Directory Rankings
Leading Individual – Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation
The Legal 500 UK 2023
International Counsel, Insurance
Chambers Latin America 2024
Biography
Hermès Marangos has extensive experience in representing entities on complex cross-border matters having litigated or arbitrated international disputes in over sixty jurisdictions.
He is regularly instructed on global coverage risk management programmes involving the International Market and also as Counsel on third party liability accounts for major corporates, where typically State interests are also involved. He also leads teams handling major litigation and arbitration relating to financial institutions, liability, construction, engineering and energy.
Hermès is also an acknowledged expert on issues of political violence matters, having been involved in the work done on market and State solutions (relating to the coverage of terrorism, the setting up of Pool Re and advising on the relevant legislation, and the interpretation of war, political violence, societal risks and terrorism exclusions).
He is qualified both as a Barrister and Solicitor of England & Wales and fluent in several languages, including Spanish and Portuguese. He is a Vice President of the Insurance Institute of London and co-author of the textbook, “Reinsurance Practice and the Law” and Leader of the Study Group, editor and co-author of the book “War Risks and Terrorism”, political violence publications for European universities and contributor to textbooks on conflicts of law, property risks and Mass Torts in Europe. He is also the main author of “Getting the Deal Through: Insurance Litigation” (the latest of which Guides is the 2023 Edition) and regularly writes on issues relating to war, terrorism, political and societal violence covers and GDPR and cyber losses. He also lectures and publishes widely on significant international conflicts of law matters and on specialist risks and legal and forensic investigations.
Experience
Representative Political Violence work experience
- Advising European reinsurers and US counsel as expert co-counsel on the Liberian Civil War and litigation on the meaning of war, insurrection, civil commotion and riot losses and on supervising evidence and expert and contemporaneous testimony on the genesis and escalation of the civil war. Forensic and historical analysis leading to the Liberian Civil War.
- Advising reinsurers following the assassination of Premier Benazir Bhutto in Lahore in Pakistan and the applicability of terrorism and political violence exclusions. Forensic issues concerning evidence on bomb attacks and explosions and subsequent riots.
- Advising major reinsurers on involvement of terrorists in bank robberies in Colombia and analysis of distinctions of terrorism acts versus acts of terrorists or participation of proscribed individuals in disturbances and membership of criminals in proscribed terrorist and drug dealing organisations.
- Advising on the Intifada and uprising, civil commotion, violent riots in Israel and the Occupied Territories. On local versus international provisions on terrorism and state security. Including on distinctions between criminal activity legislation and insurance regulations.
- Advising on the legal position of convoy attacks in coastal towns and applicability of political violence provisions in relation to the civil war in Colombia.
- Advising on sabotage attacks on petroleum company installations pipelines and storage facilities in the Ogoni region in Nigeria.
- Arbitrating on State related industrial losses following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, including mass looting and wanton destruction in Kuwait.
- Advising on riot related losses in Indonesia and insurance provisions interpretation and government pronouncements on the Red Shirt movement.
- Advising on insurance disputes relating to the coup d’état and political violence in Haiti. On the chronological trajectory and conclusions under the Spinney’s guidelines.
- On war and terrorism related disputes following the Israel Lebanon war and the actions of Hezbollah, starting with the abduction of Israeli border guards, leading to he commencement and escalation of hostilities.
- On the impact of the Israeli Defence Force operations and embargo in Jericho and losses at hotel and casino operations and property and business interruption covers.
- On the meaning and applicability of civil commotion/riot/looting provisions and aggregation and hours clauses position and inter-play if any with riot provisions to losses following Katrina and major floods and earthquakes.
- On advising on the St Mary Axe, IRA bombings and the resulting legislation and set up of Pool Re.
- On advising major reinsurers on the applicability of war and terrorism provisions and Riots Strikes and Malicious Damage Sub-Limits to the “World Trade Center”
- Advising and providing professional training workshops across Europe to major insurers and reinsurers on the various Political Violence/Societal risk wordings and war and terrorism exclusions, including on the operation and efficacy of Riots, Strikes and Malicious Damage sublimit.
- On advice to major insurers and reinsurers on the new set of exclusions and applicability based on NMA2918-2921.
- Advising on attacks by Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement on the Peruvian army and nature and definition of political violence.
- Advising on appropriate wordings for chronic civil war and continuing industrial and factory losses in Beirut.
- On riot wordings and “interpleader” issues between terrorism provisions and all risk covers in Hong Kong and violent anti-government protests, including on advising on economic versus political riots interpretation as applicable to Lloyds wordings.
