John Farrell

John is a Partner in our London office. He specialises in the areas of construction and engineering, insurance/reinsurance, product liability, professional liability and media liability. He also sits on the firm’s Emerging Risks Group.

John acts for civil engineering contractors and consultants, engineering manufacturers, employers and public authorities, as well as some of the markets largest and international insurers and reinsurers.

He has particular experience in claims relating to contractors’ all risks (CAR) and significant expertise in alternative dispute resolution, including early neutral evaluation and mediation.

John has advised professional firms (including design and media consultants) and their insurers in relation to traditional claims and, more recently, in respect of claims arising from the ‘misuse’ of social media.

John advises on the consequences of cyber attacks in terms of loss of confidential data, potential reputational damage, increased scrutiny from regulators and associated financial penalties and the obligations of the GDPR. He is currently acting as notification counsel for an insured who was subject to a major hack of senior director’s email accounts. He has also advised high profile individuals regarding them exercising their right to be forgotten against well know search engines and ISP and submitting complaints on their behalf to the ICO.

Reported cases include Seele v Tokio Marine [2007], Holbeck Hall Hotel and another v Scarborough Borough Council [2000], Maclaughlin and others v London Borough of Lambeth [2011] and Saad Al Fagih v HH Saudi Research & Marketing (UK) Ltd [2001].

John is a member of the British Insurance Law Association, City of London Law Society working party on insurance law contract reform, Chartered Insurance Institute and Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL). He regularly contributes to Kennedys’ publications and to industry press, including Insurance Post and Insurance Day.

Qualifications

• Qualified in England and Wales in 1993