Caroline McColgan joined chambers in October 2011 following successful completion of her pupillage. Since then she has been developing a practice which is strongly focused on insurance, property damage, professional negligence and construction law. Caroline is a confident advocate and regularly appears in the High Court as well as before the Court of Appeal.
This year Caroline has been instructed to act for Zurich Insurance PLC in the FCA Test Case litigation, a landmark insurance claim concerning the response of various policies of business interruption insurance to the Covid-19 pandemic which has now been considered by the Supreme Court.
Caroline’s current caseload also includes: 2 Entertain & Ors v Sony DADC, an £8m insurance dispute arising out of the London Riots in 2011; TRW v Whirlpool & Ors, a £9m product liability claim on foot in the TCC; a £115m fire claim arising out of the destruction of a stately home and a £4m construction claim raising an important question as to the validity of the ‘complex structure theory’.
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).
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 »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
News
- Daniel Shapiro KC, Caroline McColgan and Hamish Fraser acted for the successful Insurers in the first warranty & indemnity insurance claim to be decided by the Commercial Court
- The Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2022 Nominations
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
- TECBAR
Recommendations
“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
