New appointment boosts Sparke Helmore insurance capability in Melbourne

17 August 2009

Kerri Thomas has been appointed partner in Sparke Helmore’s Melbourne office, where she will lead the Firm’s growing insurance practice in the Victorian market.

Ms Thomas joined Sparke Helmore in 2002 and has over 16 years experience in insurance litigation, particularly in the areas of professional indemnity, general liability and aviation law.

"Kerri’s appointment in Melbourne is a great development for national insurance industry clients looking for legal advisors that can emulate their own national footprint and who are demanding a consistency in service across the country that only national firms can deliver," says National Managing Partner, Jesse Webb.

With other national law firms gradually exiting the insurance space, Sparke Helmore continues to grow this area of practice. The Firm acts for most of the major local insurers and brokers and has strong links to the Lloyds and London markets and London –based brokers and reinsurers.

The Firm currently has 172 lawyers including 30 partners focused on insurance work, a large part of the firm’s business - and that reflects Sparke Helmore’s ongoing commitment to the insurance sector across the country.

In Melbourne, the Firm has five partners, 27 lawyers and 50 staff. In addition to an expanding insurance capability, the Firm’s Melbourne expertise spans commercial law, government, personal injury and workplace relations.

About Sparke Helmore

Sparke Helmore is a leading Australian-based national law firm providing specialist services to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments. Having celebrated 125 years' continuous service in 2007, the firm is staffed by almost 600 people including 50 partners, 58 special counsel and over 110 lawyers and law clerks.