John Bignall specialises in commercial law, particularly in the areas of insurance and reinsurance, conflicts of laws, the international carriage of goods by land and sea, civil fraud, professional negligence and general contractual disputes.  His practice involves advocacy and advisory work in the English Courts, most frequently the Commercial Court, and before domestic arbitration tribunals.

M.A. (English) Cantab 1st Class.

Outstanding (Certificate of Honour) and Everard ver Heyden prize for advocacy – Inns of Court School of Law.

German; basic French.

• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Commercial Fraud
• Shipping
• Carriage of Goods
• Construction
• Arbitration

Selected cases:

• Assicurazione Generali SpA v CGU [2004] EWCA 429, [2003] 2 All ER (Comm) 425 – reinsurance - summary judgment – construction of ‘follow settlements’ clause.
• Glencore International AG -v- Alpina Insurance Co. Ltd. & Others – Metro litigation – [2004] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 567 - marine insurance – misappropriation of oil – misrepresentation/non-disclosure – policy construction.
• Paramount 1, Paramount 2 – film finance insurance – deceit – misrepresentation/non-disclosure.
• ‘North Star’ – war risks insurance – constructive total loss of vessel on which explosive charge placed – misrepresentation/non-disclosure – whether assured responsible for explosion.
• Kwelm v Eagle Star -  Arbitration - Reinsurance dispute arising from the demise of weavers 

Selected cases:

• Grupo Torras v Al-Sabah – civil fraud claim for $300 million

Selected cases:

• "Royal Clipper" - Arbitration Dispute arising from converstion of vessel to cruise sailing vessel.
• Sonatrach v Ferrell [2002] 1 All ER (Comm) 627 – arbitration – stay of proceedings – charter-party dispute – floating choice of law clause.
• "Seven Seas Bridge" – carriage by sea – damage to frozen seafood following engine room fire.
• "Edco" – carriage by sea – rust damage to steel coils.

Selected cases:

• "Seven Seas Bridge" – carriage by sea – damage to frozen seafood following engine room fire.
• "Edco" – carriage by sea – rust damage to steel coils.

Selected cases:

• Braspetro Oil Services Co And Another -v- FPSO Construction Inc And Another Braspetro Oil Services Co And Another -v- FSO Construction Inc And Another Note [2007 All ER (Comm) 924  - Dispute relating to construction of oil production platform

Selected cases:

• "Royal Clipper" - Arbitration Dispute arising from converstion of vessel to cruise sailing vessel.
• Sonatrach v Ferrell [2002] 1 All ER (Comm) 627 – arbitration – stay of proceedings – charter-party dispute – floating choice of law clause.