Kennedys deepens fraud expertise with new partner

We are expanding our fraud practice with the appointment of partner, Ruth Needham. Joining from Keoghs, Ruth will be based in our Manchester office where she will lead a team of more than 20 legal professionals.

A fraud specialist with over twenty years’ experience, Ruth has specialised skills and industry expertise across sectors including motor, organised fraud, casualty, property, large loss and disease.

Claire Mulligan, partner and head of our Liability Defence team in the United Kingdom (UK) comments: “We are delighted that Ruth is joining the team with her substantial fraud experience and recognition in the insurance market. Ruth will enhance our fraud offering bringing additional strength and breadth to our already thriving fraud practice, whilst also enhancing our firm’s expertise in our northern UK based offices.”

A regular commentator in the industry, Ruth will be an integral part in Kennedys continuing to provide exceptional legal expertise in complex fraud cases. 

Ruth Needham says: “Kennedys have a truly global and market leading offering, and I am pleased to be joining the firm. With my comprehensive industry experience and in-depth sector knowledge, I believe the Kennedys fraud lawyers will be a formidable team for our clients. I am also looking very forward to being in a global firm with such a strong market reputation.”

We have expert and specialist fraud counsel skills across areas such as motor liability, employers’ liability, fraud rings, public liability, property damage, life and health, occupational disease, travel and tourism and workers compensation claims. The firm’s fraud team are also renowned for utilising innovative technological methods with its bespoke Fraud Detector offering through its technology company, Kennedys IQ. 

Our fraud team is an associate member of the UK Insurance Fraud Bureau involved in the UK Insurance Fraud Task Force.

We recently announced our hire of Dawn McIntosh in Newcastle. In July 2024, we reported a record revenue of £384m for the financial year 2023/24, and in May 2024, the firm added a further 17 partners across its global network, including Lauren Gosnell in Manchester.