Insights
DAC Beachcroft is pleased to announce that aviation specialist Anna Anatolitou has joined the firm. She joins from Ince & Co. where she was a partner in the Aviation Group and the firm’s Head of Travel.
Anna’s practice covers aviation and travel litigation, as well as regulatory and commercial advice. Her litigation practice spans liability claims, contractual and commercial disputes, product liability and death, personal injury, and cargo cases. She has also handled aviation liability accounts for underwriters on many high-profile and complex aviation major losses. Anna’s clients range from airlines, insurers, travel agents, manufacturers, MROs, and flight services, to ground agents, airports, lessors and financiers, and others across the sector.
Anna is joined at DACB by a team of three from Ince & Co., including very experienced and highly regarded legal director Annabel Williamson, as well as associate Rachel Richards and trainee Eleni Achnioti.
Alex Stovold, Head of Aviation at DACB, said, “Anna is a very well known expert in the market, and we are delighted to welcome her on board. With her diverse practice, as well as her international experience and connections, she is perfectly placed to help us continue building out our aviation dispute practice which has been growing at pace since I joined in 2020.”
Liam O’Connell, Head of DACB’s Global Insurance practice in London, added, “Our focus remains on being the law firm of choice for the global insurance industry, and we continue to take steps to strengthen our international offering. So far this year we have launched new offices in Italy and Argentina and we have just announced a new association in Singapore with Incisive Law to bolster our shipping capabilities. We see the growth of our Aviation practice – which covers multiple jurisdictions – as another key offering to our clients globally.”
Anna said, “I’m excited to be joining the team at DACB. The aviation industry is being shaped by unprecedented challenges, regulatory shifts and emerging technologies. With its international reach and high-calibre Aviation team, the firm is very well positioned to help clients navigate these complexities.”
DAC Beachcroft boasts one of the largest insurance practices of any law firm in the UK, operating from eleven UK locations, as well as internationally from offices across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. The firm is also a founding member of Legalign Global, the alliance of best-in-region law firms working as one for multinational insurers, brokers and businesses in addressing cross-border risks and claims.
DAC Beachcroft is pleased to announce that aviation specialist Anna Anatolitou has joined the firm. She joins from Ince & Co. where she was a partner in the Aviation Group and the firm’s Head of Travel.
Anna’s practice covers aviation and travel litigation, as well as regulatory and commercial advice. Her litigation practice spans liability claims, contractual and commercial disputes, product liability and death, personal injury, and cargo cases. She has also handled aviation liability accounts for underwriters on many high-profile and complex aviation major losses. Anna’s clients range from airlines, insurers, travel agents, manufacturers, MROs, and flight services, to ground agents, airports, lessors and financiers, and others across the sector.
Anna is joined at DACB by a team of three from Ince & Co., including very experienced and highly regarded legal director Annabel Williamson, as well as associate Rachel Richards and trainee Eleni Achnioti.
Alex Stovold, Head of Aviation at DACB, said, “Anna is a very well known expert in the market, and we are delighted to welcome her on board. With her diverse practice, as well as her international experience and connections, she is perfectly placed to help us continue building out our aviation dispute practice which has been growing at pace since I joined in 2020.”
Liam O’Connell, Head of DACB’s Global Insurance practice in London, added, “Our focus remains on being the law firm of choice for the global insurance industry, and we continue to take steps to strengthen our international offering. So far this year we have launched new offices in Italy and Argentina and we have just announced a new association in Singapore with Incisive Law to bolster our shipping capabilities. We see the growth of our Aviation practice – which covers multiple jurisdictions – as another key offering to our clients globally.”
Anna said, “I’m excited to be joining the team at DACB. The aviation industry is being shaped by unprecedented challenges, regulatory shifts and emerging technologies. With its international reach and high-calibre Aviation team, the firm is very well positioned to help clients navigate these complexities.”
DAC Beachcroft boasts one of the largest insurance practices of any law firm in the UK, operating from eleven UK locations, as well as internationally from offices across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. The firm is also a founding member of Legalign Global, the alliance of best-in-region law firms working as one for multinational insurers, brokers and businesses in addressing cross-border risks and claims.
