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Michael Gill

Michael Gill

Consultant
About

Michael Gill has practised law for more than 40 years, much of the time as an insurance lawyer, covering most types of insurance law, including general advice, document drafting, coverage disputes, major inquiries and commissions, commercial transactions, as well as regulatory and compliance matters. For many years, he focused on professional indemnity, D&O, products liability, aviation and livestock classes.


Michael has acted for insureds, intermediaries, insurers and reinsurers, Lloyd's Underwriters and the London Market captives and mutuals, industry associations, regulators and the government. He has represented clients from Asia, Europe, the United States and New Zealand and has been instrumental in significant initiatives such as Lawcover, the Solicitors Mutual Indemnity Fund, the MAA and the General Insurance Code of Practice.

Michael has designed programs for managing insurance claims portfolios, including reinsurance claims allocation and run-off, as well as advising insurers on alternative methods of claims handling.
Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the High Court of AustraliaSolicitor of the Supreme Court of New South WalesSolicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria

EXPERIENCE

  • For over 30 years, handling major coverage claims and other legal issues for Lloyd's and the London Insurance Market
  • Advising insurers and others in many leading claims involving professional indemnity and product liability issues as well as the interpretation of insurance legislation, especially the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth)
  • Advising a number of clients on the use of discretionary mutual funds as an alternative method of risk management, including the legal profession and medical profession
  • Advising the New Zealand Law Society on compulsory professional indemnity insurance for its members
  • Worked with Lloyd's Underwriters on the creation of multi-risk liability policies covering general liability, products liability, products guarantee, professional indemnity and D&O risks in the one contract
  • After the introduction of the Insurance Contracts Act, drafting many new insurance policies for Australian and overseas insurance clients to comply with the new legislation
Education

    Awards

    In 2011 and 2012, Michael was named a senior statesman in insurance law by Chambers Guide to the Leading Lawyers for Business (the highest rank for a leading individual), having previously been recognised as a leading lawyer in that area.

    Insight Overview

    Michael was the editor of the LexisNexis Annotated Insurance Law publication.

    He is also a contributor to articles in industry publications. He has been the editor of firm insurance publications such as Insurance Focus and Insurance Year in Review.

    Michael co-authored a book with Kevin Blume entitled Surveyors and their professional liability - a manual of loss prevention.

    Memberships And Affiliations

    • President, International Insurance Law Association ('AIDA') 2010-2014.
    • Foundation President and current Board Member of the Australian Insurance Law Association ('AILA')
    • Independent Chairman of the General Insurance Industry Code Compliance Committee.
    • Past- President of the Law Society of New South Wales
    • Member of the Law Society of New South Wales
    • Past-President of the Law Council of Australia.
    • Member of the Law Council of Australia
    • Life Member, LAWASIA
    • Honorary Member, Canadian Bar Association
    • Honorary Member, American Bar Association
    • Member of Committee H - Insurance, Section of Business Law, International Bar Association
    • Honorary Member, Member - Tort & Insurance Practices Section, Vice Chairman, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Products, General Liability and Consumer Law Committee of the American Bar Association
    • Member, International Practice Committee and Member, Multi-National Litigation Committee of the International Association of Defence Counsel
    • Corporate Member, International Insurance Society
    • Member of the International Bar Association
    • Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
    • Member of the Society of Notaries

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