Connect with meAntony is the Managing Partner of Wotton + Kearney in New Zealand, a role that involves ensuring that the firm’s reputation for technical excellence and strong client relationships is demonstrated by every lawyer, every day.
Antony acts for insurers, reinsurers and their clients on a wide range of insurance issues, with experience in New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Great Britain and the Channel Islands.
He specialises in professional liability, directors + officers liability, contract works + construction, public and product liability, and first party property claims. Antony has defended insurers in high-profile D&O claims following the collapse of Nathans Finance and Hanover Finance. He and his team are also known for having had major wins for insurers in New Zealand’s highest Courts on high-profile and precedent-setting cases.
Antony has led the response of a number of global insurers, reinsurers and Lloyd’s syndicates to the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes. This has included disputes about insurers’ allocation and re-allocation of losses between earthquake events.
Admitted in England and Wales as well as New Zealand, Antony is highly regarded by his colleagues and clients, and is a regular speaker at industry events.
Antony has been recognised by his peers and clients as a:
- Hall of Fame for Insurance in New Zealand – The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2016-2022
- Ranked lawyer for Insurance in New Zealand – Chambers & Partners, 2016-2022
- Finalist for “Managing Partner of the Year” – New Zealand Law Awards 2016, 2017 and 2018
Insurance Litigation
- Counsel in the leading case on the interpretation of contracts of insurance in New Zealand – Firm PI 1 Limited v Zurich Australian Insurance Limited [2014] NZSC 147.
- Instructing counsel in Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd v Cognition Education Limited [2014] NZSC 188, which is a key case for insurers and reinsurers that have arbitration clauses included in their policies. The case determined that theses clauses cannot be circumvented by summary judgment proceedings.
- Instructing counsel in an important case for Lloyd’s and foreign insurers who do not have an office in New Zealand as the Court of Appeal confirmed that section 9 Law Reform Act 1936 does not have extra-territorial application – Bridgecorp Limited (in receivership and liquidation) v Certain Lloyd’s Underwriters under policy B0701L505809 [2014] NZCA 571.
- Class Actions
- Directors + Officers Liability
- Financial Institutions
- Marine + Transport
- Political Risk
- Product Liability + Recall
- Professional Liability
- Property - Commercial
- Property - Major Loss
- Property - Subrogation
- Trade Credit
- Warranty + Indemnity
- Construction + Infrastructure
- Energy, Mining + Power
- Financial Institutions + Services
- Industrial + Commercial Property
- Professions + Business Services
- New Zealand Insurance Law Association.
- British Insurance Law Association.