Following the success of our hubs in Christchurch Ōtautahi and Tauranga, we are pleased to announce W+K is opening its third New Zealand office in Christchurch Ōtautahi.
Our new office will be open for business on 4 September 2023. The local team will include senior lawyer, Laura Glasson, and Joseph Lill, who is joining the firm as a Special Counsel. Joseph specialises in statutory liability claims, including health & safety prosecutions. Laura and Joseph (both born and raised in the South Island) will shortly be joined by four new team members who are at the senior associate, associate and graduate levels.
Our expansion into Christchurch provides a local solution for our South Island clients and is the next chapter in our growth story as the largest specialist insurance and dispute resolution law firm across Australia and New Zealand. The Christchurch Ōtautahi office is W+K’s ninth office and its third new location in the last year.
The new office is based in the heart of the CBD at 235 High Street, Christchurch, Ōtautahi 8011.
National Firm Now in 41 Offices across the United States
Our North American alliance firm Wilson Elser announced today that it has opened a new office in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Indianapolis office together with the firm’s Merrillville, Indiana location will service clients across the entire state. Wilson Elser now has 41 offices in the United States.
Heading up the new office is Joseph V. Macha, an experienced trial attorney and former managing partner of the Indianapolis office of Foley Mansfield. Joining him from the same firm is associate Thomas J. Flynn. Justin Hazlett, a 20-year veteran of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General will join the office on August 21 as Of Counsel.
“We’re expanding our Midwest presence at the request of our clients,” said David Holmes, the firm’s Midwest Region Managing Partner. “The new Indianapolis office will expand the presence of Wilson Elser’s best-in-class national network of defense litigators and nationally recognized trial bench to serve our clients in this region.”
“The firm’s enhanced presence in Indiana headed by Joe is a double win for Wilson Elser. Together with the Merrillville office, Indianapolis will command a generous share of business in Indiana and serve as a strategic extension of our nearby Chicago office,” said Wilson Elser Chair Daniel J. McMahon.
Macha said he was excited to join Wilson Elser for its national stature and size. “It is good for my team to be with a firm that is growing in Indiana and nationwide. We look forward to using our years of trial experience and knowledge of Indianapolis to better serve the firm and its clients.”
The attorneys primarily will handle complex environmental liability, general liability and product liability matters.
About the Indianapolis Team
Joseph V. Macha
Joseph Macha is an experienced trial attorney with a practice focused in civil litigation, including product liability, toxic tort, environmental law, and drug and medical device litigation. He has been first chair for more than 20 jury trials in state and federal courts and handles bench trials and arbitrations as well.
Macha has represented clients before regulatory agencies and in litigation on issues pertaining to the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). His product liability work includes cases relating to drugs and medical devices, heavy equipment and a range of defect cases. Macha also has been involved in multidistrict litigation (MDL) and mass tort cases.
A National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) Board Certified Trial Specialist, Macha is one of fewer than 2,000 attorneys in the United States to hold this certification. He also is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocacy, an esteemed invitation-only group.
Macha earned his J.D. degree in 1994 from Western State University College of Law, his B.A. degree in 1987 from Loyola Marymount University, and a B.S. degree in 1984 from Santa Clara University.
Thomas Flynn
Thomas Flynn has represented numerous high-profile Fortune 500 companies in various class action suits, with a focus on asbestos and talc claims. He has defended dozens of suits in various areas of law, including but not limited to toxic tort/mass tort, complex litigation (including multi-forum litigation), environmental law, product liability and general civil litigation.
Flynn earned his J.D. degree in 2019 from the University of Notre Dame Law School and his B.A. degree in 2015 from Indiana University Bloomington.
Wilson Elser is recognized in The Legal 500 United States 2023 in the following three practice areas.
Insurance: Advice to Insurers Tier 4
Wilson Elser’s Insurance Practice is headed by James Stankowski (Partner, California); professional liability specialist Thomas Quinn (Partner, New Jersey); Price Collins (Partner-Texas), who specializes in handling coverage determinations, claims, settlement negotiations and bad faith avoidance; and Michael Duffy (Partner, Chicago), who advises on coverage, extra-contractual liability and reinsurance matters. Key lawyers also recognized are Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York) and Kate Tammaro (Partner, New Jersey).
