Jessica Chappell

Jessica is a Senior Associate and is a member of the UK’s Financial and Professional Risks team. She represents policyholders in high-value and complex commercial coverage disputes.

Prior to joining SDV Fenchurch, Jess had over 8 years’ commercial litigation experience and worked on many complex and high-value matters with successes in the High Court and Court of Appeal. This included acting for an American luxury property developer in a widely publicised coverage dispute pursuant to the TPRIA 2010. This claim resulted in victories at first instance and in the Court of Appeal.

Jessica advises policyholders on complex, high-value insurance disputes and has extensive experience managing litigated claims from inception through to resolution. Over the past year, she has had day-to-day conduct of several major cases and helped secure recoveries exceeding £50 million for policyholder clients.

Her recent experience includes acting for a national baking company in a coverage dispute worth more than £150 million following a major factory fire. The claim involved property damage and business interruption losses, as well as disputed issues concerning a hot works condition and the operation of a non-invalidation clause. She also acted for a dental practice pursuing losses exceeding £8 million following a major fire, and for a national housebuilder in relation to a block notification involving defective cladding claims valued at more than £40 million.

Jessica has further advised on a wide range of commercial and specialty insurance disputes, including an $18 million Kidnap & Ransom claim involving attempted extortion by corrupt government officials. Prior to joining SDV Fenchurch, she spent more than eight years handling complex commercial litigation, including a widely publicised insurance coverage dispute under the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010, which resulted in successful outcomes at both first instance and in the Court of Appeal.