Mark Gammon

Mark is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

He specialises in aviation dispute resolution and has more than 25 years’ sector focused experience handling all types of liability disputes and major losses for aviation insurers and reinsurers, acting for airlines, airports, ground handlers, manufacturers, MROs, regulatory bodies and GA interests.

He spent 18 years at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert before joining HFW in 2011. In those years Mark handled several airline accounts in the Gulf region and gained extensive experience in handling disputes under carriage by air principles, particularly complex passenger injury and cargo disputes. In handling such cases, Mark has developed considerable bordereau reporting experience to aviation insurers.

Mark has handled cases before the Privy Council and Commercial Court and other courts in multiple jurisdictions, including litigation in the Middle East, India and numerous European jurisdictions.

Mark has considerable experience in handling fatal accident claims in the UK and has represented client interests at Inquests and Fatal Accident Inquiries.

He has acted for ground handlers in relation to aircraft damage claims and has developed a reputation for providing commercial advice and support to the ground handling community. In gaining this experience, Mark has advised ground handlers on their contractual terms and conditions with their business partners. 

Notable/high profile cases:

• Advising insurers in relation to substantial subrogation claim arising out of destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, including attendance at criminal trial at Camp Zeist in 2000.
• Representing airline interests before the Commercial Court in cargo dispute concerning liability limits under the amended Warsaw Convention - Applied Implants Technology Ltd v Lufthansa Cargo & Others [2000] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 46.
• Advising insurers in relation to total loss of A300 and collateral damage to other aircraft due to fire at maintenance facility in Abu Dhabi on 19 April 2007.
• Providing assistance and support to regulatory interests at Fatal Accident Inquiry arising out of crash of Eurocopter AS350 at Lanarkshire on 15 September 2007 (FAI into death of Colin McRae and others).
• Advising aircraft owner and insurers in relation to mid-air collision involving Luscombe Silvaire and PAC750XL on 16 December 2007, including representation at the Inquest.
• Providing assistance and support to regulatory interests at Fatal Accident Inquiry arising out of fatal accident of Super Puma AS332L on 1 April 2009.
• Advising insurers in relation to mid-air collision involving Mooney M20J and Vans RV-4 during competition flight over Isle of Wight on 4 September 2010.
• Advising insurers and aircraft owner in relation to crash of Agusta A109 at Mourne Mountains on 23 October 2010, including representation at the Inquest and handling claims brought by high-net-worth individuals.
• Representing airline in EC261 claim on appeal to the Chancery Division in 2011 (Sanghvi v Cathay Pacific Airways).
• Handling claims arising from severe turbulence incident during flight from Havana to Milan in 2012.
• Advising insurers and aircraft owner interests arising out of fatal accident of Agusta AW139 at Gillingham, Norfolk in 2014, including representation at Inquest and handling claims pursued by high-net-worth individuals.
• Representing engine manufacturer interests in multi-party litigation arising out of fatal accident of Pioneer 400 at Popham in 2015.
• Representing manufacturer interests before Privy Council on appeal from the Court of Appeal of Commonwealth of Bahamas (Bahamasair Holdings Limited v Messier Dowty Inc).
• Defending airline claim raising discrimination and breach of Equality Act 2010.