- Representing policyholders on terrorism related losses following attacks in London and Paris. Proceedings in relation to the London Bridge and Westminster Bridge and Parsons Green attacks.
Representative International Disputes work experience
- Advising reinsurers under a CAR/EAR cover in relation to a series of losses to an extension of an existing oil refinery which included a water canal diversion project forming part of preparatory works in Colombia. Advising specifically on issues of pre-existing damage, non-disclosure, concurrent design and construction causation, gradual deterioration, mitigation of loss obligation and want of due diligence.
- Advising US and Canadian insurers in relation to coverage issues under an All Risk Policy arising out of physical damage to a drilling rig owned by a Canadian corporation during operations in Brazil. Advising in particular on issues of placement, definition of insured and property insured, the test required for want of due diligence and subrogation.
- Advising reinsurers under an EAR cover including Delay in Start-up in relation to damage to an electrical generator which was to be used in a project for the conversion of two existing gas turbines in Bolivia. Advising on spoliation of evidence issues arising from refusal to grant access on-site, assessing whether the insured’s conduct in the measures it took to test the generator prior to start-up satisfied the obligation to take reasonable precautions, advising on the effect of a false declaration by the insured, wilful negligence, potential subrogation actions against German manufacturer and on the Bolivian law and political angle.
- Advising reinsurers under a CAR cover in respect of damage due to water leakage to a sulphur combustion furnace boiler in a sulphuric acid plant in Chile. Advising inter alia on possible subrogation action against manufacturers in China, technical analysis of the processes involved in the production of sulphur to identify root cause and exclusion of proportion of costs under LEG wordings.
- Advising on a major reinsurance dispute involving a mining operation disrupted due to flooding with multiple claims following property damage and business interruption, as well as on issues of recoverability of expenses and alleged obligations of reinsurers to indemnify non-contractual and other punitive losses, c. £300m in value.
- Advising on major international construction disputes involving LEG 2, LEG 3 and operational issues affecting large-scale construction contracts / EAR in West Africa and the Middle East, including firefighting obligations, mitigation and BI calculation methodology, c. £40-50m in value.
- Advising on various Caribbean claims involving failed turbines and coverage under operational policies for damage and business interruption claims, including issues of applicability of foreign law and competing jurisdictional provisions, c. US$50m in value.
- Instructed by major UK reinsurers under an All Risks policy concerning a significant theft of electronic devices in Mexico, involving complex issues of employee infidelity.
- Advising London Market and US reinsurers on high-profile and complex D&O coverage issues in Brazil in connection with a class action brought in the US and an Insured v Insured claim in Brazil.
- Advising London market underwriters in connection with a group action arising from complex claims before the Brazilian Appellate Courts, arising out of cattle feeding programmes.
- Advising reinsurers on major mining damage and business interruption claims in Mexico involving extra contractual and loss of opportunity to pursue civil law arguments under Mexican, US and UK law.
- Advising reinsurers on TPL claims under a product liability programme for engineering fleet vehicles, with parallel proceedings in the UK and Switzerland, involving English, Swiss, German and US law issues.
- Representing London market and European insurers on power plant disputes involving turbine failures and fires in West Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.
- Representing London market and European reinsurers in proceedings in Turkey, both in property/engineering disputes involving the application of sub-limits and first-loss reinsurance arguments, and in product liability disputes involving defective building materials allegations and arguments on financial law and efficacy exclusions.
- Advising on an ICC arbitration brought by an Argentinean EPC contractor relating to the design and construction of a marine oil terminal.
- Representing London reinsurers in multiple claims in Argentina, including class actions and major energy losses.
- Advising reinsurers on machinery collapse and turbine failure and consequent BI issues.
- Advising a London market reinsurer on complex proceedings brought directly against them by the insured in the Brazilian courts.
- Advising worldwide insurers in connection with a multiple-fatality accident at a Barrick Gold Corporation mine in Chile in 2000.
- Advising Miami insurers in connection with multi-claimant litigation involving pollution caused by a water treatment plant installed in Santiago de Chile.
- Advising London market reinsurers on a pollution claim brought by the government of Colombia against the Colombian National Oil Company, c. $1.7bn in value.
- Advising Lloyd’s syndicates in connection with a dispute relating to a collapsed road bridge in Mexico.
