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Kennedys adds 3 partners, team of 16 from Clyde & Co
Global law firm Kennedys has bolstered its insurance ranks in Melbourne with the appointment of three partners from BigLaw rival Clyde & Co, who are bringing a 16-strong team with them.
Jerome Doraisamy
Partners Nicole Wearne, Mark Attard, and Ganga Narayanan (all pictured) have left Clyde & Co for Kennedys and are set to be joined by four special counsel, one senior associate, four lawyers, and a support team of seven.
The trio of partners have started with their new firm today (3 June).
Also starting at Kennedys today are: special counsel Lauren Ritchie, Carolyn Wait and Adrian Sella, senior associate Victoria Pappas, associates Nick Paterson and Ruby Donegan, legal secretaries Kerralie Goggin, Teresa Mangar, Yana Smith, Gabriella Tirahardjo and Tanya Bebic, and billing specialist Rachael Millar.
On 11 June, associates Dongqing Liu and Amy Diu and paralegal Casey Allan will start at the global firm, and finally, special counsel Ailbhe Kirrane will commence on 15 July.
In a statement, Kennedys proclaimed that the team is set to bring “decades” of experience acting for local and global clients across key insurance lines and sectors.
The news follows the global firm’s naming of two new partners in its Sydney office in May, as well as its nabbing of Clyde & Co’s then-Australian managing partner, Lucinda Lyons, in late November. A few weeks later, eight lawyers joined Lyons at Kennedys.
The firm – which has more than 2,700 staff across 45 offices worldwide – now has 24 partners in Australia.
Speaking about the appointments, Kennedys Australian managing partner Jonathan Wyatt said: “I am delighted to welcome Nicole, Mark, Ganga, and their team to Kennedys in June.”
“Their proven experience and longstanding market relationships adds to the existing strength of our Melbourne office and bolsters our rapidly growing Australian insurance team’s ability to service local and London market clients across major insurance classes, particularly on the ground in Victoria.”
A few months ago, Wyatt spoke with Lawyers Weekly about the firm’s push to be a “growing force” in Australia’s insurance market.
Kennedys APAC managing partner Matt Andrews said: “I am very pleased that Nicole, Mark, Ganga and their team are joining the firm as we continue to invest in our Asia-Pacific insurance capability.”
“These hires are consistent with our refreshed, client-focused global strategic plan, which includes reinforcing the depth of specialist talent in core global centres.”
Wearne said: “Kennedys has an extremely strong reputation in both the local and global insurance markets.”
“We are excited to be joining at a time when the firm is looking to strategically expand its insurance offering in Australia and leverage innovation to benefit clients while maintaining its focus on being an employer of choice.”
Lawyers Weekly will host its inaugural Partner Summit on Thursday, 20 June 2024, at The Star, Sydney, at which speakers will address the range of opportunities and challenges for partners and partner equivalents, provide tips on how they can better approach their practice and team management, and propel their businesses towards success. Click here to book your tickets – don’t miss out! For more information, including agenda and speakers, click here.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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