Kathryn Rigney
Consultant, Sydney
I provide clear and business-focused advice on all aspects of insurance and reinsurance law. My practice spans matters ranging from defending litigated claims to advising on regulation.

I assist clients in general insurance as well as life insurance, those in the insurance industry and also corporates on their own insurance requirements.

Whether I am dealing with a coverage dispute, defending an insured entity against a claim or pursuing a recovery action, I enjoy resolving disputes in a strategic and pragmatic way that helps my clients achieve their goals and protect their reputation.

I also partner with insurers and brokers on product development, focusing on clear and consistent wording and appropriate design that adds value to their business.

Career highlights

  • Acted as defence counsel on a variety of claims from product liability disputes and litigation against directors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals
  • Helped various individuals deal with the particular challenges of responding to corporate regulator investigations
  • Drafted a range of both retail and wholesale insurance products, from standard such as professional indemnity policies and home insurance product disclosure statements through to more unusual such as farm pack and crop insurance policies
  • Advised insurers and insurance distributors on compliance with industry-specific legislation such as Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) regulations and financial services licensing, and on generic issues such as privacy and corporate governance
  • Worked with three offshore insurers to obtain APRA authorisation and Australian Financial Services licences
  • Helped corporations as purchasers of insurance better understand their insurance program and its place as a tool in their risk transfer arrangements
  • Teaching insurance law to postgraduate students as an Adjunct Lecturer and now Teaching Fellow at the University of NSW
  • Provided pro bono legal support for the Biennale of Sydney