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A Foreign Experience: Arbitrating Insurance Coverage Disputes in London
Many insurance policies now include arbitration provisions providing that disputes be arbitrated in London under the substantive law of New York. To policyholders, the “deck” in an international insurance arbitration appears to be stacked in favor of the insurance company, if only because the insurance company ' a repeat player in London arbitrations ' knows the results of its past arbitrations and the policyholder (and its counsel) likely does not. However, with careful strategy and preparation, a policyholder can prevail even in a “foreign experience” in international insurance arbitration.
The policy form that began the London arbitration trend is the “Bermuda form” sold by companies like ACE Insurance Company, Ltd., and XL Insurance Company, Ltd. Except for a brief time when some Bermuda insurance policies required arbitration in Bermuda, the Bermuda form, since its inception in the mid-1980s, has included a London arbitration provision. Although, for many years, most disputes arising under the Bermuda form were settled, insurance disputes arising under the Bermuda form increasingly, in my experience, are arbitrated, either because Bermuda insurers, like insurers of yore, decide to litigate disputes or because the policyholder is unable to obtain redress (or even a response) otherwise.
Unlike arbitration of other disputes, arbitration of insurance disputes is not necessarily a cheaper or less expensive means of resolving disputes than litigation. Arbitration clauses in insurance policies are written by insurance companies, for the benefit of insurance companies. Arbitration in London requires “setting up shop” in London where many policyholders do not have operations and putting up witnesses in an expensive (though interesting) capital of foreign arbitration. In addition, in large losses, policyholders may find themselves in a series of arbitrations, forced to engage in one proceeding after another to go up the “chain” of insurance companies, with the attendant risk of inconsistent litigation results and increased cost.
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York
In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?
Legal Possession: What Does It Mean?
Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.