Insurance & Reinsurance
Alethea has experience in relation to a range of insurance and reinsurance disputes both led and as sole counsel. She is well-positioned to advise on construction, breach of claims conditions, and avoidance.
At the beginning of 2024, Alethea undertook a secondment within the Casualty team of a leading London law firm, during which she advised on several complex, high-value coverage disputes.
Examples of her current and recent work include:
- World Challenge Expeditions Ltd v Zurich Insurance plc [2024] 1 All ER (Comm) 786: Acting for a large travel company in its claim for indemnity for refunds to customers arising from cancellations of trips in the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The case raised issues over the construction of the insuring clause of a market standard wording and estoppels due to prior claims handling. Led by Daniel Shapiro KC and Michael Harper.
- Acting for an insurer in an arbitration brought by a company seeking indemnification of defence costs in excess of USD$8m under a D&O policy. Led by Daniel Shapiro KC.
- Assisting Daniel Shapiro KC in preparing an advice on coverage for the liability insurers of a beauty company in respect of claims by two of the “big three” recording companies for copyright infringement in social media marketing posts.
- Advising a company and its liability insurers as to the merits of its defence for various claims for loss and damage brought by seven different parties totalling more than £8m following a fire at an industrial estate. Led by Daniel Shapiro KC.
- Advising as sole counsel on English law in relation to a coverage dispute arising from proceedings brought in Warsaw against the Polish subsidiary of a UK company by Orange, the telecommunications provider, involving allegations of fraud and misrepresentation relating to service contracts valued in excess of €1.8m.
- Advising on a dispute between two insurers arising from a refusal to contribute in accordance with the ABI Domestic Subsidence Agreement based on an alleged failure to provide updates on the progress of the underlying £0.5m claim. Led by Mek Mesfin.
- Advice on the prospects of successfully defending a claim for business interruption losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in FCA v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd [2021] UKSC 1 (as a pupil).
- Research for Andrew Rigney KC on whether a clause excluding coverage for “intentional” breaches of intellectual property would also exclude liability for a reckless breach (as a pupil).
- Drafting a skeleton argument in a substantial dispute concerning a Qatar-based insurer’s entitlement to indemnification under two reinsurance contracts against the risk that certain construction bonds it had issued would be called upon (as a pupil).
Alethea is a member of the London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association.
Selected Cases
View full profile »Awards
- New College Final Examinations Award, University of Oxford
- Lord Haldane and Lord Denning Scholarships, Lincoln’s Inn
- Academic Scholarships, City University and BPP University
- Finalist in the City University GDL Moot and the Inter-Provider BPTC Moot
Events
News
- Dubai Arbitration Week 2024
- Daniel Shapiro KC, Michael Harper and Alethea Redfern acted for World Challenge Expeditions Ltd in its successful claim against Zurich Insurance Company Ltd
Articles
Qualifications
- English Language & Literature (First Class), University of Oxford
- GDL, City University
- BPTC, BPP University
Memberships
- PIBA
- COMBAR
- TECBAR
- PNBA
- LCLCBA