Cannabis Tier 4
Wilson Elser’s Cannabis Law Practice co-chair Ian A. Stewart works with insurance companies on new policy forms and underwriting practices, while co-chair Dean A. Rocco assists ancillary businesses and financial institutions that work with cannabis companies on regulatory compliance. All key lawyers are based in Los Angeles.
The Legal 500 testimonials:
“They have industry knowledge in a relatively newer market that other firms don’t possess.”
“Ian Stewart has the most knowledge out of every cannabis attorney I have spoken to. He recognized potential coverage issues and is able to assist in creating contracts that enable our company to navigate around them.”
“They have built an excellent practice across the industry and indeed across their firm, they are very knowledgeable and practical.”
Shipping Litigation & Regulation Tier 3
Wilson Elser’s Admiralty & Marine Practice is routinely sought by international group Protection & Indemnity clubs and major cruise lines for casualty response work. The New Orleans–based team is headed by longstanding maritime law specialist Antonio Rodriguez, who has extensive experience in matters involving collisions and other significant shipping and pollution casualties. Providing support are Jake Rodriguez and Mike Harowski. Working across the firm’s Houston and New Orleans offices, Kent Adams covers catastrophic personal injury, offshore, maritime, insurance and environmental matters. John Bridger (Of Counsel, Houston) handles a range of civil and maritime litigation. Key lawyers named are Otis Felder (Partner, Los Angeles), Raymond Perez (Partner, White Plains, NY), Ronald White (Of Counsel, Houston) and Daniella Gauer (Associate, Miami).
The Legal 500 Testimonials:
“Jake Rodriguez impresses with his knowledge of maritime law and practice, and his judgment and skill in litigation strategy.”
“Jake Rodriguez’s knowledge, skill and abilities are at a high level when compared to other firms. Clients are also impressed with his responsiveness to enquiries.”
The Legal 500 research is based on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms, interviews with leading private practice lawyers and data from a team of researchers experienced in the legal market. The Legal 500 was published June 7, 2023.
About The Legal 500
https://www.legal500.com/c/united-states/
On May 1st, Alexander Holburn celebrated its 50th anniversary with specialty coffee booths, a champagne toast, and remarks from Managing Partner, Chris Hirst. A momentous occasion for the firm and a testament to its success over the past five decades.
Chris spoke to ‘Business in Vancouver’ about the secret of their success over the last fifty years in an article published on Monday.
‘Looking back with grace and gratitude, while looking forward with optimism and determination’.
It’s with this spirit that law firm Alexander Holburn proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary by highlighting the very people who’ve brought this landmark occasion to fruition.
“It is pretty incredible to reflect on, and I think the reason for our longevity is because of our strong culture of support, mentorship, empathy and independence,” says managing partner Chris Hirst.
Hirst attributes some of the firm’s longevity to founding partners William (Bill) Holburn, K.C. and Stuart Lang, who, along with Hirst’s predecessor Bruno De Vita, K.C., helped set a standard of professionalism and excellence that continues to permeate across the firm today. The partnership also has a voice in shaping the firm, and there is an atmosphere of collaboration and leadership that makes people feel appreciated and encouraged to do their best.
Those hallmark qualities are brought to bear when looking at the firm’s retention and recruitment numbers: 20 per cent of Alexander Holburn’s employees have been with the company for 25-plus years, while a further 40 per cent of the team has spent the majority of their careers – at least 10 years – with the firm.
“It has always been about our people, our shared experience, and our commitment to one another. I hope that is why others wish to join us and why I expect we have a culture of ‘lifers,’” says partner and director of associate and student programs Christine York, who’s been with the firm for 27 years.
With longevity comes growth. The firm opened a Toronto office in 2019 and now has a small footprint in Kelowna as well. This growth includes a breadth of services and areas of expertise: insurance law, business law, real estate, construction law, mergers and acquisitions, class actions, wills and estates, defamation, aviation, strata and police law, to name just a few.
This is a firm that has quite literally overseen tens of thousands of cases over its storied history and whose clients range from large multinational organizations with complex legal issues to small and medium sized businesses at all stages. Clients have come to expect legal advice on par with large international firms while retaining the attention to client care and commitment that comes with a smaller firm.
