Crown Office Chambers handles most aspects of contentious claims and coverage issues in the London Market and its members are well-known for insurance work in areas including construction, property damage and professional liability. Members of the set have varied strengths and handle a broad practice with silks including Isabel Hitching KC, which one client describes as ‘extremely astute, very careful and conscientious,’ was involved in University of Exeter v Allianz Insurance Plc, representing the insurer which was seeking a declaration that it was right to reject a claim arising out of the controlled detonation of a World War 2-era bomb discovered on land adjacent to student residencies. Andrew Rigney KC has a well established practice in insurance which encompasses domestic and international work, and has been involved in a wide range of important insurance cases including those arising out of Grenfell and Covid-19 lockdowns. Ben Quiney KC advises and litigates on all insurance related disputes, including policy disputes and recovery claims, while Frederick Simpson and Andrew Brown are notable juniors in the set.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Steve Purse and his team are great to work with and always try their best to help whenever possible.'
'Steve Purse is the best clerk in the business. Very responsive and anticipates my needs without my having to ask.'
'Greg Frewin has always been one of the most helpful I have found in any Chambers and my interactions now with Steve Purse to be extremely quick at coming back to me and to provide great service and to offer helpful suggestions wherever he can.'
'Go to Chambers for insurance and construction matters.'
'Crown Office are my go to the simpler case where I need a costs effective solution for the client.'
'There is a growing strength in depth in this area at more junior levels. The more senior end of the set has always been strong. Daniel Shapiro KC is first class.'
'Crown Office is generally good at gauging counsel availability and the clerks are quick to suggest alternatives if a particular barrister is unavailable. The clerks are generally very quick to respond and helpful.'
'Crown Office Chambers is a very strong set in this area. It has good strength in depth and has very strong clerking.'
'Clerks are very attentive and responsive.'

Silks

Leading Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

Ben Quiney

Hall of fameCrown Office Chambers

‘Ben’s written advice is fantastic and his understanding of warranties and indemnities policies is second-to-none.’

Andrew Rigney

Hall of fameCrown Office Chambers

‘Very hard working and not afraid to roll up his sleeves. He is excellent with clients and provides practical and commercial advice, always having the client's objectives in mind. Really at the top of his game.’

Isabel Hitching

Hall of fameCrown Office Chambers

‘Isabel is extremely astute, very careful and conscientious and always has a clear plan of action in terms of approach to the issues and getting the best out of the case for the client. She manages expectations in relation to delivering work and solicitors know exactly where they stand.’

Daniel Shapiro

Hall of fameCrown Office Chambers

‘Danny is a rising star in this area - he is bright, exercises good judgement, is approachable, pragmatic and practical where necessary, knows his law and is very easy to deal with. He is liked by clients and his solicitors team and is a fearsome opponent.'

Michael Curtis

Hall of fameCrown Office Chambers

‘He has a tenacious work ethic and provides clear advice. He is very personable and has an ability to tailor his advice to his audience, whether they be lawyers or laypeople. He has a forensic eye for detail.'

Michael Kent

Hall of fameCrown Office Chambers

‘He is one of the best appellate advocates solicitors have seen. He has a profound grasp of the law and combines that with diffident but highly effective advocacy. He is a real pleasure to work with, both one to one and as part of a wider team.’

Richard Lynagh KC

Hall of fameCrown Office Chambers

Juniors

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.