Profiles

Energy & Natural Resources

• Advising on a range of issues in relation to a variety of disputes in the oil & gas sector including the application of various standard LOGIC contract clauses.
• Acting for a major international contractor in respect of a subsea gas pipeline trenching supply contract in Asia with the Commercial Court trial of the action pending.
• Six week ICC arbitration concerning the construction and installation of a subsea pipeline used in the first gravity based structure for the regasification of LNG.
• Four week trial arising out of the delivery of contaminated LPG to Borealis AB’s integrated olefin plant at Stenungsund and the extensive ensuing damage caused to the plant: Borealis AG v Geogas AS
• ICC arbitration acting for the contractor in respect of claims arising out of the construction of a single point mooring buoy offshore Nigeria.
• LCIA arbitration arising out shareholder and joint venture disputes in connection with oil and gas storage facilities.
• Acting for an independent upstream oil and gas company the operator of various North Sea oil fields in relation to injunction proceedings compelling the performance of sub-sea works.
• 12 week Commercial Court trial acting for Saipem following a major incident during plug and abandon operations aboard one of Saipem’s state of the art dynamically positioned oil exploration vessels that resulted in the loss of the vessel’s riser string and BOP at sea and a record breaking salvage operation (Saipem (Portugal) Commercio Maritimo Sociedade Unipessoal LDA v Wirth Maschinen-Und-Bohrgerate-Fabrik & National Oilwell AS led by Michael Crane Q.C).
• Advising in relation to North Sea oil exploration licensing agreements including the transfer and assignment of licences.
• Acting for the owner of a power station in relation to the purchase of defective electricity turbines (TCC).

Construction and Engineering

• Currently acting for the contractors in connection with multi-million US$ claims arising out of the construction of a container port in the Caribbean the subject of FIDIC terms.  The dispute is ongoing following a recent three week evidential hearing.
• Acting in relation to various Construction and Engineering disputes arising out of the energy sector (as above).
• Advising a market leader on the practical application and construction of NEC2 contracts applicable to sewage and waste water treatment works in a dispute between joint venture partners.
• Advising on PFI contracts including the financing and securitisation of PFI contracts in the health sector.

International Arbitration

• Acting in numerous ICC, LCIA and other international arbitral fora involving a variety of different areas of the law including energy, construction, sale of goods and the supply of services, commercial agency, aviation, insurance and reinsurance.
• Currently acting for the Respondents in an ICC arbitration (with the final award pending following a 3 week evidential hearing) concerning the construction of a container port.
• Representing the Respondent contractors in a dispute as to the arbitrator’s jurisdiction to hear claims and the effect of multi-tiered dispute resolution clauses.
• Six week ICC arbitration concerning the construction and installation of a subsea pipeline used in the first gravity based structure for the regasification of LNG.
• Court work in support of or in connection with arbitration including setting aside ex parte injunctive relief obtained by the claimant in support of proposed arbitration proceedings in an attempt to stifle Celtel’s US$ billion acquisition of EWL (Econet Wireless Ltd v Vee Networks Ltd), anti-suit injunctions, freezing orders and the enforcement of arbitral awards under the New York Convention. 

Commercial Litigation

• Acting for and advising The Governor and Company of The Bank of Ireland on securitization, interest rate swaps, facility agreements, deeds of release & mistake in a dispute following the termination of facilities.
• Representing the French shareholder in a joint venture dispute in the Commercial Court concerned with the manufacture of fabrics and including freezing orders and jurisdiction hearings with proceedings in London, Paris, Hong-Kong and the Cayman Islands: Dollfus Mieg et Companies v CDW International Ltd.
• Challenging an expert determination in Commercial Court proceedings in the context of professional negligence claims arising out of insurance binder arrangements: Hamishmar Insurance Agency Ltd v First City Partnership.
• Commercial Court trial representing the export credit insurer in the Commercial Court in respect of a substantial multi-million civil fraud (Nederlandsche Credietverzekering Maatschappji NV & NCM Credit Insurance Ltd. v Dovertower Ltd & Ors - led by Stephen Moriarty QC)
• Representing the buyer in relation to breaches of warranty arising out of share sale agreements (Kwik-Fit Holdings Plc. v Shell Petroleum Corporation Plc. and Kwik-Fit Holdings Plc. v Amphlett & Ors.)
• Numerous banking cases advising and representing Lloyds TSB Bank plc in connection with the enforcement of guarantees, debentures and other forms of security as well as civil fraud claims in connection with fraudulent investment schemes, so called prime bank guarantees and fraudulent misrepresentation.
• Acting for Central Bank of Trinidad & Tobago in its long dispute against Gulf Insurance Limited following the Bank’s exercise of statutory emergency powers to nationalise an indigenous bank. (Privy Council)

Professional Negligence

• Acting for various professionals including the architect in Jane Duncan v Coussens (TCC) and the accountants in Easterbrook v Lishman Sidwell Campbell (3 week trial, Newcastle District Registry) and in a number of cases for and against insurance brokers including Eugene Ryan & Ors v Anthony Kidd Agencies Ltd. Peter Mee & Ors v English & Welsh & Scottish Railways and Harel Insurance Company Limited v First City Partnership Limited.  Veronique has also recently advised a leading high street bank in connection with claims for professional negligence against a firm of solicitors.

IT and Telecommunications

• Advising and acting on a number of cases in relation to IT including the operation of complex software governing drilling control systems aboard a drill ship (Saipem 10,000).
• Numerous telecommunications disputes acting for British Telecommunications Plc and related litigation

Insurance & Reinsurance

• Acted in a number of insurance and re-insurance disputes dealing with a broad range of factual and legal issues including avoidance, coverage and civil fraud. 
• Advising on coverage in a dispute between contractors and their insurers.
• Counsel for the Harel Insurance Company Limited (Israel) in respect of its dispute with First City Partnership Limited concerning First City’s brokerage of various binding authority agreements and facultative treaties at Lloyd’s.
• Acting for the new owners of a well known domestic insurance provider in relation to claims for conspiracy, unlawful interference and procuring breaches of contract.
• Representing the export credit insurer in the Commercial Court in respect of a substantial multi-million civil fraud.
• Advising a rail operator in respect of their employee insurance schemes.
• Acting for the French liquidator of Independent Insurance following the collapse of the Independent insurance group.

Mediation/ADR

Veronique has acted in several cases that have been resolved by mediation and has extensive experience of preparing for mediation including the drafting of position papers for the mediator(s).
In addition to her arbitration and mediation work Veronique has acted as counsel in expert determinations and as an expert appointed by the Chairman of the Bar to resolve disputes.