Publications
Insurance Litigation 2023: UK – Lexology: Getting the Deal Through – 26 July 2023
Passage of time has no impact on ‘proximate cause’ – Commercial Dispute Resolution – 27 March 2023
Allianz wins bomb case – ruling “likely to be appealed” – Insurance Business – 27 March 2023
Mondelez v Zurich – lessons from the $100mn cyber trial – The Insurer – 1 February 2023
Wider implications for group actions following the Court of Appeal’s decision in Mariana v BHP in London and the SEC’s action against Vale in New York – The Law Society Gazette – 5 August 2022
The wider implications of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s action against Vale in New York and the Court of Appeal’s decision on the Mariana dam collapse – IJGlobal – 13 July 2022
The wider implications of the crisis in Sri Lanka in the wake of the pandemic, the energy crisis and the invasion of Ukraine – Insurance Day – 7 June 2022
Getting the Deal Through: Insurance Litigation 2022, UK Chapter – Getting The Deal Through – 30 May 2022
Sri Lanka unrest highlights type of losses industry should expect next – The Insurer – 27 May 2022
COVID-19 – another avant-garde decision by Britain’s highest court – The Times – 28 January 2021
The Biggest UK Financial Services Decisions Of 2020 – Law360 – 23 December 2020
The Brazilian Case That Holds Significance For English Courts – Legal Week – 30 November 2020
Viewpoint: Political violence wordings are a serious matter – Insurance Day – 1 July 2020
Viewpoint: Insurers must avoid knee-jerk rejections of Covid-19 BI claims – Insurance Day – 17 April 2020
Getting the Deal Through: Insurance Litigation 2020, UK Chapter – Getting The Deal Through – March 2020
Cyber-attacks and litigation – CDR – 29 August 2017
Insurance policies struggle to keep pace with cyber-attacks – Life Insurance International – 28 June 2017
Legal implications of global cyber-attacks – Insurance Post – 15 June 2017
Compliance implications of the global cyber-attacks – Thomson Reuters – 15 June 2017
Terrorism risks and terrorism insurance fact file – 28 December 2016
Legal issues in Lat Am – Insurance Day – 10 November 2016
There is a unique opportunity to grow the political risk insurance market – Insurance Day – 16 February 2016
Review: Establish factual evidence ahead of using self-serving PVI issues in Ukraine Russia conflict in Crimea – interpretations – Insurance Day– 6 March 2014
Political unrest bring wording issues back to the fore – Insurance Day – 27 June 2013
Algeria and beyond: the complexity of incidents – DAC Beachcroft Article – 18 February 2013
Insurance market hit by riot, political violence and war risks in the Arab world – DAC Beachcroft Article – March 2011
Predict a riot: covering political unrest / Hermes Marangos – 16 April 2008
War on Iraq legal implications 2003
Reassessing the terrorism risk – Post– 13 February 2003
Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 – Cozen O’Connor Newsletter – Winter 2002/03
New trends in Reinsurance Wordings and Exclusions/Political Violence wordings post “World Trade Center” – Global Re – 2002
Areas of Expertise
Hermès Marangos's Latest Published Articles
@SignatureLitLLP
We are pleased to announce that Ela Barda has been promoted to Counsel - many congratulations, Ela! Read more here: bit.ly/3XMqd7A #Litigation #CommercialLitigation pic.twitter.com/JxZLKh1qN2
Signature Partners
Ioannis Alexopoulos
Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 Guide for international arbitration, which notes that he “consistently produces extraordinary, excellent work and he fills the client with great confidence and comfort”. He is further described as “adept at handling BIT claims” and “is very experienced and brings a wealth of knowledge to the field.” He is also recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2023 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for civil fraud, international arbitration, commercial litigation and banking litigation, and he is praised for his “superb commercial and practical sense.” Ioannis is also recognised in Who’s Who Legal 2022 Arbitration Guide. He has been described as “well recognised for his top-notch arbitration practice among peers who say he is “very experienced and engaging with the tribunal”.”
Paul Brehony
Paul is recognised for his commercial litigation expertise in The Legal 500 UK 2023 Guide. He has also been recommended for civil fraud and banking litigation and is commended as “a highly accomplished insolvency litigator“, who “is fantastic in highly complex insolvency cases where his knowledge and experience put him head and shoulders above others“. Previous guides have described Paul as a “notable practitioner” for banking litigation and “highly recommended” for commercial litigation. He is further praised as “charming, well organised and a pleasure to litigate with.”
