Hugo Thomas

Full Profile

Hugo has a broad practice advising and acting for insurers in litigated and unlitigated professional indemnity and general liability claims, as well as regulatory investigations and inquiries.

Hugo’s practice involves the management of professional indemnity claims (defending a mix of construction professionals and insurance brokers) and general liability claims (including complex personal injury and property damage claims), providing advice on both coverage and defence matters for Australian and London based insurers.

Hugo has experience defending claims in every Australian jurisdiction and has litigated claims across all jurisdictional levels.

Experience

• Advising on matters relating to coverage and defence for a claim arising from a large bushfire that damaged agricultural properties in rural NSW;
• Advising insurers and appearing at the Coronial Inquest into the death of a suspected shoplifter by undercover loss prevention officers;
• Acting on behalf of a liability insurer of an amusement park in a catastrophic claim arising out of the use of a roller coaster; and
• Advising insurers and insureds in relation to an alleged breach of seed breeders rights, purportedly resulting in the sale of 1 billion incorrectly identified seeds globally.

Professional Indemnity

• Acting on behalf of engineers in relation to the refurbishment of a former landfill to residential land with allegations of significant contamination, including PFAS;
• Acting on behalf of insurance brokers in proceedings arising out of claims for breach of professional duty for the failure to place correct or adequate insurance, or the provide appropriate advice; and
• Acting on behalf of architects and superintendents in claims for breach of professional duty relating to non-compliant cladding being installed on the facade of residential towers in NSW.