Image of Philip Jarvis

Philip Jarvis

Partner

Email

philip.jarvis@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 20 3088 3381

Offices

London

V-CARD
Philip is Insurance Group Lead and specialises in corporate insurance and regulatory matters.

He has experience in insurance M&A, regulatory capital, securitisation of insurance risks, insurance derivatives, reinsurance, product design, outsourcing of insurance services, insurance distribution agreements and matters involving Lloyd's of London.

The "outstanding" Philip Jarvis is a highly respected insurance practitioner with significant expertise across regulatory and transactional matters. One client says: "He is a genuine expert in his field, extremely bright and at the same time very pragmatic, with a keen sense of how to best move forward on any particular issue. He is also very creditable in negotiations and in the boardroom." Chambers UK 2018 (Insurance)

Philip Jarvis is the key figure at A&O Shearman, where highlights have included advising Aviva on its £5.6bn all-share acquisition of life insurance specialist Friends Life, a transaction to be implemented by way of a scheme of arrangement. The team also acted for Aviva on its £1.7bn disposal of its latent risk portfolio to Swiss Re, and advised BCE on its high-value longevity insurance agreement with Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. The team attracts a mix of life and non-life mandates, and has also been significantly active in the longevity risk transfer market, advising on pension portfolios and the reinsurance of longevity risks. Other notable clients include Guardian Financial Services, Royal & Sun Alliance, Legal & General Group and Morgan Stanley. Legal 500 UK 2017 (Insurance) 

Experience

Representative matters

  • Experience highlights include advising: UK Government Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) on a new GBP5bn scheme to provide state-backed reinsurance to credit insurers who provide trade credit insurance to UK businesses. Beazley Group, a global specialist insurance and reinsurance group, on its rights issue and placing to raise approx GBP150m (net of expenses), its acquisition of First State Management Group and its intention to redomicile to Ireland. Royal & SunAlliance on the disposal by auction of its UK life business to Resolution Life Group (which included an insurance business transfer under Part VII FSMA), capital release and various reinsurance arrangements. OTP on the sale of its insurance operations in Central and Eastern Europe to Groupama, a French financial services company. Swiss Re on the acquisition of UK annuity portfolios from Friends Provident, Zurich Life Assurance, Co-operative Insurance Society and Norwich Union (Aviva). Rothesay Life on its agreement with the Rank Group to purchase the assets and liabilities of the Rank Group Pension Scheme.

Published Work

  • Published articles in various trade publications including Lloyd's List on Actions and Reinsurance.

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member, Joint Working Party of the Bar.
  • Member, Law Societies of Great Britain.

Recognition

“He has a deep knowledge of both the UK and European insurance markets, coupled with business savvy. He is also very good at keeping a cool head and unfailingly projects calmness and strength during stressful and difficult negotiations. ”
Chambers UK 2021 (Insurance: Non-contentious)
“I particularly value Philip’s input and insight because he doesn’t just identify risks but proactively looks to help us factor them into our assessment by suggesting mitigation strategies or ensuring that the risks involved are well understood and so can be appropriately priced. That sort of contribution is not the norm. ”
Leading Individuals - Legal 500 UK 2021 (Insurance: Corporate and Regulatory)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1994

Academic

BA, University of East Anglia (UEA) CPE, 1992
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.