Chris Finn

Partner | Sydney, Australia
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Profile

Chris is a Partner in the Sydney office and heads up the casualty claims practice.  He qualified in 1993 and has more than 20 years’ experience in insurance and dispute resolution, with a particular focus on professional indemnity and casualty claims.

Chris and his team have extensive experience managing complex claims for domestic and London market insurers across professional indemnity and financialised matters including for Insured accountants, valuers, financial advisers and brokers, property managers and construction professionals.

He has extensive personal injury and liability experience ranging from smaller matters to large, complex and catastrophic claims involving multiple parties, including class actions. 

Chris’s expertise also includes shipping and aviation advice and claims as well as insurance and reinsurance coverage disputes across all lines of insurance.
Chris plays an active role in industry bodies including the AILA Committee, Education Sub-Committee, APIG and the Casualty Claims and Reinsurance discussion groups. He regularly writes on insurance law and presents at conferences, industry events and to clients.

Chris also contributed to the Claims inflation and personal injury claims: a global review report, published in June 2023.

He is well liked by clients...really thorough and highly responsive.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2022

Related articles

News

Kennedys team recognised in Best Lawyers Australia and Best Lawyers Singapore 2025

18/04/2024

Case review

Watch out for bruised heads – the Court of Appeal highlights the importance of adequately formulating ‘risk of harm’ and evidencing precautions

19/12/2023

News

Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2024 rankings

15/12/2023

View more

Market recognition

2024

  • Recognised in the 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers Australia for 'Personal Injury Litigation'. 
    Chris has been recognised by Best Lawyers in both practice areas since 2018.

2023

  • Leading & recommended Lawyer for 'Public and Product Liability (Defendant) (New South Wales)'
    Doyle's Guide 2023
  • Notable practitioner for 'Insurance Defence (Australia)'
    Chambers Asia Pacific 2023

2022

  • Notable practitioner for 'Insurance Defence (Australia)'
    A market source's observation that he is "well liked by clients" is confirmed by a client who notes that, in addition to being "really accurate and really thorough," he is also highly responsive, the same source saying: "It doesn't take him long to get a file and do what needs to be done."
    Chambers Asia Pacific 2022
  • Recognised in the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers Australia for 'Insurance Law' and 'Personal Injury Litigation'. 
    Chris has been recognised by Best Lawyers in both practice areas since 2018.

2021

  • Leading lawyer for 'Defendant Public and Product Liability (New South Wales)'
    Doyles Guide 2021
  • Leading lawyer for 'Professional Indemnity (New South Wales)'
    Doyles Guide 2021
  • Recommended lawyer for 'Dispute Resolution: Litigation (Australia)'
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021
  • Recommended lawyer for 'Insurance (Australia)'
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021
  • Notable practitioner for 'Insurance Defence (Australia)'
    An "engaged and responsive" lawyer who "understands the unique pressures on an in-house counsel and can offer pragmatic and practical approaches to meeting those challenges."
    Chambers Asia Pacific 2021

2020

  • Notable practitioner for 'Insurance defence (Australia)'
    "He is well regarded by insurer clients for his thoroughly commercial approach and close attention to their business objectives."
    Chambers Asia Pacific 2020

2018

  • Recommended lawyer for 'Insurance (Australia)'
    Chris Finn is “‘thorough, effective and responsive’.
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018

2017

  • Recommended in The Gracechurch Report
    Chris Finn is “…very committed and has a useful perspective on how claims should be aligned and resourced. He has very good technical expertise and always provides a good council to assist on a claim”.
    “He is excellent because he encompasses the Kennedys philosophy of doing things, whilst maintaining high standards of legal advice”.
    The Gracechurch Report: Asia Pacific Insurance Law 2017
  • Leading Individual for 'Insurance (Australia)'
    Chris Finn is admired for his "excellent commercial outlook" and has his clients’ "full trust on matters". Clients state: "He is always attentive to our needs and works tirelessly to render the outcomes we seek." He is also described as a "strong performer" who provides "exceptional client service."
    Chambers Asia Pacific 2015 and 2017

Awards

Work highlights

  • Successfully defending a municipal authority in a catastrophic personal injury claim in the High Court, which redefines the scope of the law of duty of care in Australia (Wyong Shire Council ats Vairy);
  • Successfully representing insurers of a litigated denial of indemnity claim under a directors and officers insurance policy on the basis of fraudulent non-disclosure and other policy conditions (GIO ats Porter);
  • Acting for liability insurers in a property damage/business interruption claim worth over a $100M arising from a gas explosion in New South Wales, which was resolved on extremely favourable terms;
  • Successfully representing a multinational property management company in relation to a claim for alleged negligence and misleading deceptive conduct in excess of $5M.  Judgement obtained in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal (CBRE ats Makings Custodian);
  • Acting on behalf of London underwriters in successfully defending a claim in the New South Wales Supreme Court against the insured operators of a licenced venue where negligent assault and trespass was alleged.

Services

Sectors