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East coast-based firm Carter Newell has made what it describes as its largest-ever investment in general liability, bringing partners Matthew Gerathy and Rory Smith into its Sydney office, alongside a group of seven who will lead the next phase of claims defence work in NSW.
The firm said the group significantly expands what it offers insurers, self-insured organisations, government agencies, and commercial clients, with Gerathy and Smith bringing decades of insurer-side defence, recovery, and coverage experience to complex injury and property claims.
They will work alongside national general liability partner Rebecca Stevens, who has led the practice and served clients in the area for more than 30 years.
Carter Newell chief executive Marc Walker said the expansion was driven by what clients need.
“This expansion is about our clients. For more than three decades, insurers, self-insured organisations, government agencies and commercial clients have relied on our general liability expertise. Bringing Matthew, Rory and their team to Carter Newell ensures our capability keeps pace with what those clients need in the New South Wales market. I am proud to welcome them, and I am confident the depth they bring will strengthen client outcomes for many years to come,” he said.
Gerathy will lead the firm’s insurance law and claims disputes capability, supported by the seven-person team he brings with him, while Smith will provide specialist personal injury leadership.
Together with special counsel Janet Abboud, special counsel Elizabeth Allen, senior associate Amy Warren, and solicitor Will Hopkins, the partners bring more than 80 years of combined experience, the firm said. Three paralegals complete the group that has arrived with Gerathy.
Gerathy has more than 25 years of experience in insurance law and claims disputes, acting for defendants in personal injury, first- and third-party property damage, and recoveries litigation.
He has notable depth, the firm said, in catastrophic personal injury claims, building and construction claims, and occupier’s liability claims, acting for multinational head contractors, national subcontractors, government and private occupiers, national service providers, road authorities, and religious institutions.
Speaking about his team’s move, Gerathy said: “My team and I are excited to be joining Carter Newell’s market-leading general liability practice. Our focus has always been understanding each client’s business, attention to detail, containing costs, setting Reserves accurately, and the early identification of the best strategy for each claim. I look forward to doing that with a firm that backs it.”
The team that has followed Gerathy covers the full range of general liability work, from catastrophic injury and multi-party disputes to historic insurance indemnity claims, according to the firm. Having established working relationships and a shared approach to the work, the group joins Carter Newell intact.
The firm said the strength of the expansion lies in depth as well as leadership. Collectively, the lawyers cover catastrophic injury, multi-party disputes, construction, property damage, insurance recovery, policy coverage, dust diseases and historic indemnity claims.
Carter Newell said the enlarged team is built to help insurers and self-insured organisations manage claims that are growing in both complexity and cost, and that it supports the full life cycle of a general liability claim, from early assessment and reserving through to litigation, appeal, and recovery.
For self-insured clients, the firm said, the team brings a defence approach built around the client’s own balance sheet, with early reserving, careful cost control, and attention to the business issues that matter most to the organisation.
For insurers, it adds experienced defence and recovery capability, as well as the policy coverage and indemnity expertise needed when a claim turns on which policy responds. For government agencies, statutory authorities, religious institutions, and commercial clients, the firm said, the team has direct experience of the large, multi-party claims those organisations face.
Smith joins as a partner and accredited specialist in personal injury, a credential awarded by the Law Society of NSW that recognises proven expertise in the field. He has more than 15 years of experience in insurance defence litigation, including high-volume portfolios, catastrophic injury claims, multi-party matters, and property loss claims.
Speaking about his new role, Smith said: “I am looking forward to bringing my experience in personal injury and insurance defence to Carter Newell’s clients, particularly the insurers and self-insured organisations who need early, practical answers on complex claims.”
