Kennedys expands Melbourne insurance practice with the hire of three partners and team of 16

We continue the strategic growth of our Australian insurance offering with the appointment of three partners and a 16-strong team from Clyde & Co in Melbourne.

Partners Nicole Wearne, Mark Attard and Ganga Narayanan join the firm on 3 June, and will be joined by four special counsel, five lawyers and a support team of seven during June. The team brings decades of experience acting for local and global clients across key insurance lines and sectors and have worked together for a number of years including previously at Norton Rose Fulbright.

Jonathan Wyatt, Australian Managing Partner comments: “I am delighted to welcome Nicole, Mark, Ganga and their team to Kennedys in June. Their proven experience and longstanding market relationships adds to the existing strength of our Melbourne office, and bolsters our rapidly growing Australian insurance team’s ability to service local and London market clients across major insurance classes, particularly on the ground in Victoria.”

Nicole Wearne, says: “Kennedys has an extremely strong reputation in both the local and global insurance markets. We are excited to be joining at a time when the firm is looking to strategically expand its insurance offering in Australia and leverage innovation to benefit clients, while maintaining its focus on being an employer of choice.”

Kennedys’ Managing Partner in APAC, Matt Andrews adds: “I am very pleased that Nicole, Mark, Ganga and their team are joining the firm as we continue to invest in our Asia Pacific insurance capability. These hires are consistent with our refreshed, client focused global strategic plan, which includes reinforcing the depth of specialist talent in core global centres.”

Nicole is a highly regarded insurance specialist and litigator, with a focus on professional indemnity, management liability, D&O, class action defence and coverage claims work. She has strong Royal Commission expertise and also advises on regulatory investigations, fidelity matters and commercial disputes. Nicole is listed in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for Insurance Law in Australia by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

Mark has over 30 years’ experience advising Australian and London market clients on professional indemnity and general insurance matters for professionals across a range of areas, including construction, financial planning, accounting, legal, healthcare, real estate, travel and insurance intermediaries.

Ganga’s practices encompasses both general and life insurance claims and products. She acts for both local and London market clients in personal injury, property damage and medical liability claims, coronial inquests, fraud and non-disclosure claims and life insurance claims.