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Building contract – Insurance. Following an incident, in which a crane toppled from the concrete supporting structure that had been built by the defendant, the claimant insurance company had sought a declaration of non-liability under the defendant's Miles Smith Building Services Combined Contractors' Liability Policy. The judge had refused to grant the declaration sought. The Court of Appeal, Civil Division, allowed the claimant's appeal and made a declaration that: (i) on the proper construction of the foundation clause in the policy, the crane had been a 'superstructure' within the meaning of the policy; (ii) the works carried out by the defendant in constructing the crane base and installing the dowel bars had been foundation works within the meaning of the policy; and (iii) any liability that might be established against the defendant in respect of the damage to the crane itself was a liability excluded under the foundation clause.
Building contract – Insurance. Following an incident, in which a crane toppled from the concrete supporting structure that had been built by the defendant, the claimant insurance company had sought a declaration of non-liability under the defendant's Miles Smith Building Services Combined Contractors' Liability Policy. The judge had refused to grant the declaration sought. The Court of Appeal, Civil Division, allowed the claimant's appeal and made a declaration that: (i) on the proper construction of the foundation clause in the policy, the crane had been a 'superstructure' within the meaning of the policy; (ii) the works carried out by the defendant in constructing the crane base and installing the dowel bars had been foundation works within the meaning of the policy; and (iii) any liability that might be established against the defendant in respect of the damage to the crane itself was a liability excluded under the foundation clause.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Susie Griffin on the admin that keeps barristers from billable work
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
In an era of patient-centred care and growing concern over misconduct in medical settings, why do women still lack the right to choose women consultants for examination and treatment? Charles Davey investigates
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
