By David Pipkin, Non-Executive Director
(Estimated reading time: 1 minute 36 seconds)
It will come as no surprise to anyone working in-house to know that very soon there will be more lawyers working for in-house legal teams than there are in private practice.
Many of those lawyers will be conducting litigation and whilst they can only act for their employer they will invariably bring a unique experience as they will understand their own industry and commercial issues better than many external lawyers. Perhaps this is why we are seeing more in house lawyers litigating rather than instructing one of their panel lawyers.
Over the last decade many commercial litigators have begun to appreciate how important a working knowledge of funding and especially after the event (ATE) insurance has become. From our experience in-house lawyers have been slower to realise the benefits of ATE.
Our message to advocate in-house lawyers is to strike up strategic alliance with a reputable ATE insurance provider before a pressing and costly legal dispute is upon them.
Here at Temple, our commercial underwriters are working with more and more in house teams to develop tailor-made legal insurance facilities to ensure legal protection cover can be made available promptly, efficiently and at a competitive cost.
If you are in a business environment where you are regularly exposed to disputes, Temple can offer you a solution which will endeavour to make sure your company’s bottom line is less exposed to the potentially high cost of litigation. The adverse legal costs can be removed from the company balance sheet and shareholder’s interests better protected.
Temple’s new commercial ATE insurance has never been easier to utilise. With a choice of three cover options, each covering all types of commercial dispute and suitable for any retainer arrangement there is something for everyone.
Give one of our commercial underwriting team a call on 01483 577877 or send an email to and we can set up a discussion. Do note that our case assessment service is free of charge and without obligation.
David Pipkin
Non-Executive Director
David Pipkin
David was Director of Temple’s Underwriting Division for 14 years during which time he supported Temple’s coverholders with his exceptional knowledge, expert guidance and friendly countenance.
He is now a Non-Executive member of the board supporting the strategic direction of the company and attending key events and meetings with our customers.
David has spent over 40 years as a Legal Executive specialising in personal injury litigation. Initially, he was a claimant litigator pursuing leading industrial accident and disease cases.
As an Associate at Davies Arnold Cooper for over a decade he managed a team of lawyers and acted for defendants in personal injury and general insurance litigation. In this role, he became involved in the early development of the ATE market, assisting the ABI in their involvement in the Court of Appeal test cases such as Callery v Gray.
As the London representative for FOIL he was involved in the liability insurers’ approach to ATE and worked with the government and judiciary in several key consultations. He was a member of the CILEX National Council for over 15 years and was CILEX President in 1995/6.
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