National law firm Weightmans has made a raft of hires in response to rapidly increasing demand for its insurance law practice, and a period of record growth.
The large loss team based in Manchester welcomes Luisa Lamb and Elizabeth Wallace, both of whom join from Clyde & Co, where they were partners in the catastrophic injury and large loss team. Their experience includes working on high value motor, employer’s and public liability matters, as well as catastrophic injury claims.
Mark Hastings joins from BTO Solicitors LLP in Scotland, where he acted in high profile high value cases for big insurance brands. He is a tutor at University of Glasgow and also acts for the UK Government in Scottish litigation as a Standing Junior Counsel to the Office of the Advocate General in Scotland.
Adrian Marston is returning to Weightmans after a six-year stint at Clyde & Co. He was formerly partner at Weightmans between 2002 and 2018 and will now, as then, be based in Birmingham.
Elsewhere, Kerris Dale joins the large loss team in Weightmans’ Cardiff office as partner, also formerly of Clyde & Co. Her expertise lies in the most complex catastrophic claims in relation to motor insurance, particularly fleet, and she is a member of the ABI Automated Driving Insurance Group.
The firm also welcomes six new legal directors including Victoria Edwards, a casualty claims advisor from Crawford Legal Services with 20 years’ experience, who will head up a specialist travel insurance team at Weightmans. It also announced the arrival of leading environmental liability lawyer, and partner, Aidan Thomson in September.
Kieran Jones, head of insurance and partner at Weightmans, said: “The Weightmans name has long since been associated with insurance law. In recent years, we’ve prioritised building on our insurance heritage, and the highly experienced partners and legal practitioners we’re attracting now is testament to that.
“We’re constantly working to create a team that meets the ever-changing needs of clients in the complex modern world, whether that’s through cutting edge data science in our PREDiCT tool or saving the day in high value cyber incidents and ransomware attacks through our CyXcel team. Alongside continuing to nurture homegrown talent, hiring the best of the best, who share our vision to deliver excellence, means we are well-equipped to continue to grow and achieve even more for our clients.”
Weightmans’ insurance practice achieved 8% year-on-year fee growth in its last financial year and has acted in some of the most high-profile insurance law cases in living memory – including the Grenfell Tower enquiry, the Manchester Arena bombing as well as landmark traumatic brain injury cases in sport.
This growth has also resulted in a raft of promotions, with seven promoted to partner in 23/24 and five to legal director so far in 2024.
Weightmans’ insurance practice includes more than 80 partners, and 380+ lawyers, providing legal services across all major insurance lines and classes of business. The team advises more than 200 insurers, reinsurers, brokers and legacy acquirers, as well as 1,500+ blue chip corporates, 350+ local authorities and 45 blue light services on their insurance needs.