So, what’s next?
“We’re always looking for ways to improve our service delivery and stay on top of trends and innovations,” Hirst says when looking ahead to the next 50 years.
“But some things are going to stay the same. We are always focused on getting the fundamentals right, continuing to build on a team of best-in-class lawyers and support staff and bringing them together with the goal of delivering outstanding legal and client service.” To learn more about Alexander Holburn and its suite of legal services, visit ahbl.ca. ‘
Wilson Elser has achieved Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certification Plus, which confirms achievement of 30 percent representation of underrepresented lawyers in many of the program’s designated categories.
“This is our first year participating in certification, and achieving the Plus Certification is a huge accomplishment,” said Wilson Elser Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair Angela Russell. “It demonstrates the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion across all leadership levels, and is consistent with the firm’s strategic goal to increase representation and opportunities for those from diverse backgrounds and women lawyers.” Carolyn O’Connor, Wilson Elser’s Chair of Women Attorneys Valued & Empowered (WAVE) added, “Mansfield Certification Plus is a well-deserved recognition of the ways Wilson Elser supports its women attorneys through the WAVE initiative. I couldn’t be prouder of this moment in the firm’s history and look forward to celebrating our continued support for its women attorneys through Mansfield certifications in the future.”
Mansfield Certification is the standard by which law firms measure their progress toward recruiting and retaining women lawyers, lawyers from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, lawyers with disabilities and LGBTQ+ lawyers. Sixty large law firms, including 49 firms seeking first-time certification, in the United States and Canada, participated in the Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certification process for 2022, which launched in July 2021. The one-year certification process is administered by Diversity Lab.
Declaring that the firm has committed to participate in Mansfield Rule 6.0 Certification, Wilson Elser Chair Dan McMahon reflects the feelings of the entire firm: “Diversity & Inclusion is a firm foundational value that is critical to our success. Achieving this certification confirms Wilson Elser’s ongoing efforts to mirror the diversity of our clients and of the communities in which we practice.”
New for Mansfield 5.0, firms were required to:
- Track their candidate pools in a disaggregated manner, prompting them to measure the impact of the Mansfield Rule according to each underrepresented group.
- Consider 30 percent underrepresented individuals when hiring and promoting for C-level or other senior-level professional staff roles.
Lateral Hire Brings Significant London Market Experience
Wilson Elser has announced that Graham Pulvere has joined the firm as a partner in its Birmingham, Alabama, office.
Pulvere concentrates his practice on litigating insurance coverage and bad faith actions in addition to a variety of professional liability matters. He was previously a partner at Lloyd Gray Whitehead Monroe in Birmingham, where he practiced in the Insurance Coverage and Professional Liability groups, handling matters in the U.S. and London insurance markets.
At Wilson Elser, Pulvere will be a member of the Insurance & Reinsurance Coverage and the Professional Liability & Services practices, as well as the London Practice.
“Graham has significant experience working with the London market on first-party and bad faith matters and will add to our strong ability to handle complex coverage and bad faith matters not only in Alabama but also in Mississippi and Louisiana,” said London Practice Chair David Holmes.
“As the nation’s preeminent defense litigation law firm, our sweet spot is insurance,” said David Hall, Regional Managing Partner of the Birmingham office. “Graham adds to our deep bench in that area, and we extend him an enthusiastic welcome to Wilson Elser.”
Focused in the area of first-party and third-party insurance coverage matters, Pulvere handles various first-party matters including claims involving catastrophes, suspected burning, fraud, theft losses, and commercial property and business interruption losses. Additionally, he handles first- and third-party bad faith matters including excess policy claims.
Pulvere has represented clients in a range of areas such as legal malpractice actions, bar disciplinary proceedings, and errors and omissions actions against insurance agents and brokers. He handles litigation, arbitration and mediation in a number of states.
Pulvere received a J.D. degree from Samford University Cumberland School of Law in 2003, and a B.S. degree from Utah State University in 1998.
Today, W+K welcomes two new Health partners: Marie-Clare Elder and Claudine Watson-Kyme. The combination of our new Sydney-based partners and Partner Chris Spain in Melbourne creates a formidable, fresh Health team.
