Clyde & Co deepens expertise of Australian insurance practice through new partner hire

Global law firm Clyde & Co has today announced the hire of Patrick Boardman as partner in Sydney to deepen the expertise in its leading Australian and global insurance practices.

Patrick joins from Wotton + Kearney, where he has practised for 16 years. His practice focuses on Financial Lines Insurance, undertaking 75% coverage and 25% defence work, primarily in Directors & Officers (D&O) and Financial Institutions PI (FIPI) insurance. This predominantly consists of large shareholder/investor class actions advising on complex coverage issues and monitoring/advising on defence, strategy and settlement.

Patrick also acts in the defence of D&Os, predominantly in respect of regulatory investigations and liquidators’ examinations, and also acts for health professionals in regulatory and coronial investigations and disciplinary proceedings.

Lucinda Lyons, partner and Head of Insurance in Australia, comments: "A hire of the calibre of Patrick, one of the most prominent and senior financial lines insurance lawyers with an impressive market reputation for large scale and complex coverage work, underlines our position as the clear leaders in insurance in Australia and further afield.

"There are obvious synergies between Patrick's practice and the work of our existing team in Sydney. We hope to make the most of these synergies to the benefit of our clients and other businesses which are facing heightened regulatory scrutiny and the continued fallout from COVID-19."

Patrick Boardman comments: "In joining a truly global law firm like Clyde & Co, I see fantastic opportunities to develop my practice and deepen the relationships I have in the London market and broader insurance industry. I have long-admired the great work of the Clyde & Co team in Sydney and look forward to adding a fresh dimension to the services they offer clients."

Patrick's arrival continues the growth trajectory for Clyde & Co in Australia which was established in Australia in late 2012, growing to have offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. It follows the hiring in Australia last year of four insurance partners from Norton Rose Fulbright – Nicole Wearne, Ganga Narayanan, Mark Attard and Jehan-Philippe Wood – as well as marine partner Nic van der Reyden from HFW.

Clyde & Co is the world's pre-eminent insurance law firm, offering an unmatched depth of coverage and defence capabilities across every line of insurance and reinsurance business, from the smallest claim to the most complex loss. Its leading dispute resolution practice covers litigation and all forms of alternative dispute resolution in relation to contentious claims and acts for insurers in contentious regulatory proceedings. It provides a complete range of corporate, commercial, regulatory and advisory services including advising on policy wording issues, product development, funding options and recoveries