Date of Birth: 1964Date of Call: 1987
Silk Date: 2006
General Information
BA (Jurisprudence), Oxon.; BCL, Oxon.
Practice
Robert Bright’s experience since call has encompassed all the classes of litigation frequently seen in the Commercial Court and in commercial arbitrations.
General commercial litigation experience has particular emphasis on international cases including asset-tracing/recovery actions, jurisdictional disputes, insurance/reinsurance (including several Lloyd’s names cases, Weavers-related litigation and several LMX and PA disputes, as well as many others), professional negligence (including solicitors, brokers, surveyors, bankers, accountants and actuaries) and shipping (numerous cases).
Most cases are international/multi-jurisdicitonal in character, and many occur in arbitration (and, as such, are confidential). Specific forensic experience in the past five years includes six major Commercial Court actions (a $35m theft claim, a $176m film finance claim, a DM1bn Nigerian fraud claim, three separate major UK fraud claims, two major professional negligence claim); five large-scale London-market reinsurance arbitrations and four insurance arbitrations; three international arbitrations (several taking place overseas, in Europe and in Hong Kong); several smaller Commercial Court actions and many maritime arbitrations.
Robert Bright is recommended by “Legal Experts 2007” in commercial litigation, commodities, insurance/reinsurance, international commercial arbitration, professional negligence and shipping; by Legal 500 in commercial arbitration, commercial litigation, commodities and shipping; and by “Chambers 2008” as a leading Silk in shipping and commodities.
He has been described by the editors of Legal 500 as “praised for his “effective style”… he has an excellent arbitration practice and is a “well thought-of young silk”". The editors of Chambers praise him for “sound commercial judgment and describe him as “extremely user-friendly, reliable, effective and robust”” He is experienced with respect to general commercial disputes and lays a particular emphasis on international matters.
Selected Cases
ANZ v. Noga [2007] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 487: Fraud, settlement agreement
ABB Asea Brown Boveri v. Hiscox [2007] EWHC 1150 (Comm.): Contract frustration cover
The “Luxmar” [2006] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 543:
Standard Steamship v. GIE Bail [2005] Lloyd’s Rep IR 407: P&I cover, jurisdiction
SCT v. Trafigura [2005] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 128: Oil-trade contracts
The “Atrice” [2001] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 1: Hague Rules
Andrea Merzario v. Leitner [2001] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 490: CMR, jurisdiction
The “Kapitan Sakharov” [2000] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 255: Seaworthiness, dangerous goods
MDIS v. Swinbank [1999] Lloyd’s Rep IR 516: Professional indemnity cover
Federal v. Transamerica [1999] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 286: Arbitration Act 1996
Nueva Fortuna v. Tata [1999] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 497: Sham contracts
Lukoil v. Tata [1999] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 365: Agency
Coggins v. LKW Walter [1999] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 255: CMR successive carriers
The “Hector” [1998] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 287: Bills of lading
Mander v. Commercial Union [1998] Lloyd’s Rep. IR 93: Reinsurance, operation of open covers
The “Reefer Creole” [1994] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 584: Jurisdiction
The “Saetta” [1993] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 268: Time-charter c/p, Sale of Goods Act
New England Re v. Messoghios [1992] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 251: Reinsurance, jurisdiction
Touche Ross v. Colin Baker [1992] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 207: Professional indemnity insurance
Other
Memberships include Combar, LCIA and the London Shipping Law Centre
