Expertise

Laura Payne is a Legal Director in Addleshaw Goddard's Litigation division, specialising in insurance disputes.

Laura has experience of acting for major national and multinational policyholders involved in coverage disputes with their insurers. She acts in both court litigation and arbitration, particularly specialising in international Bermuda Form arbitration. Laura also has experience of product liability claims (including group actions) and risk management. 

Laura has completed a secondment to the in-house legal team of Diageo, where she advised the business in relation to a number of contentious and non-contentious issues in the GB market.

Experience

Laura's experience includes:

  • acting for a US client in a series of liability insurance arbitrations concerning losses in excess of $300m arising from one of its products installed in residential homes
  • acting for a FTSE 100 global pharmaceutical company in two significant Bermuda Form (product liability insurance) arbitrations, concerning claims totalling in excess of US$2bn
  • acting for GlaxoSmithKline in defence of a large product liability group action in relation to one of its antidepressants, Seroxat
  • acting for Weyerhaeuser Company in responding to anti-suit injunctions obtained by XL and Catlin ([2018] EWHC 3609 (Comm)), and Hiscox and Starr ([2019] EWHC 2671 (Comm))
  • representing Rathbone Brothers Plc and an individual trustee / former employee of a Rathbones subsidiary in English Commercial Court and Court of Appeal proceedings in relation to a claim under the excess layer of Rathbones' 2008/09 civil liability insurance programme ([2013] EWHC 3457 (Comm) and [2014] EWCA Civ 1464).
EDUCATION
  • Oxford University, English Language and Literature 
  • GDL and LPC, BPP Law School
Professional Memberships
  • Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in Industry and Commerce (AIRMIC)
  • British Insurance Law Association (BILA)
Testimonials

Laura Payne is a real pleasure to work with. She is the engine room of the team who has an amazing ability to recall all relevant details and documents. Exceptionally bright and hard working

Insurance Mainly Policyholders – Legal 500 2023

Brings focus and clarity to complex material

Insurance Mainly Policyholders – Legal 500 2022