Caroline McColgan joined chambers in October 2011 following successful completion of her pupillage. Since then, she has developed a practice which is strongly focused on insurance, construction, professional negligence, and property damage work. Caroline is a confident advocate and regularly appears in the High Court as well as before the Court of Appeal.
Caroline is very regularly instructed in insurance coverage disputes and has acted in a number of cases at the forefront of recent developments in insurance law.
Caroline acted for Insurers in the first two Commercial Court trials to consider the availability of cover under policies of warranty & indemnity insurance. These were: Finsbury Food Group PLC v Axis & Ors [2023] EWHC 1559 (Comm), a contrived claim concerning the effect of a price reductions warranty and a material adverse change clause; and Project Angel Bidco Ltd v Axis & Ors [2023] EWHC 2649 (Comm), which concerned the application and effect of an exclusion in a W&I policy. Caroline’s clients were successful in their defences to both claims.
In 2020, Caroline was instructed to act for Zurich Insurance PLC in the FCA Test Case litigation, both at first instance and in the Supreme Court. Zurich was the only insurer involved in the Test Case which succeeded in avoiding any liability. Since then, Caroline has acted for various other insurers in relation to claims concerning Covid-19, both in Court proceedings and in arbitration.
Early in her practice, Caroline was instructed on the major reinsurance case of Amlin Corporate Member Ltd & Ors v Oriental Assurance Company [2013] EWHC 2380 (Comm), appearing as junior counsel for the defendant at trial in the commercial court and on appeal to the Court of Appeal (see Amlin Corporate Member Ltd & Ors v Oriental Assurance Company [2014] EWCA Civ 1135).
Caroline also has longstanding experience in high value, multi-party construction disputes. She has particular expertise in cladding claims, and is regularly instructed on behalf of developers, contractors and sub-contractors within the supply chain. She is presently instructed in the Grenfell Tower Litigation, as sole junior for the fire engineers, as well as in relation to a number of other very substantial cladding matters.
Before coming to the Bar, Caroline read history at Magdalen College Oxford and then undertook the law conversion course in which she received a distinction. She is a contributing editor to Emden on Construction Law, co-authoring Chapter Two: “Formation and Validity of Contract”.
View full profile »Awards
News
- Crown Office Chambers shortlisted in 17 categories at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024
- Warranty and Indemnity Insurance: The Court of Appeal offers Guidance on the Interpretation of Policies and Exclusions
Articles
- Defending W&I claims: strategic themes illustrated in Finsbury Foods v Axis & Ors
- 2 Entertain Video Ltd & Ors v Sony DADC Europe Ltd [2020] EWHC 972 (TCC) – TCC gives judgment in major insurance claim arising out of the 2011 London Riots
Qualifications
- Major Scholar, Inner Temple (2009 – 2010)
- BVC, BPP Law School (Very Competent) (2009 – 2010) Exhibitioner, Inner Temple (2008 – 2009)
- GDL, BPP Law School (Distinction) (2008 – 2009) Demyship, Magdalen College, Oxford (2006 – 2008)
- BA (Hons) University of Oxford (2005 – 2008)
Memberships
- LCLCBA
- PNBA
- TECBA
Rankings
Recommendations
“Caroline is excellent and good at what she does. She fights well and sensibly for her client’s claims.”…”She really stood out. She clearly knew the case inside-out and her advocacy was very good and clear.”
Chambers & Partners, 2026
“Caroline is extremely bright, responsive and has the ability to digest, analyse and form a pragmatic and well-reasoned opinion very quickly. She grapples with the issues and can get to the heart of the dispute with ease.”… “Caroline’s strategic thinking and ability to provide clear, concise advice have greatly contributed to our progress thus far.”
Legal 500, 2026
“Caroline is an incredibly bright and very capable senior junior.”…”She does the legwork and is an engine room in matters.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
“Caroline is excellent: a very good lawyer, very bright, extremely hard-working, dedicated and terrific with clients. She is also a very good cross-examiner.”…”She provides good analytical and commercial advice. She is very much a team player and always happy to help. Her written work is excellent.”
Legal 500, 2025
“Caroline is extremely bright and is very good at grappling with the issues. Her advice is always pragmatic and commercial. She’s a delight to work with.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Easy to deal with and responsive.”
Legal 500, 2024
“She completely engages with cases and is energetic and proactive.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
“Caroline is very bright, a superb lawyer, immensely hard-working and dedicated, fantastic with clients, has great judgement and is an absolute pleasure to work with.”
Legal 500, 2022
“She is user-friendly on claims in the High Court.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
“Caroline is very knowledgeable, industrious, and a real team player.”
Legal 500, 2022
“She is brilliant – extremely bright, immensely hardworking and very pragmatic. Nothing is too much trouble for Caroline and she is perfectly happy to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in.”
Legal 500, 2021
“Quickly assimilated large amounts of information and provided succinct advice. She was prepared, stuck to her guns under pressure, and artfully deflected some of the more difficult issues we faced.”
Legal 500, 2021
“She expertly deals with particularly difficult and robust challenges to her position, whilst maintaining a cool, pragmatic and commercial head.”
Legal 500, 2020
