Kenneth Underhill
Senior vice president and general counsel
ACE European Group
Kenneth Underhill admits that he is no easy taskmaster. He describes himself as ‘tough but fair – and of course ever busy’. As such, he expects both his in-house and external legal teams to have a thorough understanding of the insurance industry. As one insurance partner says: ‘He expects outside counsel to reflect ACE’s own innovative and commercial approach.’
Two of the firms ACE uses most often are Norton Rose and Clyde & Co. ‘We always strive to build long-term relationships with our external legal partners, because, in our experience, the best outcomes inevitably follow when our partners understand our business and our culture well,’ he says.
Law firms used: Clyde & Co, Norton Rose
2007-present: Senior vice president and general counsel, ACE European Group
1999-2007: Partner, RPC
1994-99: Solicitor, Heath Lambert