Practice Summary

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.

He has been involved in a long-running competition law matter involving the Competition Commission/ Competition & Markets Authority, the Payment Systems Regulator and the DTI/DBEIS for a national federation of many thousands of businesses. His advice to this client over 20 years also includes drafting, interpretation enforcement of its rules (including conduct rules). He has advised many others on rules.

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.

Mediation

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

Arbitration

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.

Memberships & Listings

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.

Reported Cases

Bill’s many such cases include over the last decade Hall v Maritek (2015) UKPC 23, (2015) All ER (D) 217; Labrouche v Frey & Others (2012) 1 WLR 3160; AGF Insurance v Lexington Insurance (2009) UKHL 40; also reported at earlier stages: (2007) Lloyd’s Rep IR 604 and (2008) Lloyd’s Rep IR 510.

Lectures & Writing

Lectures through providers such as C5/Eurolegal, Falconbury, LexisNexis, MBL and the IADC in the UK, USA, UAE, Belgium, Finland, France and Germany on legal matters in particular concerning insurance and reinsurance (including Takaful), and writes in various periodicals.

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Bill Perry