Date of Birth: 1965Date of Call: 1993
General Information
Brasenose College, Oxford BA Jurisprudence
Oxford University Prize (Martin Wronker prize) for 1st place in Administrative law; Brasenose College Law Prize
Northwestern University School of Law LL.M
Fulbright Scholar; James Nelson Raymond International Fellow; BUNAC Award; Dean's List
Practice
Siobán practises commercial law including insurance and reinsurance, international carriage of goods and commodities, shipping, professional negligence, conflict of laws and jurisdiction disputes, arbitration and banking. She is currently instructed for the defendant excess insurers in the Erinaceous litigation. During 2008-9 she acted for the Claimants in the litigation arising out of the Buncefield explosion in December 2005 and for the appellant reinsurers in Wasa v. Lexington, one of the last ever judgments to be given by the House of Lords. She was also instructed as sole counsel in several high value international trade, shipping and insurance arbitrations. She is retained in several unrelated Commercial court actions involving allegations of professional negligence by insurance brokers and solicitors. She acted for insurers in the long-running Metro litigation. She has also been involved in the film finance insurance litigation. In recent years Siobán has been instructed in a number of insurance disputes relating to political risks and trade credit insurance, construction risks, the Lloyd’s market, alleged brokers’ negligence and commodity and shipping and arbitration appeals. She is frequently involved as an advocate in insurance, reinsurance, maritime and sale of goods arbitrations and mediations, and in advisory work in relation to commodity arbitrations where legal representation at hearings is not ordinarily permitted.
Siobán is also currently acting as arbitrator in several reinsurance and international trade disputes under ARIAS, LCIA, and ICC rules.
Siobán is recommended by The Legal 500 as a leading junior in the fields of insurance and reinsurance, professional negligence, commercial arbitration, commodities and shipping; by Chambers & Partners in the fields of insurance, professional negligence, shipping and commodities; and by Legal Experts in insurance and reinsurance, professional negligence, shipping and commodities.
Siobán was Chambers & Partners’ Insurance Junior of the Year 2009, having also been short-listed for the Award in 2007 and 2008.
What the Directories Say
Chambers & Partners 2009 and 2010
Insurance: “undoubtedly amongst the top ranks of leading juniors.”’ “An insurance wizard who knows her subject back to front” she regularly handles high-profile matters.”
Siobán Healy has won accolade after accolade for her recent involvement in acting for claimants in litigation arising out of the Buncefield explosion, as well as for her key role in the Wasa v Lexington matter. Sources describe her as “an extremely proactive and robust advocate who takes the initiative but who is always mindful of the need to operate as a team.”
Professional Negligence: Siobán Healy has a broad commercial law practice and is noted for her expertise in insurance work. She was instructed by claimants on litigation arising out of the Buncefield explosion.
“a leading junior at the set. Her ‘perceptive take on cases’ is popular with solicitors and she often acts for claimants and defendants in allegations relating to a range of non-medical professionals, most notably brokers.”
Shipping and Commodities: “regarded as ‘on the verge of becoming a silk.’ She wins the undiluted support of solicitors.”
Well respected …, widely admired for the strength of her marine insurance practice and for her “fantastic expertise in commodities.”
Legal 500 2009
Commercial Arbitration: “has a ‘very sharp mind; excellent at providing high-quality pleadings very quickly’.”
Commodities: “‘a bright lawyer” with “good knowledge of commodities’.”
Insurance & Reinsurance: “‘gets to grips with complex issues quickly’.”
Professional Negligence: “enthusiastically recommended for the indemnity aspects of professional negligence actions.”
Shipping: “Senior junior Siobán Healy has ‘made a big impression in shipping law’.”
Selected Cases
Wasa v. Lexington [2009] 3 WLR 575, 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 508; [2008] Lloyd’s Rep. IR 510; [2007] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 604 (nature of a reinsurance contract; whether reinsurers under reinsurance contract liable to provide an indemnity for losses falling outside period of cover where insurance and reinsurance on back to back terms)
DHL v. Erinaceous [2009] Lloyd’s Rep. IR 464; [2008] Lloyd’s Rep. IR 676 (rectification of insurance contract; joinder)
Colour Quest v Total [2009] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 1 (the Buncefield Litigation: negligence, public and private nuisance, the rule in Rylands v Fletcher)
Encia v. Canopius [2008] Lloyd’s Rep. IR 79 (whether professional indemnity policy provided cover for design and build contracts)
Diab v. Regent Insurance Co Ltd [2007] 1 WLR 797. Acted for successful respondent insurance company in establishing that there was no rule of law that a repudiation by an insurer of liability on a ground unconnected with compliance by the insured with the claim notification provisions of the policy relieved the insured of the obligation to comply with those provisions.