Natalia Chumak
Natalia has been ranked in the Chambers UK and The Legal 500 UK Guides for her International Arbitration expertise. She has previously been praised by The Legal 500 and Chambers UK for her “fantastic experience and responsiveness“, for being an “extremely good tactical mind“, a “steely litigator with excellent litigation instincts” and she has been praised for her ability to “remain incredibly calm under pressure“.
Julian Connerty
Julian has been ranked in Chambers for Civil Fraud and the Guide notes he “has considerable expertise in international fraud cases.” Julian is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for his civil fraud expertise. The Legal 500 has noted that Julian is an “extremely experienced practitioner” and “a specialist in international fraud and asset recovery actions”. Julian is also described as “subtle and meticulous” and “inspires great confidence in all around him”.
Simon Fawell
Simon has been recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK for his litigation and arbitration expertise and is commended as “a strong strategic thinker”, “a real team player” and “very good to work with”. He is also Recommended for insurance and reinsurance litigation.
Jérémie Fierville
Jérémie’s practice focuses on shareholders, governance, and M&A disputes, as well as general commercial and civil litigation. Having practised in both Paris and London, Jérémie acts for a broad range of French and international companies. He represents his clients in strategic pre-litigations, litigations and arbitrations, as well as mediation proceedings.
Sylvie Gallage-Alwis
Sylvie is described by Who’s Who Legal as a “dynamic and determined litigator“, who is “a firm favourite among clients” as “she always goes the extra mile to support her clients, and is proactive in seeking commercial solutions to disputes” and is “analytical, intelligent and responsive“. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Sylvie as a ‘Leading Individual’ for Product Liability Litigation in France and she is recognised for her work on “high-profile toxic tort and product liability cases, handing a number of asbestos claims.”
Becca Hogan
Becca is recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by The Legal 500 UK 2023 for banking litigation. Becca is described as “exceptional“, with an “excellent grasp of the detail”. She is further praised as a “safe and skilled pair of hands.” She has been described, by previous editions of the Guide, as “stellar“, “calm and strategic“. She has also been praised for her “good instincts” and “commercial approach”.
Graham Huntley
Graham is consistently recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers as one of the UK’s highest ranked commercial and banking litigators and has been involved in some of the most significant cases of recent years. Chambers UK describes him as “an intense and effective solicitor with an incredibly client-focused approach” and he has previously been described as “very bright, very hard-working, a good tactician” and “very committed and driven”. The Legal 500 UK 2023 recognises Graham as a ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer for both banking litigation and commercial litigation, and a ‘Leading Individual’ for his civil fraud expertise. He is described as “a doyen of London banking litigation” and a “master tactician“.
Abdulali Jiwaji
Abdul is regarded as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for Commercial Litigation and a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail. The Guide notes he is “absolutely unflappable” and that he “inspires confidence“. A commentator notes that: “One of the best litigators I have had the privilege of working with is Abdulali Jiwaji.” Abdul is further described as having “a grip of the big picture and the detail; very deft in client handling; tenacious and determined; swift, responsive and clear-thinking“. Previous Guides have noted Abdul “is always on the ball and has a good tactical brain” and recognises he “has always provided sound and very considered advice”. He is also praised for being “a steady hand during turbulent times”. Chambers Global has described him as a “technically sound, sensible and robust litigator who always finds practical solutions”.
Tsegaye Laurendeau
Tsegaye Laurendeau is recognised as a ‘future leader’ in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide. Peers and clients say he is a “brilliant arbitration lawyer” and “very adept at steering cases and handling experts”. Previous editions of this Guide note that Tsegaye is “one of the best arbitration lawyers of his generation”, “a top-notch attorney” who is “rapidly establishing himself as one of the leading practitioners, notably in Africa-related disputes”. Tsegaye also features in The Legal 500 International Arbitration Powerlist UK, which showcases the UK’s leading arbitration practitioners.
Emmanuèle Lutfalla
Emmanuèle is recognised as a ‘Thought Leader’ in Who’s Who Legal’s France 2020 Guide. She is also ranked as both a ‘National’ (in France) and ‘Global’ Leader for Product Liability Defence in Who’s Who Legal. The Guide notes Emmanuèle “excels in handling disputes at the intersection of product liability and insurance matters, representing clients from the life sciences sector in litigation and product risk management.” The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Emmanuèle as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for insurance and notes she is “very renowned in the insurance sector“. The Legal 500 also ranks the insurance and reinsurance litigation practice very highly in Paris, and also notes the department “unites an impressive bench of stellar litigators“. The Chambers Europe 2022 Guide notes that Emmanuèle noted as “the key point of contact” for insurance at the firm. Chambers ranks Signature Paris’ insurance practice as a leading firm in its Europe Guide and highlights the team’s “knowledge and ability to handle complex and difficult matters“.
