Lauren Ritchie

Profil complet

Lauren is experienced in providing advice to her insurer clients in relation to policy interpretation and policy obligations. Lauren has had exposure to all aspects of litigation including drafting pleadings and appearing at directions hearings and mediations.

Lauren's primary areas of expertise are professional indemnity claims, personal injury claims, including both common law and recovery actions brought by the Victorian Workcover Authority, and property damage claims. She also regularly provides coverage advice in respect of complex indemnity issues and acts in coverage disputes. Lauren currently acts for a range of clients with diverse needs, including government clients, insurance clients and commercial clients.

Expérience

• Defending various construction professionals, including architects, structural and fire services engineers, building surveyors and town planners against claims commenced in VCAT and the Supreme Court of Victoria.
• Acting for medical professionals in negligence claims, including hospitals, radiology service providers and laser surgery clinics.
• Acting for grain handlers and agronomists in proceedings involving allegations of negligence, breach of contract and misleading or deceptive conduct.
• Acting for financial service providers, primarily accountants and financial planners, in claims brought in the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Federal Court and AFCA alleging negligent advice and contraventions of the Corporations Act and the ASIC Act.
• Providing indemnity advice in relation to a liquidator of a group of companies who was the subject of an ASIC Investigation. The liquidator had allowed several companies within the group to continue trading under the control of the director, which ASIC did not consider was in the best interest of the sole shareholder, being one of the companies in relation to which the liquidator had been appointed.
• Acting for major building companies in claims involving injury to workers on building sites and property damage to adjoining properties.
• Defending insureds against damages claims brought by injured workers and claims brought by the Victorian Workcover Authority seeking recovery of statutory compensation paid to injured workers.
• Defending public authorities and government entities against personal injury claims brought under the Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic), including claims involving catastrophic injuries.
• Acting in coronial investigations for hospitals and other entities, including for a real estate agent in an inquest involving the death of two young boys from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a defective heater.
• Providing advice to a major insurer on policy response and issues of standing. The question of standing was ultimately determined by the High Court of Australia. Following the High Court’s determination, the substantive hearing proceeded in the Supreme Court on the coverage issues, with the Court ultimately finding in favour of the insurer client.
• Acting for water authorities, architects and maintenance contractors in property damage claims brought in VCAT pursuant to the Water Act 1989.
• Providing contract works insurance advice on policy response for corporate clients, preparing claim submissions and assisting these clients with managing and co-ordinating insurance claims arising from large construction projects and developments.