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National insurance law firm Gilchrist Connell has bolstered its senior ranks with a string of strategic hires across its national offices, including three lawyers recruited from rival BigLaw firms.
Gilchrist Connell has strengthened its senior legal ranks with the addition of five lawyers, bringing two consultants, a special counsel and two senior associates into its national practice.
In a statement, the national law firm said the latest senior additions reflect its “continued focus” on strengthening depth and experience across key practice areas.
The senior hires include Courtney Hood and Timothy Searle as consultants, William Majed Madani as special counsel, and Emily Hunt and Franjo Saric as senior associates.
These additions span Gilchrist Connell’s national footprint, covering three of its offices: Adelaide, Perth, and Sydney.
With more than 17 years of experience in the South Australian public sector, Courtney Hood is an experienced legal adviser who has worked across a range of government departments and jurisdictions, providing strategic advice and representation on complex regulatory and government matters.
Tim Searle joins from global law firm Clyde & Co, where he spent more than four years as a partner, bringing deep expertise in advising insurers and reinsurers on coverage, claims, and disputes across financial lines, property, and construction insurance matters.
Bringing more than 18 years of experience in dispute resolution and litigation, William Majed Madani has a particular focus on professional indemnity matters involving both domestic and international insurers.
He also joins from Clyde & Co, where he served as special counsel for just under a year.
Emily Hunt’s practice spans professional indemnity, personal injury, and general insurance litigation, with particular experience in defending complex medical negligence and malpractice claims.
With more than a decade of experience, Franjo Saric joins after stints at several national law firm rivals, including Moray & Agnew and Mills Oakley, where he spent more than a year at each firm as a senior associate.
He brings expertise in medical law and insurance litigation, having advised healthcare practitioners and organisations on both civil disputes and regulatory issues.
Speaking about the appointments, Gilchrist Connell CEO Belinda Cohen praised the group as highly regarded practitioners who will strengthen the firm’s expertise across key practice areas as client demand for specialist insurance and legal advice continues to grow.
“We are delighted to welcome Courtney, Timothy, William, Emily, and Franjo to Gilchrist Connell,” Cohen said.
“Each is a highly regarded practitioner with deep expertise in their field, and together, they add real strength to our national practice.
“Alongside the talented associates and lawyers who have joined us in recent months, these appointments reflect the depth of talent we continue to attract and our focus on building a strong bench to support clients facing increasingly complex risks.”
