Insurance sector law firm Gilchrist Connell (GC) has promoted its five lawyers to principal to boost its leadership team, effective in July 2021.
In the Sydney branch, GC named Daniela Faggionato, Nitesh Patel, and Hannah Griffiths as new principals.
Faggionato runs a casualty practice and leads the firm's health and medical malpractice team in New South Wales (NSW). Patel, a key member of the firm's technology practice, leads the cyber team.
Meanwhile, Griffiths holds a Masters in Law and leads the firm's fast-growing restructuring and insolvency practice and recovery practice. She was also elected to the ARITA NSW-ACT Division Committee for 2021 to 2022.
In Adelaide, GC appointed Samantha Hocking and Jamie Ling as new principals.
Hocking, who holds a Masters of Construction Law, oversees a rapidly growing construction practice in South Australia (SA). She is also a senior member of GC's national construction team and runs a casualty office.
Meanwhile, Ling runs a board practice specialising in EPL and workplace law. She also has clients in the casualty and PI space.
GC stated that the latest promotions raised the proportion of women at principal level to over 30% and expanded its leadership in line with its rapid growth over the recent months – a net increase in headcount of over 30% since December 2020.
GC managing principal Richard Wood said the firm's “controlled explosion” expansion across practice areas and offices helped it respond to surging client demand, generated by an increase in major claims and the impact of challenging business conditions during and post-COVID-19.
“These new promotions are an exciting development for our teams, boosting leadership in key and specialist practice areas, including medical malpractice, cyber and IT, insolvency and restructuring, construction, and EPL,” Wood said.
“As well as elevating these outstanding senior lawyers, we are preparing our capacity and capability to meet the needs of ongoing demand and growth activity through to early FY22 and beyond.”
