Sydney
Australia has a growing and highly regulated insurance market and immense opportunities in the areas of natural resources, infrastructure and construction. The country also acts as one of the hubs for companies active in development of economies across South East Asia.
In July 2012, Clyde & Co announced that it would open in Australia (for details of the announcement please click here) with the recruitment of the leading group of insurance and reinsurance lawyers in Australia and Asia as well as lawyers with significant capability in the areas of natural resources and broader dispute resolution.
The team is recognised internationally for its full service expertise in all aspects of insurance and reinsurance law and regulation, and has experience in acting for major general and life insurers and reinsurers in Australia and Asia (whether based locally or operating from London, Bermuda or the United States), underwriters, professional firms, advisers, brokers and other intermediaries, health benefit organisations, industry associations and corporate and professional firm insureds from all industry sectors.
We have worked on successful High Court appeals, landmark insurance and reinsurance cases and have extensive experience in representing London-based syndicates, intermediaries and insureds on claims in Australia and Asia. The team has particular expertise in:
- Complex indemnity and coverage disputes
- Professional indemnity and D&O issues
- Defence of insureds under a wide range of liability covers
- Reinsurance disputes
- Product liability across a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals
- Life Insurance disputes including Superannuation
- Australian class actions
- A wide range of regulatory investigations and inquiries
Our team has dealt with some of the largest and most complex insurance restructurings, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and capital raisings in Australia. We have expertise in relation to the establishment of insurance businesses, portfolio transfers and run off schemes, compensation schemes, marketing and distribution arrangements, competition law affecting the insurance industry and policy wordings. This experience means that we have a deep understanding of the Australian insurance regulatory system and have developed working relationships with Australian insurance regulators.
The team members measure themselves on their common-sense approach and ability to quickly identify critical issues, apply the law and deliver commercially astute advice. This extends beyond the insurance sector into acting on a broad range of disputes.
The team is made up of some of the most experienced lawyers in the industry. Our partners are all highly rated in Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific and other league tables. As a team, and at their previous firm, they received the highest number of nominations of any law firm in the Australasian region for the World's Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers. The team includes lawyers who have worked in jurisdictions with significant insurance and reinsurance markets, including the UK and Asia.