September 2007/1

New York law firms LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP and Dewey Ballantine announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge, subject to partner approval last week.

Lloyd’s investment vehicle Hampden Underwriting plc (HUP) is pushing ahead with its floatation on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) despite falling to raise the £15mn it planned.

Stephen Mathers is to retire as active underwriter of Syndicate 807 for the 2009 year of account less than a month after it was announced that Andrew Carrier, the former active underwriter of Kiln’s Lloyd’s Syndicate 557 and the reinsurance division of it

French reinsurer SCOR has today announced its updated three-year strategy for creating a top 5 global reinsurer following the closing of its $2.8bn Converium Holding AG acquisition.

Quoted Lloyd’s insurer Heritage Underwriting Agency can merge its two trading syndicates despite the opposition of members’ agency Hampden Agencies Ltd.

Groupama UK has shrugged off competition to acquire the privately owned Lark Insurance Broking Group and continue the trend for UK insurers to acquire distribution channels, in a move that was swiftly followed by AXA's swoop for The Davis Group today

Hurricane Felix strengthened to Category Five yesterday (2 September) as it continued on a path for Honduras and Belize.

Benfield’s Corporate Risks (BCR) arm headed by former Marsh executive John Lapsley is continuing to drag down profits at the broking group, analysts have warned.

Oxygen Holdings plc, the independent London-based intermediary, has acquired Lloyd’s broker Robertson Taylor.

Sir Anthony Holland has been re-appointed as the Independent Complaints Commissioner for the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for a second term, which begins today (3 September).

A US bankruptcy judge has approved The Travelers Cos’ settlement of one of its largest asbestos cases for a total of $449mn.

Michael Bright, the former CEO of Independent Insurance, which collapsed in 2001, has told a court how the company was eaten from the inside out by a “black cancer”.