4-5 Gray's Inn Square

Bill has practised in (re)insurance since the 1980s. He has wide experience, predominantly in the direct and reinsurance property and casualty markets. He is an acknowledged expert in art and HNW insurance. He has written policy portfolios and advised and litigated or arbitrated (nationally and internationally) about film finance reinsurance books of business; BBB claims and policies; brokers’ duties and agency authority; provenance, valuation and damage issues in art and antiques; disclosure misrepresentation and avoidance relating to all types of policy (including life); inspections; back-to back reinsurance; commutations etc.; Part VII Transfers; solicitors’ negligence relating to same; state-backed indemnity fund terms; and numerous other aspects of (re)insurance law.

He has a substantial practice in commercial litigation and dispute resolution generally, mainly of an international nature, including recently for example back-to-back ICC arbitrations involving commodity transactions between companies in three jurisdictions and the law of two others. He also has a long- standing contentious trust and probate practice.

Bill is a CEDR accredited mediator recognised by the Civil Mediation Council.

Besides representing clients on numerous occasions before Arbitration Tribunals of one or more members, Bill has sat as an Arbitrator in international arbitrations, with judicial, bar member and other professional colleagues.

He became Compliance Officer for his firm, responsible for ensuring implementation of the law and the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s regulations, on its formation in May 2009. When the SRA split the post into Compliance Officer, Legal Practice (COLP) and Compliance Officer, Financial Administration (COFA), at the end of 2012, he became the COLP, a post naturally relinquished upon retirement as a partner. Bill has experience as a Trustee. He was a Trustee of a pension scheme (of one of his firms) for nearly 30 years from 24/5/1988 to 14/11/2017 and was also Trustee of a charity for some years

Royal Society of Arts - Fellow Association of Contentious Trust & Probate Solicitors - Member Chartered Institute of Arbitrators - Member (since 1982) City of London - Freeman; City of London Solicitors’ Company - Freeman; Company of Arts Scholars - Liveryman Institute of Art & Law - Member Professional Advisers to the International Art Market - Member Bill has been rated in Chambers UK, the Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal re Product Liability Defence, and re Insurance and Reinsurance, and Citywealth Leaders List re contentious trust work, over many years, has been a ‘Superlawyer’ in Insurance since the title was first awarded in England (2013) and has been rated one of the “Top 100 lawyers in London” by Thomson Reuters.