JAMES PHYTHIAN-ADAMS focuses on transactional and regulatory work for insurers, reinsurers, investors, and other participants in the global insurance industry. His practice often involves helping clients across Europe, North America, the offshore jurisdictions, and Asia to access the London and international insurance markets and resolve the complex cross-border challenges they encounter.
He advises on a wide range of matters, including:
- Insurance carrier and intermediary formation, acquisition, governance, compliance, and disposal.
- Branch set-up, subsidirization, and insurance licensing.
- Managing general agent (MGA) and coverholder formation, operation, and incubation.
- Transactions in and relating to the Lloyd’s market.
- Adverse development cover (ADC), loss portfolio transfer (LPT), insurance business transfer, industry loss warranty (ILW), insurance-linked securities (ILS), insurtech, distribution, and life and longevity transactions.
- Lloyd’s, Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and other compliance.
James is recognized as an emerging leader in the insurance sector. Chambers UK 2023 names him as an up-and-coming practitioner for Insurance: Non-contentious, with clients commenting: “James remains one of the best lawyers I have ever worked with. He knows the sector and the commercials and legal surrounding better than anyone." Sources from the 2021 edition commented that he “provides top-quality drafting and is excellent at delivering complex deals to tight timescales.” He is also recommended in Legal 500 UK 2023 for Insurance: corporate and regulatory. James was also ranked in the 2022 edition, with clients saying he is “commercial, available at very flexible times and a pleasure to work with.”