Insurance
Alex is retained in disputes or to advise generally on insurance issues particularly where the underlying subject matter involves one or more of his other specialties (product liability, property damage, group actions, personal injury or clinical negligence). Recent issues include coverage, aggregation, multiple insurance cover, fraud/criminality and the impact of statutory provisions.
Selected Cases
- US Class Action – Alex advised UK insurers on issues of coverage including aggregation in relation to a US class action for personal injuries arising out of a medical product.
- Equestrian accident – Alex advised on the operation of competing policies arising out catastrophic injuries sustained by a child when kicked by a horse.
- Alexander Forbes Europe Limited v SBJ Limited – Alex acted for the Claimants in their successful action against professional indemnity insurance brokers. Issues included the need to notify multiple claims arising out of pension misselling in the 1990s rather than circumstances of a potential block claim.
- Banque Bruxelles Lambert v Zurich Insurance Company Limited – Alex was a member of a team of counsel acting for Defendant insurers against BBL who sought an indemnity following the John D Wood litigation. Insurers avoided on the basis of fraud.
- The Wickens Litigation – Alex acted for a defendant in the extensive litigation arising out of the collapse of a building in the South of England in which 5 people were killed. He was initially retained to deal with insurance issues but ultimately appeared at trial of the substantive professional negligence issues.
Awards
News
- Crown Office Chambers feature in three of The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2025
- Crown Office Chambers shortlisted in 17 categories at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024
Articles
Qualifications
- MA (Oxon)
Memberships
- COMBAR
- LCLCBA
- PIBA
- PNBA
Recommendations
“Alex’s attention to detail and forensic analysis of the issues is first-class.”…”The quality of his written advice is exceptional and he is easy to work with.”…”Alex is insightful and provides really astute and valuable advice on the most complex matters.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
“Alex is a leading authority on all things product liability. His advice is excellent. He’s forceful and his submissions carry weight.” … “Very bright, quick mind, hard-working, a great team player, very good to work with and a fantastic advocate.”
Legal 500, 2025
“Alexander is highly sophisticated, extremely easy to work with and exceptionally thorough in his analysis”…. “Alexander is incredibly efficient. He brings an energy to cases which others don’t, and he is results-driven.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Alex Antelme is brilliant – elegant and not a word wasted”…. “He has excellent control of the evidence.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Super responsive, utterly charming to work with, a sentiment shared by the clients. He is incisive, a font of wisdom and a great strategist. He is absolutely the counsel you want on any case, the tougher the case – the greater the need for his involvement.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Alexander is a master of detail. He is very charming and easy to work with on high-value claims.” “He is very strong on technical issues whilst at the same time being able to explain the legal issues in a clear and concise fashion, which makes him very strong on his feet and in conference.” “Alexander is an excellent barrister. He is very commercial and takes a very client-friendly approach.”
Chambers & Partners, 2023
‘Super responsive, utterly charming to work with, a sentiment shared by the clients ‘ ‘An extremely skillful, powerful and impressive advocate. Goes above and beyond to get to grips with complexities of a case.’ ‘Alex has impressive advocacy skills and is extremely talented. He is very clever and makes a complex issue sound very simple.’ ‘Real attention-to-detail, excellent pleadings and written advice. A polished advocate with an ample charm which hides a tough negotiator.’
Legal 500, 2023
“A fantastic advocate – he is really amazing, very slick, sharp and has the ear of the court.” “He has an absolute eye for detail, is extremely no-nonsense and gets very good results. His opinion is very much respected.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
“A living legend of product liability practice; extremely sharp, sees bigger picture, speaks with authority and technical brilliance.”
Legal 500, 2022
“A very affable silk with a rapier-like intelligence and the willingness to fight points other KCs might not want to take on.”
Legal 500, 2021
“A very measured, sensible and effective advocate who inspires confidence.”; “A very persuasive advocate with great tactical acumen.”; “His cross-examination of experts is very good indeed.”
Chambers & Partners, 2021
