Simon Laird—RPC

RPC has named Simon Laird as head of insurance. Simon's appointment follows the election of previous incumbent James Miller as managing partner. Simon—who will continue in a fee-earning role—takes up the position with immediate effect and will split his time equally between London and Bristol.

Simon has been at RPC his whole career. He trained at the firm before qualifying in 2005. He made partner in 2010 and was elected to the Partnership Committee in 2016. In his new role, he will also sit on the firm's Management Board.

Simon's practice focuses on onshore and offshore insurance-related commercial disputes, with specific expertise in the financial services sector. In addition to litigation, Simon is an expert on Financial Ombudsman Service jurisdiction and regulatory issues (including s 166 skilled person reports, enforcement action and past business reviews). He is also a member of the Financial Services Lawyers Association.

James Miller said: "I've worked alongside Simon throughout his career. It was very clear from the outset that he would go on to achieve great things, so I'm very pleased to see that recognised in this appointment.

"Our insurance practice is a market leader. We're well known for our service focus, our commitment to quality, and our commerciality. Simon embodies all of those values and will be a fantastic ambassador for our brand. I'm very much looking forward to what will be an exciting new chapter in the practice's long history."

Simon said: "The insurance legal market is challenging but that's no different to the challenges, pressures and uncertainties many of our insurer clients and their insureds are also facing at the moment.

"These market conditions also present new opportunities for fresh ideas to come to the fore. With the exceptional talent we have and with James' relentless focus on client service already embedded in the team, we are well placed to build on the successes of RPC's Insurance Group over the last few years. 

"My role is about inspiring the team to collaborate in coming up with those new ideas, continuing to deliver excellent client service, and providing our clients with the solutions they need to succeed in an increasingly challenging marketplace. I can't wait to get started."