+44 (0)1787 221295 office@bila.org.uk

BILA Young Professionals

BILA Young Professionals is a sub-group of the British Insurance Law Association. We consist of and appeal to young professionals who are working in the insurance industry (in any capacity) and have a connection or interest in insurance law. Our aims are twofold: –

  1.  To provide a forum for junior lawyers and market practitioners specialising in insurance to meet and develop closer ties with their peers; and
  2.  To deepen their understanding of current and future legal issues affecting the London Insurance Market.

The BILA Young Professionals Committee meet on a monthly basis and arrange regular educational and social events to further our aims. We also have strong connections with AIDA, and encourage relationship-building with other like-minded junior insurance committees around the world.

Our inaugural event was a presentation delivered by Inga Beale, the first female CEO of Lloyd’s of London, on 20 April 2016 followed by drinks. Subsequent events have included a mixture of social e.g. (gin-tasting networking events) and educational activities (e.g., a mock trial and speed mentoring) held in London, also in Bristol.

Our recent events include the following: –

On 29 April 2021, we hosted a virtual ‘speed-networking’ event – our first foray into the world of online networking.

  •  On 29 September 2021, we hosted our Summer Social Networking Event, kindly sponsored by Simmons & Simmons LLP.
  •  On 3 February 2022, we invited Nathalie Koh of Fountain Court Chambers to deliver a Webinar on the ever-topical subject of Aggregation.
  •  On 16 June 2022, we hosted a speed networking and summer social event.

To stay updated about our upcoming events, please subscribe to our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28976588

We have grown considerably in the last year and are on the lookout for new members to join us. If you are interested in joining the Committee, or would like to be added to our mailing list, please email office@bila.org.uk

 

 

The Committee

Matthew Hunter | Chair

Matthew is a Supervising Associate in the insurance team at Simmons & Simmons LLP, where he trained.

He has a broad insurance practice which includes acting for insurers and their insureds on a range of Financial Lines matters, for insurers in respect of coverage advice (and on disputes regarding coverage), and for insurers on broader strategic issues and commercial disputes, as well as advising on a range of regulatory insurance matters, the insurance aspects of commercial transactions, drafting insurance policies, and reviewing policy wordings.

Matthew has spent time in the market on secondment to Nexus Underwriting and QBE.

Andrew Oberholzer | Vice Chair

Andrew is an Associate in the Professional and Financial Risks team at RPC.  He specialises in defending professionals, mainly within the financial services sector, from professional negligence claims made against them. Andrew handles claims on behalf of a variety of professionals and their professional indemnity (PI) insurers, and provides advice on policy coverage arising from PI insurance.

Guy Holden | Treasurer

Guy trained at White & Case LLP and spent time on secondment to a major financial services firm. Guy moved to join the in-house group legal team at Lloyd’s of London in 2021. He advises several departments within the Lloyd’s corporation and has a broad remit covering corporate, finance, regulatory and commercial law.

Kristyna Muhlfeitova | Secretary

Kristyna is an Associate in the Insurance & Reinsurance Group at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang. Kristyna has experience in advising (re)insurers as well as insureds on coverage matters and disputes across a wide range of sectors with a particular focus on cyber, healthcare, reinsurance and multi-jurisdictional D&O matters.

Prior to joining CMS, Kristyna read Law at the London School of Economics.

Kristyna joined the BILA YP committee in October 2021.

Alex Rosenfield | Media

Alex is a Senior Associate at Fenchurch Law. He specialises in coverage disputes for policyholders with a focus towards complex, high-value property damage claims. Prior to joining Fenchurch Law in 2017, Alex worked at Elborne Mitchell, a busy practice in the heart of the London insurance market.

Alex has been quoted in several of the country’s leading insurance publications and newspapers on policyholder coverage issues. Those include an article for the Guardian which highlighted the challenges of complying with ‘Unoccupied Buildings’ conditions at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Sophie Fairclough | Events

Sophie Fairclough is a Managing Associate in the Insurance Disputes practice at Mishcon de Reya. Sophie specialises in insurance disputes for policyholders and commercial litigation. Sophie’s work spans a wide range of areas, including Financial Services, D&O, Professional Indemnity, Employment Practices Liability, Pharma, Product Liability, Retail & Consumer, Property Losses, Business Interruption and Cyber.

Jade Cripps | Committee Member

Jade Cripps is a Solicitor at BLM. She qualified in the London Office in 2016 and works within the Occupational Disease Team. She works for a variety of insurers and insured clients, and she advises on a whole variety of short tail disease claims, such as Bullying, Harassment and Occupational Stress claims, RSI claims and Cumulative back injury claims. She also advises on Discrimination claims.

Sean Coulson | Committee Member

Sean read History at King’s College London before completing the GDL and LPC at the University of Law. He completed his training contract at Simmons & Simmons and upon qualification moved to the in-house legal team of Lloyd’s where he advises on a range of corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters. Prior to qualification, Sean also worked as a paralegal at a number of international law firms. Sean joined the BILA YP Committee in 2021.

 

Upcoming event(s)

  • Mock Trial

  • 5 October 2022

  • 6pm

  • Venue: Lloyd’s, Old Library

  • Further details and registration information to follow.

 

Keep up to date with what we are doing, our events and how you can get involved: