Michael Robin

Michael Robin has more than 47 years’ experience of handling and resolving complex claims across the domestic and international insurance markets.

He headed the insurance practice in one of the UK’s leading national firms for several years, before co-founding Robin Simon LLP in 2003, which became a leading specialist insurance firm, and ultimately a multi-disciplinary international practice, employing over 200 lawyers, claims handlers, adjusters, auditors and IT specialists in Europe, North America and Australia.

Following its acquisition by DWF in 2017, Michael remained as a partner, before joining Fenchurch Law in 2022, in order to utilise the skills and experience acquired over many years of acting for insurers, for the benefit of the firm’s policyholder clients.

Michael has dealt with virtually every type of insurance coverage issue, involving all industry sectors. He is currently acting on coverage disputes for clients in the property, construction, energy and manufacturing sectors, as well as financial and professional service providers and captives (in dispute with reinsurers).

Chambers & Partners has described Michael as “an extremely sophisticated lawyer”, and he is regularly commended for the quality and precision of his advice to clients.

Michael has acted in more than 100 cases that have proceeded to trial, arbitration or appeal. His practice spans insurance coverage, professional indemnity, financial lines and commercial disputes, with experience in many reported and landmark decisions that have shaped the development of insurance and professional liability law.

His notable cases include Culford Metal Industries Ltd v Export Credit Guarantee Department, in which he acted for the successful policyholder in establishing a duty of care owed by a government department in connection with trade credit insurance, and C v D, the landmark Court of Appeal decision concerning the interaction between English arbitration law and foreign governing law in Bermuda Form liability policies. He also acted in Travelers v Sun Life of Canada, a significant financial institutions insurance dispute involving a US$50 million indemnity claim.

Michael has particular expertise in professional indemnity and financial lines litigation. His experience includes acting for successful insurance brokers in Ocean Finance & Mortgages Ltd v Oval Insurance Broking Ltd, representing an international law firm and its insurers in Symrise AG v Baker & McKenzie, and defending Mishcon de Reya and its insurers in a series of high-profile professional negligence claims, including Dreamvar Ltd v Mishcon de Reya. Collectively, those claims exceeded £100 million and involved complex issues of professional liability, insurance coverage and risk allocation.