates in the market for clients. The recent promotions in the team will be real assets to our clients for many years and show the firm's commitment to the Insurance & Professional Risks practice. I wish them all many congratulations."