Diarmuid Laffan

Call: 2014

+442078222000

Shortlist

d.laffan@4newsquare.com

Download CV

CLERK: Jack Boggans

+442078222122

j.boggans@4newsquare.com

+447584248987

Diarmuid Laffan has a broad commercial practice focussing on insurance/reinsurance, professional liability, construction, civil fraud and sports law. He is recognised in Legal 500’s 2021 guide as a ‘Rising Star’ for insurance, professional negligence and sports. Recent work includes:

• Instructed as junior to David Turner QC in an international reinsurance dispute.

• Instructed as junior to Dan Saoul QC in a pending High Court civil fraud claim.

• Acted as junior to Siân Mirchandani QC in successfully defending an adjudication claim brought by the building contractor on a substantial hospitality and leisure development against the employer’s agent.

• Instructed as junior to Roger Stewart QC in pending Commercial Court proceedings concerned with the alleged mishandling of an international arbitration.

• Acted for an international law firm in successfully contesting an application to set aside default judgment brought by an African industrial conglomerate.

• Acted successfully for an athlete charged with possession and use of a prohibited substance. The charges were dismissed following a 2-day hearing of the National Anti-Doping Panel.

• Instructed as sole counsel in advising a facilities management contractor regarding its rights, under an interface agreement, against the design & build contractor on a major PFI project.

• Advised a national insurer on fraudulent claims and on pending proceedings for the recovery of sums paid out under voided policies.

• Instructed as sole counsel in an upcoming three-day construction trial arising out of the redevelopment of a luxury home.

• Acted successfully for a national hostelry in resisting an application to bring High Court committal proceedings against one of its officers.

Privacy Policy

Click here for a Privacy Policy for Diarmuid Laffan.

Transparency Statement

Click here for the Transparency Statement of Diarmuid Laffan.

Commercial

Shortlist

Download

Recent instructions include:

• Acting in a High Court misrepresentation / fraud claim.
• Acting for a retail bank in its defence of a claim relating to the sharing of information with credit reference agencies.
• Assisting Can Yeginsu in advising on a dispute regarding the termination of an international software reselling agreement.
• Assisting Tom Ogden in advising on a partnership dispute arising from a broadband venture.
• Acting for an estate agency claiming fees due under a joint sole agency contract.
• Advising on the regulatory compliance of a claims management company’s commercial arrangements.

Construction

Shortlist

Download

Recent instructions include:

• Acting for a main contractor in an adjudication concerning the completion of a major energy project.
• Acting for a structural glass specialist in a claim alleging negligent design.

Insurance / Reinsurance

Shortlist

Download

‘Always delivers reliable commercial advice.’ – Legal 500, 2021

Recent instructions include:

• Acting for a reinsurer in a substantial arbitration involving non-disclosure and coverage issues.
• Advising a national insurer in relation to ATE insurance.
• Advising underwriters regarding the ambit of specific fraud clauses and the fraudulent claims rule generally.

Professional Liability

Shortlist

Download

‘He is an excellent advocate and thinks quickly on his feet. Excellent drafting skills, very thorough and always gets into the detail of the matter’ – Legal 500, 2021

Recent instructions include:

• Acting for a firm of solicitors in a claim concerning the negotiation of a Share Purchase Agreement.
• Acting for a firm of solicitors in response to a claim regarding the issue of proceedings.
• Acting for a chartered building surveyor in an expert’s negligence claim.
• Advising a firm of solicitors on allegations regarding the settlement of matrimonial financial remedy proceedings.
• Advising a firm of solicitors on the settlement of a personal injury action.
• Assisting with the response to an intimated White v Jones claim (as a pupil).

Public Law and Human Rights

Shortlist

Download

Recent instructions include:

• Instructed as a member of the claimant’s counsel team in the landmark case of R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8, in which the Supreme Court substantially revised the law of secondary criminal liability, abolishing the controversial doctrine of parasitic accessorial liability.
• Instructed by Article 19 in its intervention before the European Court of Human Rights in the pending case of Ganbarova and Others v Azerbaijan, the first ECHR case to consider travel bans as restrictions of the right to freedom of expression.

Sports

Shortlist

Download

“His approach is incredibly professional and very strategic, distilling matters for lay clients.” – Legal 500, 2021

Recent instructions include:

• Acting for the Appellant before the National Anti-Doping Panel in Hosseinpoor v UKAD (SR/NADP/667/2016), in which the Appellant was granted a 50% reduction in his two year additional sanction for training in breach of an existing anti-doping ban.