Connect with meYen’s practice focuses on claims arising under directors and officers, professional indemnity, and management liability policies of insurance.
Known for her commercial, pragmatic and client-focused approach, Yen regularly advises on complex professional liability and D&O claims and has extensive experience defending complex, high-stakes disputes. She has a proven track record in handling claims involving negligence, misleading or deceptive conduct, and breach of duty, often in matters attracting parallel regulatory scrutiny and significant financial exposure.
Yen is also recognised as a specialist coverage lawyer and regularly acts as monitoring counsel in large-scale litigation, including shareholder class actions. Clients value Yen’s ability to balance complex legal and technical issues with a clear and targeted strategy.
- Running the successful defence of a leading D&O claim issued by United Petroleum against its chairman (United Petroleum v Hudson to the Victorian Court of Appeal (United Petroleum Australia Pty Ltd v Herbert Smith Freehills & Anor [2018] VSC347; United Petroleum Australia Pty Ltd & Ors v Hudson [2020] VSCA14), including securing an indemnity costs order in favour of WK’s client.
- Defending an accountant in highly contentious litigation between two sides of a profitable family business.
- Acting as coverage counsel in complex, high value securities class actions, including the Murray Goulburn securities class actions and New Zealand’s largest securities class action arising out the collapse of the Intueri Education Group.
- Acting for corporate advisors in defence of proceedings brought by Australian Property Custodian Holdings Limited arising from the collapse of the Prime Trust retirement village scheme. This matter involved 3 separate Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings with over 30 separate defendants, as well as ASIC proceedings brought against the directors of the Prime Trust.
- Defending regulatory action brought by Consumer Affairs Victoria against a real estate agency in relation to underquoting allegations.
- Defending a multi-million dollar insolvent trading claim brought against directors of an independent school.
- Acting for a Lloyd’s syndicate joined to the class action brought on behalf of debenture holders following the collapse of the Banksia Financial Group, including providing detailed coverage advice in respect of the claim made in the class action, as well as associated claims brought by the liquidators and receivers of Banksia.
- Acting for the insurer of directors involved in a Federal Court action for alleged breaches of the Corporations Act and Australian Consumer Law arising from a multinational acquisition undertaken by private equity stakeholders.
- Advising insurers of a professional trustee services group in relation to a multi-million dollar claim by unit holders for alleged misleading and deceptive conduct and breaches of fiduciary obligations, which included providing complex advice regarding policy response.
- Responding and advising in relation to ASIC notices issued to insured companies and their directors.
- Acting in unfair preference claims, including claims for indemnity against directors brought by the Commissioner of Taxation.
- Class Actions
- Professional Liability
- Directors and Officers Liability
- Management Liability
- Financial Institutions and Services
- Professions and Business Services
- Australian Insurance Law Association
- Australian Professional Indemnity Group
- Women in Insurance
- Law Institute of Victoria