Wotton + Kearney has been recognised as a Band 1 insurance law firm in Australia for the ninth consecutive year in the 2021 Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific rankings, and has retained its long-standing Band 2 position in New Zealand. Eight of the firm’s senior lawyers were also individually rated.

Chambers says Wotton + Kearney is known for being a “well-regarded insurance powerhouse acting for major insurers on big-ticket disputes, including public and product liability, financial lines and professional indemnity matters” and possessing “an impressive trans-Tasman footprint”. The directory goes on to say: “The specialised orientation of the firm is the decisive factor in the minds of a number of clients” and “consistency of quality is also a frequently stressed theme.”

Chief Executive Partner David Kearney said: “I have really appreciated the client feedback about the firm, including one comment that reflects the value of our “People First” strategy: ‘They’ve done a very good job in having the right people with the right skills and experience. With that diversity, there wouldn’t be many matters where we wouldn’t consider them’. I was also delighted to see Cain Jackson move up to a Band 1 individual in Australia, and Sophie Lucas and Andrew Moore being individually recognised for the first time in New Zealand.”

Along with the firm rankings, eight Wotton + Kearney senior lawyers were individually ranked:

Australia

• David Kearney (Eminent Practitioner) – widespread acknowledgement for having played “a big part in the impressive growth of the firm” and continues to oversee its interactions with its impressive roster of clients, one of whom says: “He’s very committed to the market and ensures that the firm stays on top of its relationships with insurers and meets the changing needs of the industry.”
• Cain Jackson (Band 1) – ranked since 2013 with interviewees characterising him as “a very good lawyer with a great reputation who knows his stuff” and “one of the best in Australia.” Another source reported: “We find Cain to be an excellent all-rounder, not only in the technical and strategic senses, but also as someone who is always thinking of what our next step should be, why that should be and how to get there.”
• Andrew Moore (Band 3) – singled out by an interviewee as being a practitioner who “combines strong customer focus with good technical ability and balanced advice” and being “very responsive, especially when we have a tight timeframe.”
• Adam Chylek (Band 4) – described as “[commanding] widespread market recognition as a partner who ‘gets a lot of good work’ in the insurance space, particularly where property-related matters are concerned”.

New Zealand

• Antony Holden (Band 2) – ranked since 2016 and identified as “a go-to guy” by a client who goes on to praise his “thoroughness, advocacy and commercially astute negotiation style”.
• Mathew Francis (Band 4) – listed for the fourth year running and described by a client as an “excellent technical lawyer and communicator”.
• Sophie Lucas (Band 4) – newly ranked and assessed as “[standing] out for her expertise concerning professional indemnity and liability issues”, with one interviewee calling her an “excellent, well-regarded practitioner doing an excellent job”.
• Andrew Moore (Up and Coming) – newly listed in the Up and Coming category and said to be “widely viewed as ‘a young lawyer with a very bright future’”.

To read the full commentary, visit the Chambers site for Australia and New Zealand.