Kennedys is delighted to announce the appointment of financial lines specialist Emily Schneider as a partner in our Insurance group in Melbourne. Emily joins Kennedys from Barry.Nilsson, where she was a special counsel.
Emily specialises in professional indemnity, spanning construction, coverage, defamation, D&O and management liability. She has represented a broad range of local and international insurers and is particularly experienced in coverage and construction claims.
“We have been looking for the right insurance partner to join our Melbourne office for some time, and based on excellent feedback from our clients, Emily will be a strong addition to our team,” said Kennedys managing partner in Australia Matt Andrews.
Emily will work closely with Kennedys’ financial lines partners in Sydney and her expertise complements the D&O and regulatory defence practice of fellow partner Jane Kupsch.
“Financial Lines is core to our insurance expertise and Emily’s appointment enables us to build on the work we are already doing with local and international clients,” said Matt Andrews. “We are delighted to welcome Emily to our growing team.”
Emily joins Kennedys at a pivotal time, as Victoria emerges from lockdown and the firm plans to finally open the doors of its brand-new office in Melbourne CBD, which was to open just days before the first lockdown in March.
Emily said: “Within the competitive Melbourne market, clients require timely, reliable, commercial advice as they look to the future. Covid-19 has already presented many challenges and will continue to do so for years to come; some are foreseeable and some will be novel but there is a universal need to maintain connection, prioritise people and embrace technology and innovation.
“2021 will likely see critical developments following the cladding crisis, ever-growing cyber risks and new challenges for SMEs. I’m looking forward to building a team that is front-of-mind for our clients’ evolving challenges and opportunities.”
“I am proud to be associated with Kennedys’ globally-recognised brand. I’ve been impressed by the quality of the people and the environment Kennedys has nurtured that allows people to flourish.”
Emily’s appointment to the Kennedys team shifts the firm’s gender ratio at the partnership level to 45:55 female to male partners. She is the third new Partner appointed in Kennedys’ Melbourne office in the past 12 months, along with Jane Kupsch in December 2019 and Anjali Woodford, who was promoted to partner in May.
