Markel International, the specialty property and casualty insurer, has announced the appointment of Joseph Gebara as Markel’s in-house legal counsel. Joseph joins the company to work with Markel’s senior managers to provide in-house expertise on legal matters, principally in respect of claims.

Stuart Willoughby, claims director, commented: “Joseph’s extensive experience in a wide spectrum of insurance lines will strengthen the expertise of the existing team and help us fulfil our commitment to quality services.”

Joseph joins Markel International from the law firm Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold, Orange County Office, in the United States, where he held the position of Partner, responsible for representing insurers in coverage disputes, bad faith litigation, professional liability defence and other civil litigation.

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For further information:
Derah McCall
Markel International
020 7953 6732

Notes to editors:
1. Markel International Limited is a specialty property and casualty insurer. Based in London and comprising the international operations of Markel Corporation, it wrote gross premiums in 2006 of $729 million. It has five operating divisions writing business either through Markel Syndicate 3000 or through Markel International Insurance Company Limited. Markel Corporation is a US listed business, capitalised at around $5 billion, which in 2006 wrote gross premiums of $2.5 billion.

2. Mr. Gebara is admitted to the State Bar of Arizona (1990) and the State Bar of California (1991).  He is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Mr. Gebara is a member of the American Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, and the Defence Research Institute.  Mr. Gebara lived and worked in London, England for six months in 2003 on secondment as in-house counsel for a Lloyd’s syndicate managing agency.  He has also been a public speaker on topics of interest at several insurance seminars for members of the London and Bermuda insurance markets, and the Property Loss Research Bureau national claims conference.