Aaron Le Marquer joined Stewarts in September 2022 to launch the firm’s Policyholder Disputes practice.
Aaron acts for clients facing insured losses in diverse sectors including financial services, hospitality and retail, manufacturing, logistics, sports and entertainment. He is experienced in all commercial lines of business, including directors and officers, business interruption, product liability, environmental risks, property and casualty. In recent times, Aaron has established a reputation as a leading policyholder advocate in relation to Covid-19 business interruption coverage and has acted in many leading cases in that sphere.
What have been the major milestones in your career to date?
My career has not followed a linear path and has been all the more enjoyable for it.
Having studied music at university, I worked in artist management after graduation, and spent seven years touring the world and playing concerts at venues such as Buckingham Palace, the Kremlin and the Beijing Workers’ Stadium, before alighting on law as a second career choice. I was therefore a relatively mature (or at least old) student when I returned to law school to study the PGDL and LPC. I trained at City firm Cameron McKenna (now CMS), before joining the London office of a US litigation firm on qualification.
During my training contract, I had spent one seat in the firm’s Hong Kong office, and was determined to return to work in Asia at some point in my career. That opportunity presented itself when my partner was offered a transfer to Singapore by his employer, so I moved with him and found a job locally with the regional office of a global insurer. I later went on to establish an insurance practice at a regional Southeast Asian law firm based in Bangkok, and spent six happy years handling cases in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Indonesia.
When my children reached school age it was time to return to London, and it was only at that point that I made the decision to focus on acting for policyholders, rather than insurers. That choice was primarily driven by a desire to avoid the institutional nature of life at the large insurer panel law firms in London. My shift in focus coincided with the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, in most ways a terrible time for all of us, but professionally a very interesting period for an insurance coverage lawyer.
What lead you to your practice area?
Like many, I fell into insurance law by accident rather than by design, as a result of taking advantage of opportunities that have arisen along the way. I soon discovered that the underlying claims on which we act arise out of a diverse range of fascinating and very often highly topical and newsworthy events.
Our practice area offers the opportunity to learn about businesses in all sectors, from financial services and technology to energy, aviation, shipping and construction, sports, entertainment and hospitality. The variety is endless and with London being the global insurance and reinsurance hub, the claims we work on often have a multinational reach.
How does Stewarts differ from other firms?
Stewarts offers a unique blend of rigour, entrepreneurialism, and fun. The firm has an uncommon commitment to being the best in the field whilst at the same time maintaining a happy and healthy working culture. This is an ideal which all law firms and businesses more broadly should aspire to.
What advice would you give to others making a career in law?
Don’t have too narrow or fixed a view of your future career path. You will change as a person, and you have no idea what opportunities will present themselves. Keep an open mind as to where you might find yourself in five, ten or twenty years’ time, and enjoy the journey!
You can find further information regarding our expertise, experience and team on our Policyholder Disputes page.
If you require assistance from our team, please contact us or alternatively request a call back from one of our lawyers by submitting this form.
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