The Brief:
Wotton Kearney has poached partner Claire Gomo and special counsel Andrew Karasmanis from Hunt & Hunt.
The pair joins its Melbourne general liability team amid a surge in injury claims in Victoria.
Wotton Kearney has snapped up Claire Gomo and Andrew Karasmanis from Hunt & Hunt, adding the duo to its Melbourne general liability team as partner and special counsel.
Gomo is widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading dust diseases lawyers. She led Hunt & Hunt’s insurance practice group, with earlier stints at Sparke Helmore and Clayton Utz.
Her practice spans personal injury, workers’ compensation, public and product liability, latent claims and complex occupational disease litigation. She acts for employers, occupiers and asbestos and silica product manufacturers across all Australian jurisdictions.
Karasmanis works with insurers, employers and corporates on complex injury matters, particularly workers’ compensation, dust disease, public liability and recovery claims.
“Victoria remains one of the most challenging claims environments in Australia, with some of the highest claims costs in the country, with a significant increase in psychiatric and psychological injury claims. Claire and Andrew’s combined expertise further strengthens our market-leading practice and enhances our ability to help clients navigate these evolving risks.”
The hires follow Wotton Kearney’s raid on Makinson D’Apice in March, when it nabbed a team of seven. The firm now counts 100+ partners and 750+ legal professionals across Asia Pacific.
Wotton Kearney is making it clear: it wants to be the first call for insurers.
Source: Wotton Kearney