Hermès Marangos
Hermès is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for his insurance and reinsurance litigation practice. Hermès has been ranked as an expert in Chambers Global and Chambers Latin America for his Insurance expertise in the region.
Neil Newing
Neil is regarded as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for international arbitration and banking litigation. He is for his “excellent arbitration experience, and excellent appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of cases.” Previous Guides have described Neil as “a strong lawyer who stands out for the quality and thoroughness of his analysis” and noted for managing “major cross-border disputes“. The Legal 500 UK 2021 recognised him as “an outstandingly clever counsel who will go very far”. Neil is also described as being “an exceptionally talented lawyer, a strategic thinker and a pleasure to work with. The depth and breadth of his experience in international commercial arbitrations is a huge asset to the firm”. He is also ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide as a ‘future leader’.
Elliott Phillips
Elliott is an internationally recognised barrister and specialises in global commercial litigation and international contentious trusts disputes. He has been recognised in The Legal 500 for his experience in dispute resolution work and is also ranked as a Band 2 individual in both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe for General Business Law: Dispute Resolution — Gibraltar. Elliott is also recognised as one of the world’s leading private client lawyers and trusts and estates litigators, and is listed in the Private Client Global Elite community. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide recognises Elliott as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution in Gibraltar, and notes he “is a specialist in international trusts and estates disputes.” A referee in the Guide described Elliott as “an accomplished litigator, highly experienced, knowledgeable and great to have on your side” and another praised his “vast knowledge and experience across an array of different areas” and noted he is “the stand-out practitioner in a hugely talented team.“
Flore Poloni
Ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide, Flore is described as “the most dynamic young arbitration practitioner in Paris“, “a very dynamic and multi-skilled lawyer” and praised for her “excellent communication skills and perfect knowledge of arbitration“. The Legal 500 EMEA 2021 Guide ranks Flore as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution and has been recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ lawyer for International Arbitration. Flore has been praised for her “extensive expertise in international arbitration” and described as “extremely capable”.
Thomas Rouhette
Thomas is ranked as a leading expert by both Chambers Global and Europe for his litigation and aviation law expertise, with sources praising him for his “invaluable” advice, experience and knowledge. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide consistently recognises Thomas as a ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer for his aviation and commercial litigation practices. Who’s Who Legal regards Thomas as the “finest product liability lawyer in the country and one of the very best on the continent.”
Tom Snelling
Highly ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for his commercial litigation expertise, Tom Snelling is described in the 2020 Guide as “extraordinarily good” and an “utter pleasure to work with and enormously talented, with a sixth sense for where a case is going and very sound judgement”. The Guides have also noted that Tom is “amazingly dedicated with strong credentials in international litigation” and that he is both “practical and commercial”. Tom is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation.
Daniel Spendlove
The Legal 500 UK Guide describes Daniel as “hugely talented“, “with a really creative eye for litigation strategy“, “an exceptionally committed, exceptionally hard working lawyer, with a careful and thorough approach to issues” and “a really effective litigator“. He has also been described as “very smart, client focused and details-oriented” and “excellent, with great attention to detail, wide experience and excellent client care’“. He has also been praised as “highly professional”, and “a strategic thinker” who “brings real energy to cases”. He is highly ranked across the Commercial Litigation, Banking Litigation and International Arbitration categories. He was recently described, by Commercial Dispute Resolution magazine, as “one of a new breed of independent and forceful commercial litigation partners”.
Rory Spillman
Rory is recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by The Legal 500 UK 2023 for banking litigation and a commentator notes that Rory has “tremendous judgement” is “very hard-working“, and comes “highly recommended for banking disputes.” He has also been described by previous Guides as “impressive“, “excellent” and a “real authority“.
Josh Wong
Described as a “a highly experienced commercial international arbitration expert“, Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for international arbitration and banking litigation. A commentator remarks: “Josh Wong and his colleagues are a highly knowledgeable and intellectually-focused team that fully appreciates and acts upon all the levers within complex litigation, taking full account of the strengths and weakness of all components.” Past guides have also noted that he is “an expert in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving multiple jurisdictions”. He has also been ranked in Chambers Global as a ‘Foreign Expert Based in UK’ for his Chinese dispute resolution, arbitration expertise, and as a ‘Foreign Expert for China’ for UK dispute resolution.
