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Quentin Fox

Partner

Biography

Quentin is a Partner in the professional risks team in the London office. He specialises in professional negligence and construction claims, almost always acting on behalf of insurers. With over 30 years’ practice in this field, he has particularly extensive experience in the following areas:

  • claims against clients in the construction industry, architects, engineers, M&E consultants, surveyors, quantity surveyors, project managers, asbestos consultants and design & build contractors (he is a qualified Adjudicator);
  • complaints or claims against financial advisers and IFA networks; and
  • insurance policy coverage disputes.

He also regularly handles claims against other professions, such as estate agents, insurance brokers, solicitors and accountants. He deals with complaints made to the Financial Ombudsman Service against insurance brokers, insurers, IFAs and the like.

He acts for a broad range of Lloyds’ syndicates and company market insurers, including AmTrust, Argenta, Argo, AXA Insurance, CFC, Chaucer, Collegiate, IGI, Markel UK, Markel International, MMI (part of Zurich), Nexus, RiverStone, Tokio Marine HCC and Vibe/R&Q.

Quentin is recognised by the principal legal directories. Recent comments include: "Quentin Fox has the rare combination of being technically good whilst at the same time being commercially and strategically sound"; "Quentin Fox 'quickly spots the practical difficulties in disputes, and takes a robust line with opponents"; "Quentin has a healthy reputation in the professional indemnity sphere and primarily acts for large insurers. He is admired by the market for his experience and strategic and practical approach to cases”.

Notable cases

  • Quentin has been involved in a number of high-profile and complex cases, including McLaughlin & Harvey v The Hospitals for Sick Children (for the Hospital), Target v Redferns (for the solicitors' excess layer insurers), The Corporation of Lloyds v DEGW & Others (for the architects), Dodson v Dodson (for the insurance brokers) and Panatown v Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd (for the quantity surveyors).
  • He has also acted for one of the defending parties in a very substantial dispute arising from the collapse of a tunnel at Gerrards Cross. More recently, he acted for Liberty Mutual in the successful defence at trial of a very substantial and complex claim arising from the collapse of the Honister IFA network (Aldridge v Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe Limited [2016] EWHC 3037). Additionally, he acted for insurers, Argo, in the successful defence at trial of a claim arising from the construction of a tower at 100 Bishopsgate, which is a precedent case on the extent of duties owed through the contractual chain in substantial construction projects (Multiplex v Bathgate & others [2021] EWHC 590).
  • He advises frequently on cladding disputes and is currently representing one of the parties involved in the Grenfell Tower refurbishment project.

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