Read a roundup of activities around the AILA and NZILA chapters

New South Wales

by Alexandra Bartlett, President

Congratulations to the presenters of the Annual General Insurance Law Review (AGILR) on 16 March 2022.

Those who attended have provided feedback on the high-quality presentations on key legal developments. For those unable to attend in person, a webcast was streamed on 20 May 2022. That provided a further opportunity to attend this excellent seminar and obtain a copy of the highly regarded booklet that accompanied it.

Registration for the AILA National Conference is now open. The program is nearly finalised and confirmed seminars are listed on the conference website. Several esteemed speakers have been confirmed and the topics will be of interest to all industry participants.

Many AILA members are looking forward to catching up with friends and colleagues at the welcome drinks, conference dinner and closing lunch. Federal Court Chief Justice James Allsop has kindly agreed to give a welcome address.

In addition to the events and seminars listed on the current program on the website, I expect to soon announce a diversity event. There are still some sponsorship opportunities left and I encourage you to check them out on the conference website.

More information about upcoming NSW events will be in the next issue of Resolve, including the well-regarded Twilight Seminar Series and YP events.

Victoria

by Darren Ferrari, President

The Victorian Committee owes an enormous amount to Andrea Petrocco for her leadership through the pandemic and our multiple lockdowns.

Halfway through 2022, it is fair to say Victoria and Melbourne are starting to return to the new normal. That means we are planning and organising a combination of in-person and online events.

We understand that in-person events are essential for AILA’s networking function. Besides that, after the last couple of years being stuck behind screens, it is nice to see people in the flesh. We all have much to catch up on.

Our first dip of the toe into face-to-face events began in early March with the successful return of AILA’s Annual General Insurance Law Review, kindly hosted by Lander & Rogers. A big thank you to committee members Matt Ellis, Charlotte Adol and Andrea Petrocco for organising, Gabi Crafti of the Victorian Bar for moderating, and presenters, Lucy Terracall of Clayton Utz, Robert Minc of Meridian Lawyers, and Natacha Stojanovich of Lander & Rogers. Most of all, thank you to all those who attended.

I welcome Jack Marshall, from McInnes Wilson Lawyers, to the committee. Jack has agreed to look after the Young Professionals portfolio. He is already planning events aimed at newer members of the industry. Helping to build connections between members of the insurance industry, at all levels, is essential to AILA’s role. It was difficult to achieve in lockdown but we are getting back to it.

I look forward to seeing many more of you at events throughout the second half of the year.

Tasmania

by Lisa Rankin, Branch President

Congratulations to Chun Yu, a University of Tasmania law graduate who was awarded an AILA-sponsored student prize for achieving top marks in the subject Civil Procedure.

Chun, who graduated in 2021 after completing a five-year degree, is now in the graduate program at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) in Sydney.

Chun grew up and studied in Hobart and is now living away from home for the first time, so she spent the $500 prize on relocation expenses for her move to Sydney. She’s excited to have been selected for the HSF graduate program and delighted to have received the AILA student prize.

“As a child I went through phases of wanting to be an engineer, a marine biologist, and a geologist but, at the end of year 12, I chose law, and found it’s something I really love,” she said.

As a student, Chun took pride in working hard to achieve high academic standards. AILA wishes her all the best in her future career and, after rotating through different facets of the law in the grad program, perhaps she’ll settle on insurance law as her chosen field.

Event planning in progress

The Tasmanian AILA committee has been in preparation mode for the first part of the year.

Arrangements for the annual Workers’ Compensation Masterclass are in progress with the intention for it to return to its original format of a face-to-face half day conference.

On 31 March 2022, the Tasmanian Annual General Insurance Law Review was held at the Law Society of Tasmania. It was a great event and thank you to Leigh Sealy SC and Kate Cuthbertson for giving up their valuable time to present. Thanks also to Alison Hay for organising the event.

The Tasmanian committee has some great ideas in the pipeline for social and professional learning events for the rest of the year.

Western Australia

by Andrew Lillico, President

AILA WA was scheduled to host a breakfast seminar on Safety in Design: The entire life cycle on 25 May.

Mike Sander, Technical Lead, Engineering with CRD Building Consultants & Engineers, discussed the aspects of design safety, legislation, responsibilities and methods that encompass the planning, design, construction, use and end-of-life cycle of a building.

The WA construction industry caters for more than 102,800 employees working 208 million hours, according to the WorkCover WA Industry Statistical Report 2016-17 to 2019-20, published in September 2021.

SafeWork Australia reported 26 construction industry fatalities from a total of 183 workplace fatalities in 2019. The majority were falls from height, falling objects and vehicle collisions. The rate has reduced by 54% since a peak in 2007 but the construction industry remains one of the most dangerous sectors of employment in Australia and globally.

Safety in Design is a system of risk management that aims to put the health and safety of all workers and the public involved with a project at the forefront of consideration throughout the design process and the building’s entire lifespan.

Angie Gimisis, Special Counsel at Hall & Wilcox, chaired the seminar.

Barrister Terry Clavey will speak at the June meeting. His topic will be announced soon, so watch the AILA website.

During July, AILA WA will run an insurance masterclass with barrister Greg Pynt. More details to come.

Queensland

by Jack Fairweather, Secretary

The Queensland chapter continues its busy start to the year, holding face-to-face events with strong demand.

The inaugural Mentor Program ended on 17 March with an event sponsored by Barry Nilsson Lawyers where mentors and mentees met to celebrate the culmination of the program. AILA Qld thanks all the mentors and mentees who took part and looks forward to rolling out the 2022/23 program in July.

Qld’s Annual General Insurance Law Review on 31 March had a sell-out crowd. AILA Qld thanks the presenters: Ken Horsley, Katie Clark, Paul Baxter and Brooke Jacobs and chair Jacinta Long.

Sarah Tuhtan, Majorey Daley and Jennifer Hewson presented a lunch seminar on 21 April on the hot topic of Queensland’s new preliminary disclosure regime. The event was also well attended and AILA Qld thanks the presenters and seminar sponsor, Blue Book Insurance Brokers.

Sarah Tuhtan and Kevin Holyoak, with chair Chau Donna, presented a breakfast seminar on the minefield of contractual indemnities, entitled Mind the (uninsured) gap, on 12 May. AILA Qld thanks the presenters and seminar sponsor, Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers.

Qld’s flagship event, the annual one-day intensive, Unmasking the Future, is on 2 June at the Calile Hotel, Brisbane, and the committee has been busy organising an excellent program with an enviable presenter line-up that has generated significant attendee interest.

The event will sell out, so don’t wait to secure your ticket. More information, including the program, speaker line-up and sponsors, is on the AILA website under the Qld Events section.