Connect with meYen’s practice focuses on claims arising under directors and officers, professional indemnity, and management liability policies of insurance.
Yen has extensive experience acting as coverage and monitoring counsel for insurers of major corporate entities involved in large scale, high value litigation (particularly shareholder class actions), and regularly advises on complex coverage and strategic issues arising within this space.
She also has broad experience acting as defence counsel in claims against insured professionals and company directors and has developed particular expertise in defending claims brought in an insolvency context.
- Running the successful defence of a leading D&O claim issued by United Petroleum against its chairman (United Petroleum v Hudson to the Victorian Court of Appeal (United Petroleum Australia Pty Ltd v Herbert Smith Freehills & Anor [2018] VSC347; United Petroleum Australia Pty Ltd & Ors v Hudson [2020] VSCA14), including securing an indemnity costs order in favour of W+K’s client.
- Acting as coverage counsel in complex, high value securities class actions, including the Murray Goulburn securities class actions and New Zealand’s largest securities class action arising out the collapse of the Intueri Education Group.
- Acting for corporate advisors in defence of proceedings brought by Australian Property Custodian Holdings Limited arising from the collapse of the Prime Trust retirement village scheme. This matter involved 3 separate Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings with over 30 separate defendants.
- Defending a multi-million dollar insolvent trading claim brought against directors of an independent school.
- Acting for a Lloyd’s syndicate joined to the class action brought on behalf of debenture holders following the collapse of the Banksia Financial Group, including providing detailed coverage advice in respect of the claim made in the class action, but also associated claims brought by the liquidators and receivers of Banksia.
- Acting for the insurer of directors involved in a Federal Court action for alleged breaches of the Corporations Act and Australian Consumer Law arising from a multinational acquisition undertaken by private equity stakeholders.
- Advising insurers of a professional trustee services group in relation to a multi-million dollar claim by unit holders for alleged misleading and deceptive conduct and breaches of fiduciary obligations, which included providing complex advice regarding policy response.
- Acting in unfair preference claims, including claims for indemnity against directors brought by the Commissioner of Taxation.
Areas of Expertise
- Class Actions
- Directors + Officers Liability
- Management Liability
- Professional Liability
- Property - Subrogation
Industry Representation
- Financial Institutions + Services
- Industrial + Commercial Property
- Professions + Business Services
Professional Affiliations
- Australian Insurance Law Association
- Australian Professional Indemnity Group
- Women in Insurance
- Young Insurance Professionals Australia & New Zealand
- Law Institute of Victoria