Adrian Mecz
Senior Consultant
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Biography
Adrian Mecz is a dispute resolution lawyer based in London. He represents the London market and international insurers and reinsurers in connection with high-value claims and coverage issues relating to a wide range of insurance and reinsurance policies, including banking and other financial and professional risks. He has also advised on contingency risk and large casualty claims matters. He has considerable experience in international fraud investigations, particularly those arising in financial institutions and commercial crime coverages, and has advised on a variety of policy wordings.
Adrian is experienced in all forms of dispute resolution mechanisms related to insurance and reinsurance issues including litigation, arbitration and mediation. He is an accredited mediator and a member of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution’s (CEDR) mediator skills faculty.
Professional experience
Collapse all- 1978 - J.D., Albany Law School of Union University
- 1975 - B.A., University of Rochester
- England and Wales
- New York
- Representing a cedent in connection with a reinsurance arbitration involving a settlement of underlying advertising liability (Lanham Act) litigation in the US.
- Representing a cedent in connection with a reinsurance arbitration relating to a settlement of claims under a Political Violence policy in respect of damage caused in Thailand during the May 2010 “Red Shirt” protests.
- Representing an insurer in connection with an arbitration of a dispute under a generic products patent infringement liability policy following an underlying settlement of US infringement litigation.
- Representing London market insurers in connection with an arbitration of a claim relating to cover under a financial institutions policy in relation to certain high value loan losses in the Middle East.
- Representing a cedent in connection with a reinsurance arbitration relating to issues of aggregation arising from Australian Bush fires.
- Representing a major reinsurer in connection with an arbitration of significant reinsurance liability claims by the Bermuda captive of an international professional services firm, relating to advice given about financial structures found to constitute abusive tax shelters by the US Internal Revenue Service.
- Representing a London market insurer in connection with an arbitration of liability claims by a major pharmaceutical company relating to a contraceptive product (Bermuda Form).
- Representing London market reinsurers of a major financial institution captive insurer in connection with liability claims relating to World Online.
- Representing insurers of a UK Fund Manager in connection with a claim from fund investors arising from the acquisition of a public limited company. Allegations made by investors include misrepresentation and misselling of the funds.
- Representing a UK insurer in arbitration proceedings to determine coverage in respect of claims involving alleged borrower frauds in the extension of subprime mortgage credit.
- Representing a London market insurer on its outwards reinsurance protections in connection with claims by Lehman Brothers.
- Representing Lexington Insurance Company in English Court proceedings against Wasa and AGF regarding extent of back-to-back cover in facultative reinsurance.
- Representing a major US insurer, defending the Hollywood Funding litigation brought on behalf of a Bond Trustee and offshore structured investment fund, in connection with a series of investment grade notes, which were utilized to finance various slates of films.
- Representing London market insurers of an international financial institution in connection with a US$700 million unauthorized trading loss.
- Chambers UK - insurance and reinsurance litigation, Chambers & Partners UK, 2018. Adrian Mecz (Band 2) exhibits considerable skill across a range of insurance and reinsurance matters, most notably on claims concerning financial, political and professional risks. Clients report: "He is excellent, very confident, knows what is he talking about and has lots of experience."
- Chambers & Partners, 2014. “Adrian Mecz is highly regarded for his considerable experience in insurance and reinsurance matters, which spans over three decades. Sources compliment him as ‘a very good lawyer, very sharp,’ who is ‘one of those long-standing market figures - very well respected.’”
- Legal 500 UK - leading lawyers list, The Legal 500, 2013. “Clients say that department head Adrian Mecz ‘gives you good, sound advice’ and is a ‘very good negotiator.’ He is highly regarded for his handling of direct insurance claims as well as reinsurance matters. He is a key figure in the London market, but also handles international matters, which have previously encompassed jurisdictions such as the USA, Bermuda, Israel and Switzerland.”
- Legal 500 UK - insurance and reinsurance litigation, The Legal 500, 2009
- Best Lawyers -insurance in the UK, Best Lawyers, 2012
- Best Lawyers -insurance in the US, Best Lawyers, 2012
- Expert Guides, insurance and reinsurance, Expert Guides, 2012
- Expert Guides, insurance and reinsurance and litigation, Expert Guides, 2016
- The Insider’s Guide to Insurance and Reinsurance
- "Forex Market Manipulation – The Story Is Not Over Yet," Client alert, December 16, 2014
- "Payment Protection Insurance (PPI): Key Implications of the Judicial Review of the UK Regulatory Response," Insurance and Reinsurance NewsWire, July 2011
- "Wasa v. Lexington: Buyer Beware," Insurance and Reinsurance NewsWire, November 2009
- "Defining the loss/aggregation causes," Falconbury Reinsurance Contract Wordings and Disputes, May 2010 and June 2011
- "Discussion on Wasa v. Lexington Judgment," New York, NY, November 11, 2009
- Accredited mediator and member, Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) mediator skills faculty