Instruct Rachel

To instruct Rachel please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5555 or email [email protected].

Rachel Ansell KC is a highly regarded commercial advocate with a market leading reputation for her work both domestically and internationally.

This is demonstrated by the directories, who note that “She is a force to be reckoned with at the Bar. She works tirelessly, her work ethic knows no bounds, she is extremely incisive, and her advocacy is exceptional. She would be my go-to silk for any battle”.

Her practice covers construction and engineering, energy, insurance, and professional negligence disputes in litigation and all (domestic and international) arbitration forums, where she is remarked as having an “immeasurable intellect and formidable presence, tenacity and authority when speaking”.

She is one of the pre-eminent construction silks at the bar, with a global profile demonstrated by involvement in some of the biggest disputes both in the UK and abroad. She has experience of acting in arbitrations governed by many foreign laws including, the laws of Algeria, Hong Kong, New York, Switzerland, Qatar and the UAE and has acted on cases involving all types of projects ranging from oil, gas and nuclear projects to aviation and metro projects. Chambers Global 2024 rank her in the top band for Construction noting that Rachel is “exceptionally hard-working and finds a path through even the most complex series of facts and legal issues. She is equally excellent with tribunals and clients, and is a pleasure to work with”.

Rachel’s high profile within insurance is evidenced by her involvement at all stages in The Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) and Others, the FCA test case on Covid-19-related business interruption insurance claims which “underlines her position as one of the leading insurance silks”.

Rachel has “a very good eye for the detail” making her particularly suited to cases involving complex legal argument and forensic cross examination of experts.

Rachel was awarded 2024 International Arbitration Silk by Legal 500.

She has also been awarded he Chambers and Partners International Arbitration Silk of the year (2019) and Construction Silk of year (2014).

Rachel is ranked as a leading Silk in the following practice areas:

Chambers and Partners

• International Arbitration: Construction and Engineering (Band 1)
• Construction (Band 1)
• Energy and Natural Resources (Band 3)
• Insurance (Band 2)
• Property Damage (Band 1)
• Professional Negligence: Technology & Construction (Band 1)
• Middle East Dispute Resolution: The English Bar (Band 2)

Legal 500

• Construction (Tier 1)
• Energy (Tier 3)
• Insurance (Tier 3)
• International Arbitration: Counsel (Tier 1)
• Professional Negligence (Tier 1)
• Middle East: The English Bar- Construction (Tier 1)

Comments from the leading directories include:

  • Rachel is one of my favourite advocates – she is extremely good in high-value, highly complex cases.
  • She is a tremendous advocate – one of the best I have seen in my career.
  • Rachel is absolutely fantastic. She has a razor-sharp mind and crushing cross-examination skills.
  • Rachel is an effective and measured advocate. Her analytical skills are second to none. She is definitely a team player, does not sit on the fence with her advice and is very supportive of her instructing solicitors.
  • An impressive operator. She immerses herself in the detail and thinks strategically. She is a persuasive advocate, and this gets results.
  • She provides clear and considered advice; she does not sit on the fence. She has highly forensic and top-class drafting skills.
  • Rachel Ansell is very detail-oriented and she is ferociously intelligent.
  • Rachel is, quite simply, at the top of the pack. Her ability to come up with new and different ways of looking at things that sump others is second to none. She gets us through troubled waters.
  • Rachel is a first-rate silk. She is extremely competent and easy to work with, and her advice is reassuringly accurate.
  • Ferocious and an incredibly effective cross-examiner.
  • A standout performer with an ability to master incredible quantities of detail.
  • Very stylish in court and has that little bit extra.
  • Highly intelligent and disarmingly charming, she exercises great judgment.
  • Rachel Ansell KC has a very good eye for the detail. She gives clear and solid advice that is both technically correct and thought-provoking.
  • Rachel Ansell is extremely good in high-value cases and highly complex cases. She’s absolutely excellent.

Rachel is an advocate specialising in legally and technically complex, high value construction, engineering and energy disputes. She is instructed in a wide range of international arbitrations (including under the ICC, LCIA, UCITRAL, and DIAC rules) and in high value and significant cases in the Technology and Construction Court.

Rachel is instructed in all types of energy disputes including disputes arising out of power plants (including biomass, CHP power, hydropower, integrated materials recovery, wind, and combined cycle gas turbine power plants) and oil, gas, and nuclear projects.

Her construction and engineering dispute experience is similarly wide ranging and includes large residential and mixed-use developments, specialist leisure and scientific buildings, infrastructure / transport projects including airports, aircraft, bridges, highways, railways, and offshore/shipbuilding projects.

Featured International Arbitration, Energy, Construction & Engineering cases


Representing an international specialist contractor in a very high value dispute arising out of a bridge in the Far East.


Acting in numerous cladding cases concerning fire safety and other issues including acting for an insulation manufacturer in the first set of proceedings brought against an insulation manufacturer pursuant to the Building Safety Act 2022 in the Technology and Construction Court.


