Dan Brooks
Partner
Dan Brooks
Partner
Dan Brooks jointly leads the Wynterhill team with Stuart Hill.
He is noted in the Legal 500 (2018-2026) and in Chambers & Partners (2021-2026) for his specialist advice to policyholders. He is passionate about resolving his clients’ commercial disputes and all things related to insurance law, the London Market and dispute resolution generally.
Over the last 15 years, he has built a strong reputation for resolving complex coverage disputes for policyholders across a broad spectrum of sectors and product lines, with a particular focus on Construction Risks, Professional Indemnity and Property Damage & Business Interruption claims (including claims where dishonesty or fraud is alleged).
He frequently advises on related professional negligence matters which have an insurance twist.
Where possible he seeks to resolve unwanted commercial disputes quickly and knows how and when a claim can be settled on best possible terms, alternatively understands when to roll up his sleeves to litigate or arbitrate to get the desired result for his clients (often in difficult circumstances).
His clients describe him as tenacious, determined and commercially astute.
British Insurance Law Association Committee Member since September 2022.
Client matter highlights:
Contractor-All-Risks
- Advised a plant and civil engineering business on the application of a DE3 exclusion in a CAR policy and on aggregation issues following damage to specialist pipework installed in a major brownfield site development in Wales.
- Advised a specialist engineering business in respect of its claims under a CAR policy and related DE3 coverage dispute following damage to a jet turbine engine, represented that policyholder in three-party mediation with multiple underwriters.
Professional Indemnity
- Advised and represented a UK developer in respect of multiple PI claims across different policy years and various coverage issues arising from a series of Building Safety Act/RCO claims brought by the UK Government related to defective cladding and fire safety issues.
- Advised and represented a design and build contractor on various coverage issues arising from multiple cladding claims in residential projects London impacting primary and excess layer insurers – represented the insured at mediation with multiple parties.
- Advised a global engineering business on the extent of coverage available under a PI policy and the number of applicable excesses arising from the meaning of ‘each and every building’ in connection with an eight-figure fire safety claim.
- Advised a firm of architects in a PI coverage dispute arising from a professional negligence claim and represented them successfully in an arbitration under the 1996 Act in connection with the meaning and effect of a cladding endorsement and defended a claim for rectification by Insurers.
- Advised and represented an architect in a professional indemnity dispute with multiple Insurers across multiple years of insurance in connection with a scope of notification dispute – resolved the claim by negotiation.
- Advised a leading manufacturer of fire rated doors in the UK following the Grenfell investigation and drafted specific notifications of potential claims in excess of the policy limit.
Property Damage & Business Interruption
- Advised and represented a property management company in a multiparty dispute following a fire that destroyed 13 flats in North London where the policyholder was defending allegation that its proposal form contained deliberate or reckless misrepresentations.
- Advised and represented a waste recycling business in respect of on multiple coverage issues and related claims arising out of multiple fires, at different sites and under different policies, where the policy was avoided for alleged non-disclosure and/or misrepresentation.
- Advised private individuals following allegations of dishonesty after a serious residential fire – successfully represented the individuals in their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman and related Enterprise Act claim against the insurer.
- Advised a broad spectrum of large corporates – including retail, hospitality, care-homes and automotive – about the extent of business interruption insurance cover following the occurrence of Covid-19 in 2020.
Employers Liability/Public Liability
- Advised a residential contractor on various coverage issues under a Public Liability policy following the collapse residential property in North London and resolved the matter by way of three-party mediation.
- Advised and represented a private individual where he had obtained a significant award against an insolvent insurer and in respect of a related dispute with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme where the policy had been avoided.
- Advised a construction haulage contractor following a seven-figure employers liability claim and represented them at three-party mediation following a coverage dispute and related professional negligence claim.
Other risks
- Advised a global manufacturer of glass vitrines on its marine stock-through-put claim and represented them in subsequent litigation in the Commercial Court.
- Advised an ex-employee of a financial institution in respect of his potential D&O claim against his former employer and represented him in an accelerated LCIA arbitration.
- Advised a haulage contractor about a cyber claim following a social engineering fraud and represented them in a binding determination.
Professional Negligence
- Represented a group of leaseholders and management company in a professional negligence claim against their former property agent and insurance broker following a major fire.
- Represented a waste management business in a professional negligence claim against an insurance intermediary following the settlement of a related insurance claim.
- Represented an architect in its professional negligence claim against an insurance broker related to the irrecoverable costs of an insurance arbitration.
- Represented individuals in their claim against a loss assessor following the mishandling of an insurance claim that resulted in allegations of fraud.
- Represented an individual in his claim against a firm of solicitors following the mishandling of an insurance claim that resulted in a shortfall.
Acknowledgements:
Chambers & Partners says:
He’s commercial, pragmatic and doesn’t take unnecessary points (2024)
A very knowledgeable insurance lawyer with a technical level of expertise, who is also user-friendly and puts clients at ease (2024)
Dan is very tenacious. He always finds good outcomes for his clients and he has great expertise. (2025)
Dan is absolutely the guy that you want to fight for you against insurance firms. He is a very good litigator and is commercially astute. (2025)
Dan is a marvel - he's very determined, firm and tough. Dan is someone you want on your side, not against you. (2026)
A superb lawyer with strong legal technical skills, Dan is very hard-working and provides advice in a form that is easy to understand. He sees past the apparent issues and thinks outside the box. (2026)
Legal 500 says:
Dan Brooks is tenacious in positioning the claim to achieve the best outcome for his clients. (2026)