Many law firms have an insurance practice.  A small number of firms are dominated by their insurance practice. By contrast, Wotton + Kearney practises only insurance law and all our lawyers are insurance law experts.

With offices in Sydney and Melbourne, Wotton + Kearney enjoys the distinction of being the only law firm which exclusively practises insurance law in Australia's two largest cities.

Examples of the complex insurance disputes in which Wotton + Kearney has recently been involved include:

* acting for an auditor in proceedings in the Federal Court arising out of the audit of a large multinational travel company that subsequently went into liquidation. Wotton + Kearney is advising on causation and quantification of loss in a Trade Practices Act claim in which the interpretation of the Australian Accounting and Auditing Standards is in dispute;

* acting for a global insurer in relation to its exposure to $40 million in notifications and claims arising out of a major property development collapse, and conducting the defence of professional liability cases against financial advisors on its behalf;

* acting for local and foreign reinsurers in respect of a multi-million dollar claim made by an insured against the reinsurers pursuant to s562 of the Corporations Act, involving complex issues of liability and the insured's ability to claim against the reinsurer in circumstances where the insurer had gone into liquidation;
 
* acting for an overseas based insurer in respect of a dispute as to participation in a Lloyd's slip and the relevant terms of cover in respect of a multi-million dollar claim by an international bank;
 
* advising an insurer in relation to a in a multi-million dollar claim arising out of crane collapse in Dubai;
 
* acting for an insurer of an Industrial Special Risks policy in respect of a $60 million claim,  arising from a spontaneous combustion incident at a coal mine.  The case raised complex indemnity and procedural issues across a variety of areas of insurance and commercial law. The case generated important Court of Appeal consideration of the scope and extent of the powers afforded to company administrators under the Corporations Act to examine individuals (including insurance officers) about the "examinable affairs" of an insolvent company;

* acting for a global insurer in respect of a business interruption claim of $40 million resulting from malicious tamper of drink products;

* advising a number of global insurers on coverage under a Construction All Risks Policy following the collapse of a tunnel which was under construction; and

* acting for an insured demolition contractor in defending a multimillion dollar paraplegic claim arising from a construction site incident, including advising insurers on recovery and dual insurance issues.
 

Sydney Tel + 61 2 9236 9555    
 Fax + 61 2 9236 9500     
mail sydney@wottonkearney.com.au
Melbourne Tel +61 3 9670 1811
 Fax +61 396704699
mail Melbourne @ wottonkearney.com.au
Level 3 600 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia DX 182 Melbourne
www.wottonkearney.com.au