Acting for a power company in relation to complex and very high value claims, including a Performance Bond dispute, arising out of a power plant project in the Middle East.


Acting for international EPC contractors and subcontractors in high value and technically complicated disputes connected with gas and oil pipelines and production facilities in the Middle East and Africa.


Acting for an International Joint Venture in an arbitration arising out of a large LNG project in Australia (which is now the subject of Australian court proceedings).


Acting for an employer in respect of a contract for onshore and offshore facilities for two gas fields in the middle east including in relation to a call on a performance bond.


Acting for an international contractors, subcontractors, and engineers in relating to disputes relating to the new metro projects in the Middle East and the rehabilitation of railways in Europe.


Acting in various aviation disputes including disputes arising out of new airport terminals in the Middle East.


Representing an EPC contractor in a shareholder dispute concentring Heat Recovery Steam Generators.


Acting in numerous disputes (arbitration and court proceedings) concerning wind farms in the UK and in South America.


Advising an international engineer in relation to claims arising out of the construction of a new nuclear power facility.


Acting for a leading offshore and onshore drilling and engineering contractor in relation to a number of oil drilling contracts.

Rachel has expertise in all types of insurance claims including notification and coverage disputes, fraudulent claims and large subrogation claims in the UK and abroad.

She is one of the leading silks for disputes arising out of Construction All Risks and property damage insurance policies including business interruption / delay claims (allowing her to combine her specialist knowledge in construction/energy and insurance disputes.

Featured Insurance & Reinsurance cases


Counsel for QBE in all stages of The Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) and Others [2021] UKSC 1, the FCA test case on Covid-19 related business interruption insurance claims.


Advising on numerous cases involving coverage issues arising from Construction All Risks and property damage policies including business Interruption and delay in start-up claims relating to all types of construction and energy projects in the UK and in the Middle East.


An Arbitration acting for one of the leading global financial services providers in in a multi-million pound dispute arising out of a professional indemnity insurance policy.


Advising insurers in relation to claims concerning cladding defects following the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022.


Advising on various subrogation claims, including claims relating to projects in the Middle East which require consideration of subrogation claims under Swiss, French, Omani and UAE law.


Other reported cases include, ACE European Group Ltd & Others & Ors v Chartis Insurance UK Ltd [2012] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 117 (CA)), a dispute between EAR and Marine Insurers as to which insurance policy covered damage to industrial boiler equipment, Brit Insurance Limited in Milton Furniture Ltd v Brit Insurance Ltd  [2015] EWCA Civ 671 (CA), concerning the proper construction of conditions precedent and the meaning of the term ‘left unattended’ in a commercial combined insurance policy and Kajima UK Engineering Ltd v The Underwriter Insurance Company [2008] Lloyd’s Rep IR 391; concerning the proper construction of notification clauses and notifications made under “claims made” insurance policies.

Rachel’s professional negligence work includes claims against construction professionals, including architects, engineers of many different disciplines, project managers and quantity surveyors as well as valuers and building surveyors.

Featured Professional Negligence cases


Acting on behalf of the architects in Blue Manchester Ltd v BUG Alu Technic GmBH [199 Con. L.R. 140) which concerned the defects in the façade on Beetham Tower, Manchester.


Acting on behalf of a structural engineer in respect of a high value dispute arising out of an iconic airport in the Middle East.


Acting on a claim against a structural engineer in respect of a large metro project in the Middle East.


Acting on behalf of a designer and manufacturer of aircraft in a large and complex claim concerning allegations of defective design.


Acting on behalf of a designer and manufacturer of power plant in respect of a high value claim concerning the design of safety systems.


Acting in various cases involving structural and geotechnical engineers, including by way of example, cases concerning the settlement of floor slabs in large warehouses in the UK and a claim concerning the geotechnical assessment and seismic design for a large construction project in the Middle East.

4 Pump Court wins three awards last night at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024

4 Pump Court won three awards last night at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024. - Construction and Energy Set of the Year ...

4 Pump Court receives seven nominations at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2024

4 Pump Court has received seven nominations at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2024. These awards recognise the top legal...

Members of 4 Pump Court recognised as Leading London Construction Law Counsel in Doyles Guide 2024

Three Silks and five Junior members of 4 Pump Court have been recognised by Doyles Guide as Leading London Construction...

4 Pump Court shortlisted for 16 awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024

We are pleased to announce that 4 Pump Court and its members have been shortlisted for 16 awards at The Legal 500 Bar...

Instruct Rachel

To instruct Rachel please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5520 or email [email protected].

  • Joint Head of Chambers
  • Co-author of Chapter 12, “Fire at the Palace: 150 Years of Fire safety in Buildings” of “The history of the Technology and Construction Court on Its 150th Anniversary”.
  • MA (Cantab) Law (First Class)

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