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The insurance industry touches many sectors but one of the most important is the legal profession.
Law firms around the world are engaged to help insurers, brokers or consumers over a wide range of disputes and industry veteran Piet Jarman has seen his fair share of court room drama.
Jarman, one of Australia’s leading insurance litigators, is a founding partner of Western Australia-based Jarman McKenna. He told Insurance Business that while he did not expect his legal career to follow the industry, he is happy it did.
“It was something I fell into,” Jarman said.
“I was quite fortunate that I was exposed to a lot of advocacy work in a variety of different courts as a fairly early age and that is one of the great advantages of insurance work.
“It exposes you to a wide variety of different scenarios and provides you with the opportunity of actually getting on your feet and arguing them.”
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It was the opportunity to further develop his skills that has kept Jarman in the insurance industry ever since, and led him to found Jarman McKenna in 2003.
Jarman said that working in the insurance sector has allowed him to expand his knowledge and continue to be challenged and gain practical experience in some of the highest courts in Australia.
Last month, it was announced that the specialist firm would merge with Sparke Helmore Lawyers to create a national presence.
Jarman McKenna’s 52 staff will join the 650-strong Sparke Helmore Lawyers team – a development that Jarman points to as one of the highlights of his career.
Outside of the industry, Jarman is an avid follower of Freemantle Dockers and noted that whilst his sport playing days may be over, “family and football are my two passions.”
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