Four new Sparke Helmore partners announced

Congratulations to Ian Bennett from our Workplace practice in Perth, Catherine Morton from our Environment & Planning practice in Sydney, Jehan Mata from our Commercial Insurance practice in Melbourne and Andrew Ferguson from our Property practice in Newcastle, who have been promoted to partner.

Ian has been with the firm for more than 10 years, having commenced on the graduate program in 2011, and is an experienced workplace lawyer specialising in employee relations, work health and safety and coronial inquests. Ian has recently relocated from Sydney to Perth to help lead our West Coast based workplace team and reinforce our extensive national capability. He commonly advises private and public sector clients on all forms of work-related issues including discrimination, long-term absenteeism, bullying and harassment, fitness for duties, dismissal disputes, industrial instrument interpretation, restraint of trade, policy and procedure development and WHS investigation, prosecution and enforceable undertakings.

Catherine specialises in planning, environment and local government matters.  She is a solicitor and registered architect with a range of experience across both professions; her unique combination of skills in law and architecture enables her to provide practical advice from a range of viewpoints.  She has been a planning law solicitor since 2005, providing clients with an in-depth perspective on the statutory planning framework and its relationship to architecture.

Jehan is an experienced litigator with a strong background in professional indemnity, professional negligence, casualty line and health law claims.  She has acted for client from a wide range of industries including health, infrastructure, steel and many more. She also advises on policy coverage, legislative and contractual interpretation and works with insurers and corporations on a wide range of general liability claims.  Jehan has also recently stepped into the role of leader of Sparke Helmore’s cyber insurance practice and has extensive experience in this constantly evolving area including advising on cyber policy drafting, acting as coverage and monitoring counsel and managing recovery efforts including asset tracing, and subrogated claims including assuming the role of a breach coach.

Andrew is an experienced property lawyer specialising in the property development and off-the-plan projects space in Newcastle and across the Hunter region.  He is skilled in assisting clients with the management of their property portfolios including sales, acquisitions, leasing, subdivisions, strata law, commercial and industrial developments, staged developed, and conveyancing and contracts.

“I’m proud to see the appointment of Ian, Catherine, Jehan and Andrew to our growing partnership. They are all exceptionally talented lawyers, recognised as leaders in their respective areas of law. For such outstanding people to come through our ranks demonstrates the depth of talent that we are developing nationally, said Andrew White, Sparke Helmore’s National Managing Partner.