Nicole Wearne

Nicole is a highly regarded insurance specialist and litigator with over 30 years’ experience handling complex commercial disputes and providing insurance defence and coverage advice.

She also sits on the firm’s Governance Group, responsible for robust decision-making across Kennedys leadership.

Her practice focuses on professional indemnity, management liability, D&O and class action defence, including securities, consumer and major torts class actions. She is a trusted advisor on regulatory investigations, fidelity matters, construction disputes, trade credit and commercial disputes, and has acted in high profile matters before the High Court of Australia, Full Federal Court and appellate courts in NSW and Victoria.

A recognised authority in Royal Commissions, Nicole has played a key role in landmark inquiries, acting for clients in the Hayne Royal Commission, the Aged Care Royal Commission, Disability Royal Commission and the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires Royal Commission.

Described by clients as an “exceptional partner for large high stakes litigation”, Nicole primarily acts for Australian general and life insurers and London market underwriters and reinsurers. She also advises corporate clients, particularly in the infrastructure sector.

Clients trust Nicole with their most difficult and complex matters, praising her as a “safe pair of hands”. She is known for her sharp formulation of legal strategy, with clients valuing her accessibility and responsiveness to their needs.

Her excellence in the field has earned her a spot in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific’s recent ‘Hall of Fame’ for insurance law in Australia. Additionally, she has been recognised as a leading individual in Australia by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers.

Nicole explored the claims impact of global elections and regional instability in Kennedys’ 'Global forecast 2025: Negotiating the interconnection of evolving risks' report, published in February 2025.