Michael Ducker

Full Profile

Michael is a Partner in the market-leading Insurance and Dispute Resolution Group in Dubai which is consistently ranked Band 1 by the Legal 500 and Chambers directories (in which he is ranked for Insurance in each of the last 5 years). Michael is also co-head of Clyde & Co’s MEA Healthcare Group.

Prior to moving to the Middle East, Michael practised at Clyde & Co in the UK for close to a decade, the majority of which was spent in the London office. 

Michael supports clients in resolving disputes through litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. He specialises in a broad range of insurance and reinsurance disputes representing policyholders, insurers and reinsurers with their complex, high-value claims across a range of sectors. 

Michael has a particular focus on Property and Casualty including claims related to Property Damage & Business Interruption, Commercial General Liability, Health Safety & Environmental, Public & Products Liability & Recall, Healthcare & Medical Malpractice and Subrogated Recoveries.  

Michael has extensive experience of litigation in the major common and civil law dispute resolution forums in the Middle East in addition to mediations and ADR, as well litigation in the High Court in London. 

Michael is qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales, is a Part I registered practitioner in the DIFC Courts and is also registered as a Legal Consultant with the Dubai Legal Affairs Department.

Experience

Coverage:

Michael regularly advises insurers and reinsurers on a wide range of first-party and third-party coverage disputes and litigation. Recent examples include:

• Advising reinsurers on a USD2bn insurance claim pursued in litigation for damage to oil pipelines in Nigeria.
• Advising re/insurers on a complex and high-value property damage and business interruption claim following the UAE ‘black swan’ floods in April 2024.
• Acting for various re/insurers in respect of several litigated business interruption claims arising from the Covid pandemic in the DIFC Courts, arbitration and the onshore courts of the UAE and GCC.
• Representing re/insurers on a USD350m property and business interruption claim following a high-profile cladding fire at a landmark hotel in Dubai.

Defence and Investigations:

Michael routinely defends policyholders and their re/insurers in a wide range of liability and negligence claims and investigations. Recent examples include: 

• Representing an automotive manufacturer and their liability insurers in relation to several highly sensitive product liability claims across MEA.
• Defending an international hotelier and re/insurers on a USD10m claim pursued in litigation in the UAE and US following a high-profile fatality.
• Regularly defending negligence claims and investigations against healthcare professionals, healthcare providers and brokers in the UAE and wider GCC.
• Successful defence of a mall operator and its liability insurers in respect of multiple criminal and civil claims in the UAE following a significant mall fire in the UAE.
• Advising re/insurers on a USD8m insurance claim arising from damage to a vessel in Tunisia.
• Representing an international hotelier and liability insurers in litigation following a serious sexual assault claim.

Recoveries:

• Advising re/insurers on a USD350m litigated subrogated recovery following a significant cladding fire at a hotel in Dubai.
• Advising re/insurers on a USD80m subrogated recovery regarding damage to methanol plant in Oman.
• Advising re/insurers on recoveries following a significant explosion at a power plant in Saudi Arabia.