Jane Harte-Lovelace

Jane advises companies, directors and property owners on a wide range of insurance coverage issues and disputes with their insurers on policy wordings and quantum. These policies include directors and officers (D&O) professional indemnity (PI), All Risk and property, political risk, media production and health.

• Acted for a director whose claim for coverage under D&O policy was initially denied. After an expedited arbitration and successfully opposing insurers’ Section 69 application coverage was provided and very substantial defence costs paid. This also involved insurers agreeing to pay costs for non-panel solicitors the insured wished to use.
• Acted for directors of company in dispute with insurers as to applicability of Insured -v- Insured exclusion. Advised on terms of settlement agreement. Advised on broker negligence.
• Acted for a film production company in a dispute with insurers as to choice of defence lawyers and defence costs and compensation payable in relation to a claim by a Hollywood actress claiming in a Californian court for injuries allegedly caused during filming.
• Advised a property owner on very large insurance claim following fire and the mismanagement of the rebuild by insurers’ appointed loss adjusters and recovered a sum considerably in excess of policy limit.
• Advised a director of a Guernsey financial institution on claims under D&O and PI policies and related claims for misconduct and breach of duty and obtained coverage previously denied.
• Obtained coverage for a director implicated in a major prosecution in an EU jurisdiction.
• Acted for owners of property suffering from subsidence where insurers were refusing to pay for the cost of underpinning and obtained substantial settlement.
• Advised an insured in a claim against insurers for defective works to his property which had led to significant damp issues. Following mediation this was resolved with insurers paying a multiple of the limit of insurance.

Jane advises landlords, tenants, property owners, and corporates on property disputes, including Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 proceedings, break notices, possession, dilapidations, service charge disputes, adverse possession, nuisance, boundary issues, and development-related claims.

• Advised a tenant on an opposed Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 renewal claim.
• Acted on a hotly contested right of way dispute which settled shortly before trial.
• Acted for a landlord whose previous solicitors had incorrectly drafted the rent review clause.
• Acted for an investment fund on various lease renewals and associated management matters.
• Acted for an owner of property benefitting from restrictive covenants and negotiated terms of settlement with the developer.
• Acted in several cases involving the validity of break notices for both landlords and tenants including expedited trial and appeal.
• Advised a family whose property was destroyed by a gas explosion and negotiated settlement with the insurers of the gas company.
• Advised a property owner on claims by a tenant arising from alleged toxic mould and damage to an art collection.
• Successfully defended an adverse possession claim.
• Acted in a proprietary estoppel claim in a family dispute which settled shortly before trial.
• Advised a company sued for breach of allegedly binding heads of terms.
• Advised an individual on claims against housebuilder under option agreements.

Jane advises corporate trustees and beneficiaries on trust disputes, including tracing and title to assets, mismanagement of property, trustee liabilities, beneficiary challenges, and long-term advisory roles on settlement administration and compliance.

• Advised corporate trustees on series of disputes involving tracing and title to trust assets.
• Advised an individual in a dispute with offshore trustees.
• Advised corporate trustees on property issues caused by mismanagement of assets by beneficiaries.
• Advised a beneficiary of a trust in relation to disputes with trustees and protector.
• Advised a corporate trustee on the potential liabilities arising from an alleged failure to manage trust assets.
• Retained as an advisor to trustees of a settlement for 20 years.
• Advised corporate trustees on potential liability arising from mismanagement of trust assets.

Recognised in Chambers Global for Insurance: Mainly Policyholders 2026

Recognised by Chambers UK for Insurance: Mainly Policyholders 2020–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Insurance Policy Holders 2025-2026

Recognised by Chambers and Partners Global Guide for Insurance: Mainly Policyholders 2024

Recognised by Best Lawyers UK for Litigation 2009–2024

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Real Estate: Property Litigation 2023

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Insurance Litigation: Policyholders 2022

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation 2020–2021

Member of the Property Litigation Association