Profile

Matt is dual qualified in Australia and the UK, and after commencing practice in Australia was based in Kennedys’ London office for 21 years before returning to Australia in 2015.  Matt has 30 years’ experience in insurance and reinsurance advising on defence and coverage work in Australia, the UK and other jurisdictions including the US.

Matt has broad experience across multiple insurance lines and has acted in professional indemnity and financial lines matters on behalf of accountants, trustees, independent financial advisors, construction professionals and brokers. He has considerable experience advising on coverage issues including aggregation and year of account issues, and on multi-layer programmes.

Matt is heavily involved in trade credit claims arising from the collapse of the Greensill group and from alleged commodity trading through Asia.

Matt has an international reputation as a trusted adviser to insurers and reinsurers on property, energy, property damage, machinery breakdown and BI/CBI claims. He also advises on a variety of CAR/Contract Works and DSU claims arising from incidents all over the world, and governed variously by Australian, English, US, Indonesian, Thai, Japanese, Peruvian and Taiwanese law (among others).

Matt is a member of Kennedys Global Executive Group, responsible for the firm’s management, and is Managing Partner of Kennedys Asia Pacific.

He is very considered in his thinking and his excellent legal brain, the way he applies logic to his advice, and his readiness to provide an opinion ensure that you have a good level of confidence in him on complex claims.

Qualifications and admissions

  • Bachelor of Laws | university of Sydney | 1990
  • Dual qualified in England & Wales and Australia

Market recognition

2024

  • Recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for 'Professional Malpractice Litigation'
    Matt has been recognised by Best Lawyers in these categories since 2019.

2023

  • Leading & recommended lawyer for 'Professional Indemnity (New South Wales)'
    Doyle's Guide 2023
  • Notable practitioner for 'Insurance Defence (Australia)'
    Chambers Asia Pacific 2023
  • Leading Individual for 'Insurance (Australia)'
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023

2022

  • Leading Individual for 'Insurance (Australia)'
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022
  • Notable practitioner for 'Insurance Defence (Australia)'
    Matt is "a real boost for Kennedys", with another a highly satisfied client observing: "He is very considered in his thinking and his excellent legal brain, the way he applies logic to his advice, and his readiness to provide an opinion ensure that you have a good level of confidence in him on complex claims."
    Chambers Asia Pacific 2022
  • Recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for 'Insurance' and 'Professional Malpractice Litigation'
    Matt has been recognised by Best Lawyers in these categories since 2019.

2021

  • Leading lawyer for 'Professional Indemnity (New South Wales)'
    Doyle's Guide 2021
  • Leading Individual and recommended lawyer for 'Insurance (Australia)'
    "Matt Andrews leads the team and has accrued significant experience in property and financial lines insurance."
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021

2020

  • Recommended Lawyer for 'Insurance (Australia)'
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020

2018

  • Leading practitioner for insurance and reinsurance
    Euromoney Global Guide to the World’s Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Experts 2018

2017

  • Recommended lawyer for 'Insurance and Dispute Resolution (Australia)'
    The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017
  • Recommended in The Gracechurch Report
    “He is articulate, intelligent, concise and skilled. He is also user – friendly and has a good team. He is very good lawyer.” One of his clients also said “I have worked with him on more claims than anyone else, and I always got results."
    The Gracechurch report: Asia Pacific Insurance Law 2017

2016

  • Leading Individual for 'Professional Negligence: Financial (UK)'
    “He is very sensible and advocates for his clients in a firm but measured way."
    Chambers UK 2016
  • Recommended in The Gracechurch Report
    "He's approachable and he listens. He takes on board people's views. He can be pretty candid with his feedback which is good; you get objective opinions."
    The Gracechurch Report: UK Insurance Law 2016

Work highlights

  • Greensill litigation – acting for BCC Trade Credit Pty Ltd following the collapse of Greensill and in respect of subsequent insurance claims.

  • Queensland Floods 2008 and 2012 – Acting for markets of insurers/reinsurers on coverage issues arising from flooding of coal mines in Queensland and subsequent claims for property damage and business interruption.

  • Acting for insurers/reinsurers in relation to claims arising from the Japanese Earthquake, Thai floods, Hurricanes Rita, Andrew and Katrina. Also in respect of various fires at component manufacturers, bakeries, steel mills and other properties.

  • Acting for insurers and reinsurers in relation to mining incidents including collapse of geotechnical tailings dams, heap leach pads, and pit walls in various jurisdictions.

  • Acting for insurers following failure of fire protection systems at Nat West Bank, London and Magna Park distribution centre Midlands, UK. Advised in relation to claims in respect of the Indian River Bridge, Delaware.

  • Advising in relation to The Australian Banking Royal Commission and subsequent investigations and claims.

  • Acting for insurers in respect of claims arising out of the Sydney Light Rail Project and the construction of the Trasnmission Gully highway.

  • Acting for insurers of QBE in respect of extra contractual damage claim.

  • Acting for insurers in relation to class actions against professional trustees.

  • Acting for insurers in relation to financial product mis-selling claims against a financial adviser insured and its authorised representatives.

  • Advising engineers (Wembley stadium), solicitors (Collyer Bristow and Rangers Football club), accountants (EY) and offshore trustees.

  • Acting for insurers and reinsurers in relation to FI matters such as AMP/Henderson, Enron, Worldcom, IPO laddering, Madoff and offshore trustees issues, including the TDT matter which was heard in the Privy Council in November 2017.

  • Acting for insurers of geotechnical engineers in respect of a variety of ground improvement claims.

  • Acting for insurers of the project supervisor of the Lacrosse building (“cladding fire”).

  • Kennecott Mine collapse – Acting for reinsurers on coverage issues out of the catastrophic collapse of an open cut mine in Utah and subsequent claim for property damage and business interruption.

  • Madoff – Acting for a market of insurers on coverage issues in a US class action against the Custodians and Administrators of various “feeder funds” which suffered losses as a result of Madoff’s fraud.

  • Wembley stadium – Coverage Counsel for multi-year multi-layer programmes arising out of the claims for professional negligence against engineers involved with Wembley stadium.