Connect with meSean is a partner in WK’s General Liability team with significant experience representing government sector clients.
Sean has acted for a variety of tiers of government and their insurers for over 25 years and has a significant practice representing state and local-based departments and councils. He has broad expertise in handling a variety of disputes ranging from the everyday to the most complex. Some of his notable work includes the Opal Tower class action, the Department of Education claim brought by CMJ, as well as a variety of significant institutional abuse claims. Sean has recently resolved a long running dispute litigated in the Federal Court brought by nine plaintiffs arising from a catastrophic bus accident in Vanuatu.
Sean has earned a strong reputation with clients for combining pragmatic, commercial advice with proactivity in the early stages of a claim to deliver the best outcomes for them. Sean regularly shares his technical knowledge and experience with his clients and presents to clients and industry forums on developments in risks faced by both government and insurer clients.
Sean has been recognised as Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation in 2022 and as a leading lawyer for Insurance Law and Personal Injury Law in Best Lawyers since 2021.
Personal Injury
- Acting for insurers and the providers of recreational services, including members of the domestic and foreign travel industry, water parks, indoor play centres, game shooters, amusement rides, golf courses, hoteliers and major event organisers, on personal injury claims following accidents, assaults and the service of alcohol.
- Defending Government and NGOs in respect of claims arising from historical sexual abuse.
- Acting for the insurers of domestic and foreign manufactured products, industrial cleaning equipment and various sporting goods, in personal injury claims.
- Defending builders, sheet pilers, scaffolders, crane operators and other building industry contractors in personal injury claims, including advice on differing forms of insurance and indemnity clauses.
Property Damage
- Defending builders, crane operators, scaffolders and various building industry contractors in property damage claims, including advising on different forms of insurance and indemnity clauses.
- Acting for the insurers of domestic and foreign-manufactured products in property damage claims.
- Defending owners of a commercial premises following the collapse of a factory wall causing $15 million damage to a neighbour’s property.
Coverage
- Providing coverage advice about multi-million dollar product contamination claims following a mouse plague.
- Providing coverage advice in relation to the application of Professional Services exclusions on numerous claims involving Real Estate Agents, Arborists, Pest Inspectors, Engineering firms and Managing Agents.
- Providing advice on the application of “reasonable care” conditions in respect of claims for grossly negligent property damage and associated class action.
- Numerous claims involving property damage resulting from defective building works and the application of faulty workmanship exclusions.
- Accident, Health and Travel Claims
- Government
- Personal Injury
- Professional Liability
- Property Damage
- Construction and Infrastructure
- Education
- Industrial and Commercial Property
- Public Sector
- Sports, Leisure and Entertainment
- Australian Professional Indemnity Group (Committee Member)
- Australian Insurance Law Association
- Australia New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance
- NSW Claims Discussion Group
- Commercial Lawyers Association