Wotton + Kearney opens eighth Canberra office

As part of the expansion, Sparke Helmore’s seasoned insurance litigator, Catherine Power (pictured), and her team – Gemma Burke (senior counsel), Cindy Lim (senior counsel), Emma Bozic (senior associate), Rachel Walls (senior associate), Denisa Zezulka (solicitor), Wendy Bradford (practice manager), and Sheridan Martin (legal admin) – will join W + K, with the majority entering the firm on August 01 and then moving to the Canberra office in September when the fit-out is complete.

Power is known for her work advising on a wide range of insurance claims for large insurers and the Commonwealth Government. She is an expert in public liability, institutional abuse, property damage, professional indemnity, and medical negligence claims.

Read more: Wotton + Kearney teams up with investment firm Straight Bat

Commenting on her and her team’s move to W + K, Power said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Wotton + Kearney, a firm whose growth and success I’ve keenly observed for many years. The firm’s committed focus on the insurance industry and the genuine engagement fostered with clients [are] unrivalled in the market. I’m excited to grow the firm’s Canberra presence, building on the phenomenal talent of the team I have joining with me.”

W + K chief executive partner David Kearney added: “With Catherine and our new team in Canberra, and with our recent office opening in Adelaide, we now offer our clients unrivalled insurance law coverage across the ANZ region.”

W + K now has over 340 dedicated insurance lawyers, including 62 partners, across Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Wellington. The expansion and appointment follow its partnership with investment firm Straight Bat, an income-oriented private equity fund that invests for the long term in mature, robust, and profitable Australian businesses.