Profile

Russell is a legal director based in our London office, having previously worked in the London office of a major international law firm.

Russell specialises in property and energy insurance claims, assisting insurers and reinsurers of major multinational companies in relation to their global exposures. He provides coverage advice and also specialises in the resolution of high-value, international and complex disputes, including in the petrochemical (upstream and downstream), power generation and heavy industry through litigation and arbitration, with experience of both ad hoc and all major arbitral institutions (International Chamber of Commerce, London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), ARIAS).

Russell has been involved in claims concerning some of the most significant losses impacting the market, including the World Trade Center losses, hurricanes Katrina/Rita and the Tianjin explosion. He has also advised on a large number of major losses both onshore and offshore in the energy and heavy industry sectors and has considerable experience of claims resolution under a variety of contrasting legal systems worldwide, particularly in the jurisdictions of the MENA and LatAm regions.

He frequently contributes to Kennedys’ market-facing publications and lectures at seminars. He is also a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers.

He is very approachable. He has good knowledge. He knows his stuff. In general. Russell is very good at what he does.

Market recognition

  • “He is very approachable. He has good knowledge. He knows his stuff. In general. Russell is very good at what he does.”
    The Gracechurch London Market Insurance Law Report 2019

Work highlights

  • Defending an insurer’s discrete interests in relation to SBM’s total claim against the market of US$1.3 billion following the abandonment of the YME MOPUstor construction project in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The matter is currently in litigation in the Commercial Court in London.
  • Advised the market on a major mining loss in relation to a furnace failure at the Koniambo nickel mine in New Caledonia.
  • Advised reinsurers in a claim following a major fire and explosion at the El Tebbin power plant in Egypt owned and operated by an Egyptian state-owned entity.
  • Advised reinsurers in relation to claims for multiple machinery breakdown losses arising from the operation of a direct reduction iron ore plant in Egypt.
  • Acted for reinsurers in a CBI claim presented by a VeoVa manufacturer based in the Netherlands.
  • Actied for insurers in LCIA arbitration proceedings against an energy conglomerate concerning contract frustration as a result of governmental intervention in the Indonesian coal industry.