Travelers Insurance won a major High Court case on November 13, 2025, securing a permanent injunction to protect its law firm client from relentless harassment.
Here’s what happened: Travelers Insurance Company Limited, which provides professional indemnity insurance, found itself in the middle of a dispute that started when Owen White & Catlin LLP (OWC), a law firm it insures, represented Andrew Baldwin’s daughter in employment proceedings. Baldwin, unhappy with the firm’s services and fees, didn’t just stop at filing complaints. He took his grievances to the Legal Ombudsman and the Solicitors Regulation Authority, but both matters were ultimately resolved or closed, including a payment of £859.64 to settle the fee dispute.
But the story didn’t end there. Baldwin kept pushing, claiming the law firm’s paperwork was forged and demanding ever-larger sums - starting at £107,656.34 in February 2024 and eventually reaching £1,800,000 by January 2025. When his complaints didn’t get the result he wanted, he started showing up at OWC’s offices without warning, causing enough distress that the police had to be called. He also sent a barrage of emails, not just to the law firm, but to Travelers and their legal representatives, and even handed out leaflets outside the firm’s offices. The emails and visits weren’t just complaints - they were threats, demands for money, and warnings that he’d take his story to regulators and the media.
Travelers, stepping up for its client, brought in Mills & Reeve LLP to help manage the situation. The insurer didn’t just handle claims behind the scenes; it became a direct party in court, seeking an injunction to stop the harassment. The legal team documented a pattern: repeated emails, threats to expose supposed fraud, and in-person confrontations, all aimed at pressuring the law firm and its insurer to pay up.
The High Court took a hard look at the facts. The judge found that Baldwin’s actions went well beyond what anyone should have to tolerate in business. The court described his conduct as a “persistent and deliberate course of unacceptable and oppressive conduct,” causing real distress to those on the receiving end. Baldwin didn’t deny sending the emails or making the visits, and his defense didn’t address the harassment itself - it just circled back to his fraud accusations, which had already been dismissed by the regulators.
No insurance policy fine print was debated in open court, but the case is a clear reminder of why professional indemnity insurance matters. Travelers didn’t just pay claims; it stood shoulder to shoulder with its client, using the courts to protect both the law firm and its own reputation. The outcome? The court struck out Baldwin’s defence, granted summary judgment for Travelers and its insured, and issued a permanent injunction to keep Baldwin from further harassment.
For insurance professionals, this case is a textbook example of how insurers can - and should - act decisively to protect their clients from reputational and operational threats. It’s not just about paying out when things go wrong; it’s about using every tool available to keep clients safe and business running smoothly.