Both Marie-Clare and Claudine come from senior in-house roles, have medical backgrounds and are widely respected for the advice and support they provide to medical and allied health professionals.
Marie-Clare Elder specialises in health, medical negligence and personal injury litigation. She has practised in Australia and the United Kingdom in senior in-house roles and is a former clinical nurse specialist in intensive care. Most recently, Marie-Clare was the Senior Legal Counsel – Manager Legal Services at MIGA, where she was responsible leading the eastern seaboard team and for general legal advice and litigated claims, coronial inquests, disciplinary and employment matters.
Claudine Watson-Kyme is a health law specialist with extensive experience in litigation and dispute resolution. During her career, Claudine has represented and advised NSW health agencies, medical indemnity insurers, hospitals, medical practitioners and allied health providers. Her experience spans liability claims, coronial inquests, disciplinary and administrative law matters. She is a former nurse and, most recently, was the Manager of Cases and Advisory Services at MDA National.
With their in-house experience, Chris, Marie-Claire and Claudine are reinventing the traditional healthcare offering and creating something genuinely different for the market in terms of price, service and an empathetic and practical approach to claims management. Our offering will be tailored to meet the diverse needs of the health sector, including medical negligence claims, disciplinary matters, coronial inquiries, advisory services and employment law support.
Legalign Global alliance member, Wotton + Kearney, has opened a new office in Adelaide, Australia. This move continues the firm’s growth trajectory and expanding its footprint into seven cities across Australia and New Zealand – and further expands our global coverage.
David Kearney, Wotton + Kearney’s Chief Executive Partner, said: “Our expansion into Adelaide will meet our increasing local client demand. It’s also a great example of our People First strategy in practice. Throughout the pandemic, we had lawyers who understandably wanted to work from home in their home town. That worked so well that we have now opened an office for the team.”
The firm’s move into Adelaide is the latest chapter in its growth story. It follows recent senior appointments across its Property, Energy & Construction, Financial Lines and General Liability practices and in the specialty lines of Cyber, Marine & Transport and Health, as well as the arrival of the former DLA insurance team in New Zealand.
Wotton + Kearney now has more than 330 dedicated insurance lawyers, including 58 partners, across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Wellington and Auckland. To meet insurer’s needs, the firm also has an active presence in the London and Singapore markets and continues to actively recruit.
Legalign Global alliance member Wotton + Kearney has entered a partnership with investment firm Straight Bat. This move will assist the firm to accelerate its ambitious client solutions and growth objectives.
Under the deal, Straight Bat is taking a minority stake in Wotton + Kearney, providing insight and governance with two non-executive board appointments and injecting equity and corporate expertise into our business.
The partnership allows Wotton + Kearney to make a significant investment in accelerating the delivery of its strategy, which involves attracting the best talent in key insurance lines, capturing new market opportunities and investing in legal tech to benefit its clients.
It reinforces the firm’s ongoing commitment to deliver expertise across a greater number of insurance products from more places across the region. Recently, this commitment has seen Wotton + Kearney expand its teams in core areas like major loss property, energy and infrastructure, as well as in speciality lines, such as health, cyber and marine. The firm has also recently opened its seventh office in Adelaide.
Wotton + Kearney’s strategy also responds to the growing need to increase our investment in legal technology and data-driven client solutions. This is critical as many insurers are looking to leverage data to assist with risk selection, risk mitigation and appropriate pricing.
Straight Bat is a private equity fund that invests for the long-term in mature, robust, profitable, medium-sized Australian businesses and assists its business partners to deliver their strategic plans. For their part, the Straight Bat team were impressed by Wotton + Kearney’s standing in the insurance market and are excited about bringing their broader business skills to the firm’s evolving growth story.
As part of the partnership arrangements, Wotton + Kearney has appointed two new non-executive directors, Rob Nicholls and Steve Gledden. Steve Gledden is a former McKinsey & Co consultant who has 25+ years’ experience in professional services, private equity and venture capital in Australia and the United States. Rob Nicholls has diverse strategy, governance and business growth experience, including five years as a CEO growing the national footprint of an industrial services business and 20+ years at Westpac and in M+As.
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