UK law firm RPC has added a financial services disputes specialist from Foot Anstey to its insurance group in Bristol.

Partner Terence Dickens moves across after nine years at Foot Anstey, where he led the contentious side of the firm’s retail financial services offering. 

In his new role at RPC, Dickens joins the firm’s financial institutions and directors and officers (FI/D&O) team, which advises on claims made under policies covering banks, building societies, asset managers, hedge funds, private equity firms and venture capitalists. 

Simon Laird, RPC’s global head of insurance, said: “As the financial services industry continues to grapple with the effects of the pandemic, coupled with increasingly challenging socio-economic conditions, we see a continued rise in claims in professional and financial lines. Terence's arrival will give us the bench strength to continue to support our clients in all their financial services defence work across Bristol and London.”

Dickens worked at Eversheds Sutherland and Allen & Overy prior to joining Foot Anstey as an associate in 2013. He brings with him 18 years of experience acting for insurers in relation to most of the major market losses of the last two decades, including for insurers of the large clearing banks, global investment banks, fund managers, hedge funds and global insurers, the firm said. 

James Miller, RPC’s managing partner, said the hire plays into the firm’s “ambitious” next phase of growth. 

“Terence is our ninth new partner this year and we will continue to invest in good people, including in our market-leading insurance group,” he said. 

Dickens is the second significant newcomer to join the FI/D&O team this year after partner Mike Newham joined the firm over the summer in London from Mayer Brown. 

And in May, the firm promoted five insurance lawyers – Fiona Hahlo, Sian Morgan, George Smith, Alex Almaguer and Felicity Strong –  to partner in its 2022 round. 

Elsewhere, RPC hired technology partner Nicholas Lauw from Rajah & Tann earlier this month to boost its commercial group in Singapore. Lauw is the ninth partner to join RPC in Asia, where it has offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, over the past two years. 

The firm managed to grow its global revenue by 10% for the 2021/22 financial year to hit £149.4m against a 9.9% dip in profit per equity partner (PEP) to 571k. The firm chalked up the drop to a drive towards investment in people, IT and infrastructure, including the firm’s new offices in Bristol.