BOUTIQUE FIRM OF THE YEAR 2018

Fenchurch LawWINNER

Fenchurch Law was set up in 2010 to focus purely on specialist insurance advice for policyholders on complex coverage disputes. Seven years on, and the firm has comprehensively achieved what it set out to do. It is now the largest specialist team I the UK serving policyholders, ranging from multinationals to high-net worth individuals and brokers such as Aon, Willis Towers Watson, JLT and AJ Gallagher.

The firm also offers innovative models for clients; a package dubbed ‘Unlimited’ provides cost-effected resolutions against well-funded insurers, which in the event of a coverage dispute gives unlimited free legal advice, a barrister from a leading insurance set, disbursement funding and ATE insurance, in exchange for 1 per cent of the policy premium. ‘A good model and clear strategy,’ said the judges, ‘and they operate in a difficult market place.’ The panel also singled out Fenchurch Law’s ‘impressive’ pricing structures.

Highly commended: MJ Hudson

Alternative asset specialist MJ Hudson has made a serious set of acquisitions in the past two years, but has stayed close to its vision of advising players within the alternative assets industry, from governments, charities, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and fund managers. It offers absolute transparency on fees and as an ABS has the flexibility to take non-voting equity stakes in clients’ businesses in lieu of cash fees. The judges praised the firm’s ‘strong growth’ and ‘focus on talent management and workplace development’.

Commended: PCB Litigation

Asset recovery and fraud specialists PCB Litigation has enjoyed a streak of high-profile, high-value work over 2017 and 2018, including headline cases such as the Hellas Telecommunication trial, in which it acts for leading private equity house TPG – one of The Lawyer’s top 20 cases of 2018. ‘With high-stakes, high-profile cases, this firm is one to watch’, said the judges.