Professional Liability - Wotton Kearney

Articles

New $10 million environmental fines: What dairy farmers and SMEs need to know

By: Neil Beadle and Finlay Watson What has changed? New Zealand’s Resource Management Act’s new maximum fine of $10 million for corporate offenders has attracted significant attention.1 For large corporates, the message from New Zealand Parliament appears clear. What was once a $600,000 maximum fine has become $10 million. The intent is plainly to expose serious […]

By : Tracey Govind Aug 14, 2026 Comments Off

Case Alerts

New Zealand Court of Appeal clarifies trustee discretion and duty of care

By: Mathew Francis, Rebecca Scott, James Dymock and Alison Cupples Perpetual Trust Ltd v Cooke [2026] NZCA 349 Background Mrs Cooke died in March 2017. Her two adult children (Mr Cooke and Mrs Panhuis) were the original executors of the estate and trustees of the testamentary trusts established by her will. The estate’s main assets […]

By : Tracey Govind Aug 13, 2026 Comments Off

WK News

Get to know Lucille Stewart: Special Counsel in WK’s Adelaide office

We recently caught up with Lucille Stewart, Wotton Kearney’s newest Special Counsel in Adelaide, about her move to the firm, her South Australian insurance experience, and what she is looking forward to in her new role. The strategic appointment of Lucille as Special Counsel in WK’s General Liability group builds on the strength of the […]

By : Joshua Weiler Aug 12, 2026 Comments Off

Thought Leadership

New Zealand’s Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006: A new complaints framework

By: Filip Nikolic, Mathew Francis, Emily Whiteside and Alison Cupples Introduction On 9 July 2026, the Regulatory Systems (Occupational Regulation) Amendment Bill received Royal Assent, introducing a series of targeted amendments to New Zealand’s Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 (LCA). The changes are primarily designed to improve the efficiency of the complaints process and strengthen the […]

By : Joshua Weiler Aug 11, 2026 Comments Off

Case Alerts

When a cracked house means a complete rebuild: Lessons from Di Lullo v JG King

By: Robert Finnigan and Chris Knight Di Lullo v JG King Pty Ltd (No 3) [2026] NSWDC 218 Introduction When a home suffers serious foundation defects, the critical question for courts, and for the parties involved, is whether the problem can be fixed in place or whether the house must come down entirely. The answer […]

By : Joshua Weiler Jul 27, 2026 Comments Off

WK News

2026 Wotton Kearney APIG Scholarship: Applications Open

Applications for the Wotton Kearney APIG Scholarship for 2026 are now open! In partnership with the Australasian Professional Indemnity Group (APIG), this annual scholarship awards AUD$9,500 in funding towards attending an international conference of the winner’s choice related to professional indemnity insurance or their specialist product area (for example, cyber or environmental insurance). For over […]

By : Joshua Weiler Jun 17, 2026 Comments Off

Thought Leadership

From global trends to regulatory reality: regulatory and risk implications of climate change

By: Amanda Beattie, Charu Stevenson and Zoe Jones Overview In the first two articles in this series (here and here), we examined the rapid expansion of climate-related litigation globally and traced how those international developments are reshaping the Australian litigation landscape. Climate litigation is no longer confined to environmental approvals or public law challenges, but […]

By : Joshua Weiler Apr 8, 2026 Comments Off

WK News

Meet the Team Expanding Our Cyber and Financial Lines Practice in Singapore

We are delighted to welcome Pippa Austin, Amanda Tai and Melissa Er to Wotton Kearney’s Singapore office. Pippa first joined WK’s Financial Lines team in Sydney in 2017 and returned earlier this year with Melissa and Amanda to expand the firm’s cyber incident response and financial lines coverage offering across Southeast Asia. The team brings […]

By : Joshua Weiler Mar 5, 2026 Comments Off

WK News

Wotton Kearney boosts Asia Cyber and Financial Lines practice with senior Singapore hire

Wotton Kearney has expanded its presence in Asia with the appointment of cyber and financial lines expert Pippa Austin as Special Counsel in Singapore. Pippa first joined Wotton Kearney as part of the Financial Lines team in Sydney in 2017. She now returns with two team members to advance Wotton Kearney’s offering in the provision of cyber […]

By : Joshua Weiler Jan 20, 2026 Comments Off

WK News

Get to know Craig Terrill, Partner in the Professional & Financial Risks team

We recently caught up with Craig Terrill, Partner in Wotton Kearney’s Professional & Financial Risks team, to learn more about his story and what drives his work. Craig recently joined Wotton Kearney’s Melbourne office, bringing more than 40 years’ experience advising Australian and international insurers across professional indemnity, directors & officers’ liability, construction, and complex […]

By : Joshua Weiler Nov 12, 2025 Comments Off

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