Limit No. 3 v. PDV [2005] Lloyd's Rep. IR 552 Court of Appeal (Acted for Respondent reinsurer applying to stay proceedings for negative declaratory relief on grounds of forum non conveniens)
Paine v. SJO Catlins [2005] Lloyd's Rep. IR 665 98 (Construction of condition precedent in fire insurance)
Assicurazioni Generali v. CGU [2004] Lloyd's Rep. IR 457; [2003] Lloyd’s Rep. IR 725 Court of Appeal on appeal from Gavin Kealey QC (Acted for Respondent reinsurers on appeal to the Court of Appeal on construction of "Follow Settlements” clauses in reinsurance contract. Appeal dismissed.)
Glencore International v. Alpina Insurance [2004] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 111 Moore-Bick J.
(Instructed by insurers in ‘Phase 5’ of the Metro litigation dealing with insurance issues viz: scope of duty of disclosure under an open cover; misrepresentation and non-disclosure, scope of coverage including any one loss any one location, number of takings, application of policy limit, basis of valuation; effect of declarations post-loss under oblig/oblig and fac/oblig insurance open covers; recovery for losses known to the assured prior to moment of loss.)
The "Happy Day" [2002] EWCA Civ 1068 CA; [2001] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 754 Langley J. (Whether despatch payable to charterers where no valid notice of readiness given)
The "Mass Glory" [2002] EWCH 27 [2002] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 244 Moore-Bick J. (Measure of damages in string arbitration; calculation of laytime where no valid notice of readiness given)
Tradigrain v. S.I.A.T [2002] EWCH 106 17th January Colman J. (Conflict of laws, jurisdiction, Brussels-Lugano Convention Articles 8, 12a, 17, 22)
The Metro litigation (phase II) October 2001 Moore-Bick J. (Alleged misappropriation of large quantities of oil from Fujairah; conflict of laws where numerous parties claim title to commingled goods; formation of contract)
Chase v. Ram [2000] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 418 Timothy Walker J. (Jurisdiction/forum conveniens where underwriters have registered to do business overseas)
Eide v. Lowndes Lambert [1999] QB 199 Court of Appeal (Insurance broker's lien on policy or proceeds; composite insurance)
Boskalis v. Mountain [1999] QB 674 Rix J and Court of Appeal (Marine insurance; sue and labour; constructive total loss; conflict of laws; illegality)
The "Nour" [1999] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 1 Tuckey J. and Court of Appeal (Time and voyage charterparties: indemnity; dangerous cargo; deviation)
Phoenix Marine v. China Ocean [1999] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 682 Moore-Bick J. (Civil Evidence Act 1972 - weight to be given to previous decision on foreign law)
Mauritius Oil v. Stolt Nielsen "The Stolt Sydness" [1997] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 273 Rix J. (Shipping; conflict of laws: relevance of foreign decisions on interpretation of a foreign statute incorporated into an English law contract).
Hellenic Mutual War Risks Assn v. Harrison "The Sagheera" [1997] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 160 Rix J. (Insurance; legal professional privilege; litigation privilege)
Yona v. LRF [1996] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 84 Moore-Bick J (Political risks insurance; reinsurance; agency)
Cox v. Bankside [1995] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 437 at p. 439 Phillips J. (Construction summons on division of proceeds of E&O policies in Lloyd's litigation)
Other
Prior to joining chambers Siobán was a solicitor and trainee solicitor with Richards Butler from 1988-1993 in the firm's International Trade & Commodities Department. She specialised in commodity and shipping arbitrations and litigation, insurance disputes and also gained extensive experience of general commercial court litigation. Siobán has been a director of the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund Limited and a member of the Board’s investment committee since 1995. She is a member of Combar, a supporting member of the London Maritime Arbitrators’ Association, a chambers member of the London Shipping Law Centre and a member of British Insurance Law Association.
Press Releases:
- 7KBW wins four Chambers Bar Awards 2009 - 01/10/09
