“Hermès Marangos is an exceptional partner with strong links in South America.”

The Legal 500 UK 2024

“Hermès Marangos has a standout profile in the international insurance market.”

The Legal 500 UK 2024

“Hermès Marangos is positive, enthusiastic and hard-working, with very good legal knowledge and understanding.”

The Legal 500 UK 2024

I highlight Hermès Marangos’ English and Spanish skills, his knowledge of the market, and his network of contacts, which are all of great support. He is always willing to assist.

Chambers Latin America 2024

“Hermès Marangos is an excellent lawyer who cares about his cases and his clients. Always available and happy to discuss his cases. He is always on the look out for a chance to get the claim settled to our advantage. His knowledge of Latin American particularly Brazil is second to […]

The Legal 500 UK 2023

“Hermès Marangos has demonstrated passion, been proactive and displayed out-of-the-box strategic advice. He has a never-say-die approach and has been a great motivator of the team.”

The Legal 500 UK 2023

“Excellent knowledge of local practice in several countries. Excellent collaboration with Hermès Marangos.”

The Legal 500 UK 2023

“Hermès Marangos is well known for insurance disputes work which has an international element. He has arbitrated and litigated insurance disputes in more different jurisdictions than almost any other solicitor I know.”

The Legal 500 UK 2023

“Hermès Marangos is a top-notch litigator. He is very thorough and able to work in many jurisdictions as he can speak seven languages fluently; a talent that is very difficult to come by.”

The Legal 500 UK 2023

“Hermes Marangos stands out for the international breadth of his insurance disputes practice.“

The Legal 500 UK 2021

Hermes Marangos “makes clients feel he is in full charge and that they are in safe hands.“

The Legal 500 UK 2021

“Hermes Marangos lives his cases. He is very committed, delves into the very fine details of his work and understands the important issues that are so crucial as well as if not better than his client.“

The Legal 500 UK 2021

Hermès “is experienced at representing reinsurers in matters concerning the Southern Cone especially.“

Chambers Latin America 2021

Hermès “remains a tireless, charismatic and forceful advocate for his clients and has an original legal brain.“

Chambers Latin America 2021

Well regarded for his “huge knowledge of the South American market”.

Chambers Latin America 2021

“An extremely knowledgeable individual but also one who appreciates the real-world scenarios in which laws apply.“

Chambers Latin America 2020

‘Intelligent, with an excellent knowledge of the field’, [Hermès Marangos] offers the ability to ‘think outside the box and get inside the Latin American psyche’.

The Legal 500 UK 2019

“Hermès Marangos leads the Latin America practice and has vast experience in commercial litigation”.

Chambers Global

“Peers regard Hermès Marangos as a “very impressive” figure. He is qualified as a barrister and solicitor, and has more than 20 years’ experience advising clients on issues in Latin America”.

Chambers UK

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).

Hermès is recognised as a Leading Individual in The Legal 500 UK 2024 Guide in the International Arbitration category, where he is described as “positive, enthusiastic and hard-working” with “a standout profile in the international insurance market.” He is also ranked as a leading international counsel for insurance in the Chambers Latin America Guide.

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: UKLexology: 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 YorkThe 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 collapseIJGlobal – 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 ChapterGetting 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 courtThe Times – 28 January 2021

The Biggest UK Financial Services Decisions Of 2020Law360 – 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 claimsInsurance Day – 17 April 2020

Getting the Deal Through: Insurance Litigation 2020, UK ChapterGetting The Deal Through – March 2020

Cyber-attacks and litigationCDR – 29 August 2017

Insurance policies struggle to keep pace with cyber-attacksLife Insurance International – 28 June 2017

Legal implications of global cyber-attacksInsurance Post – 15 June 2017

Compliance implications of the global cyber-attacksThomson Reuters – 15 June 2017

Terrorism risks and terrorism insurance fact file – 28 December 2016

Legal issues in Lat AmInsurance 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

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