W+K is delighted to announce the winner of the inaugural Wotton + Kearney Turning Point competition – Nathan McLellan, Vice President – First Party Claims, Asia Pacific, Liberty Specialty Markets.

Nathan, with contribution from W+K Special Counsel Matthew Foglia, wrote a paper on “The importance of clarifying LEG2 and LEG3 during the transition to clean energy”. LEG2/96 and LEG3/96 or LEG3/06 (LEG2 and LEG3) have become ubiquitous in Australian Construction All Risks (CAR) and Erection All Risks (EAR) policies and each plays a commercially necessary role. However, the structure and language of the clauses can yield contested outcomes. Nathan’s paper calls attention to several nuances in LEG2 and LEG3 that warrant refinement in the context of the Australian market.

The competition, which was launched in August 2022, threw out a challenge to the insurance industry’s most creative and progressive thinkers to explore where the Property, Energy & Infrastructure market is going, including changes in industry and technology.

This is a timely topic that deserves industry attention. Nathan’s paper picks up some very technical issues that are impacting the CAR space. This is in an area where there is very little law, and which will inevitably be at the forefront of the claims experience in the energy transition rush.

W+K congratulates the other finalists:

  • Sumeet Bhardwaj, Senior Engineering Adjuster, Integra Technical Services (with Doug Heard, Special Counsel, W+K) – “‘Adjusting’ the government buy-back schemes”
  • Patrick Martin, Property & Casualty Graduate, Chubb (with Tully Anders, Special Counsel, W+K) – “Using AI to manage risks in the rapid transition to renewables”, and
  • Trudie Moeller, Regional Director, Asia Pacific, CCi (with Sam Barker, Special Counsel, W+K) – “Consideration of the opportunity to implement best practice for information requests relating to the time element of an insurance claim following a physical damage event to support the progress and success of the claim for parties”. Download now.

Nathan will receive a trip to a key industry event, such as the Lillehammer Energy Claims Conference in Norway, PICS in London, the Asia Power Forum in Singapore or the Asia Pacific Energy Conference in Bali, to the value of A$10,000. Each of the other finalists will receive travel vouchers in their jurisdiction to the value of A$1,000.

We would also like to thank our industry judging panel: Peter Kelaher (Country President, Australia and New Zealand, Chubb), Fraser McLachlan (CEO and Founder, GCube Underwriting) and Adam Chylek (Head of Property, Energy + Infrastructure, W+K).

You can download a copy of Nathan’s winning white paper below. We will be sharing all the papers over the coming months, where they will reach an even wider audience.