Michael Curtis KC

Property Damage

Selected Cases

• Acting for drinks manufacturer in respect of fires alleged to be caused by drinks vending machines.
• Acting for project managers in a claim for damages arising out of the delay and disruption to a landmark development caused by a fire.
• Acting for a social housing landlord in respect of damage caused by a sinkhole.
• Acting for the developers in a claim arising out of a £0.25 billion property development in Central London.
• Acting for the defendant fit out contractors in a claim arising out of a burglary at Central London jewelers.
• Acting for sub contractors in a multi million pound claim arising out of a fire at a mansion on a private island.
• Acting for contractors in a multi million pound claim arising out of a fire at a warehouse in Wolverhampton.
• Acting for the defendants in a multi million pound claim brought by the Highways Agency arising out of damage to the M5 motorway in a road traffic accident.
• Acting for hotel owners and insurers in a multi million pound claim arising out of a fire at a hotel and holiday resort on the South Coast.
• Acting for the claimants in respect of a multi million claim arising out of a fire at a major chemical factory.
• Acting for a sub contractor in respect of a multi million claim arising from a fire during the course of the construction of a landmark London development.
• Acting for the claimants in respect of a claim arising out of a fire at an adjacent fuel distribution depot.
• Advising the contractor in respect of a £25-50m fire claim at one of the largest pharmaceutical distribution centres in Europe.
• Acting for the developer in a 3-month $150m international arbitration concerning a hotel and condominium development in the Caribbean, which suffered hurricane damage during the course of construction. The arbitration settled in the second month of the hearing.
• Acting for the claimant solicitors in a £2m claim for flood damage at their city offices.
• Coles v Hetherton [2013] Lloyds Rep IR 9 (Cooke J); [2014] Lloyds Rep IR 367 (Court of Appeal) – Acting for the Allianz and Provident policy holders in a group of test cases in the Commercial Court concerning the proper measure of loss in cases involving damage to chattels.
• The Buncefield Litigation – Instructed on behalf of Total in a series of quantum trials in the   TCC and the Commercial Court where the sums in dispute range from £5m to £50m.
• Three Valleys Water PLC v London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority [2009] EWHC 3109 (Mr Justice Edwards Stuart) – Acting for London Fire in a claim concerning the respective responsibilities of water companies and fire authorities for the repair and maintenance of fire hydrants. Among other issues, the court considered the interpretation and effect of the British Standards relating to fire hydrants and whether they were determinative of the parties’ respective obligations under the statutory scheme.
• Coal Pension Properties v Nu Way Ltd (2009) 124 Con LR 76 – Acting for the claimants in a £2m claim arising out of an explosion at their Oxford Street store caused by a defective gas booster.
• Orange Personal Communications Services Ltd v Hoare Lea (A Firm) (2008) 117 Con LR 76, Akenhead J – Acting for Orange in a claim for flood damage to Orange’s Bristol data centre.

News

• Supreme Court grants permission to appeal in Abbey Healthcare case
• Andrew Rigney KC and Patrick Maxwell successful in TCC claim for declaration

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Qualifications

• Ranner Arbitration Prize
• MSc (Construction & Arbitration Law), Kings College London
• MA in Law (Oxon)

Memberships

• ACIArb
• TECBAR
• COMBAR
• LCLBA
• PNBA
• LCIA
• SCL