Skip to navigation
DAC Beachcroft has appointed two new partners to its international network. Steven Dewhurst joins as an insurance partner in the firm's Singapore office and María Eugenia Guzmán bolsters the employment team in Madrid.
Steven Dewhurst, previously with Stephenson Harwood in Singapore, is an insurance specialist with over 19 years of experience advising insurers, reinsurers and intermediaries on claims, commercial agreements and regulatory and compliance issues. Steven's experience of high-value financial lines and D&O defence work, and of providing insurance sector focused commercial and regulatory advice, will complement the work of lead Singapore partner Ben Nicholson, who advises on high-value and complex property, construction, engineering and energy claims. Their combined experience will enable DAC Beachcroft to offer genuine cross-class expertise in the Asia-Pacific region, backed up by the substantial Financial Services sector teams in London and Madrid.
Prior to relocating to Singapore, Steven was based in Hong Kong where he advised insurers and reinsurers on claims against leading international banks, architectural and engineering firms, accountancy firms and financial brokers.
The DAC Beachcroft office was opened in Singapore in 2011, and is focused on advising insurers and reinsurers on high value and complex claims, coverage disputes, commercial and regulatory matters. In addition, the team advises on insurance policy wordings and global programmes, and supports other clients of DAC Beachcroft operating in Asia.
María Eugenia Guzmán, previously with Cuatrecasas, is a Spanish lawyer and a solicitor of England & Wales. She specialises in employment law, with wide experience including litigation (dismissal proceeding, accidents at work, fundamental rights), strategic legal advice often from a global perspective, negotiation (including collective dismissals, collective bargaining agreements and modification of working conditions) and general employment advice.
Established in 1989, the DAC Beachcroft Madrid office has over 40 lawyers, all of them bilingual (English and Spanish). They advise Spanish clients and international companies with business interests in Spain on insurance, dispute resolution, corporate law, real estate and employment matters. DAC Beachcroft is widely regarded as the leading insurance law firm in Spain.
Commenting on the appointments, Simon Hodson, DAC Beachcroft's Senior Partner said: "The need for continued international growth to support our clients’ own strategies was one of the drivers for the firm's merger on 31 October 2011. The combination of Beachcroft's international insurance business, the substance and credibility of DAC's Madrid, Mexico and South American capability, and Beachcroft's emerging Asia/Pacific business, has created a substantial international firm. Such capability has enhanced our ability to service clients across the globe.
"We are already seeing increases in client demand as a direct result of the enhanced service offering and these appointments are in direct response to what we see as a continuing trend."