Olivia is a commercial litigator with particular expertise in insurance law and regulatory matters.
Olivia has deep knowledge of insurance law. She acts for major insurers and insureds, advising on policy coverage issues and representing clients on a wide range of disputes. She regularly advises on disputes arising under house insurance policies, material damage/business interruption policies, professional indemnity and other liability policies, and life insurance policies. She also acts for insurance brokers and is experienced in dealing with large, high-value, and complex brokers’ duties cases.
Beyond insurance, Olivia advises on a wide range of contract, tort, and restitution issues. She assists clients with regulatory investigations, particularly in the financial services sector. Experienced in dealing with regulators, she has represented numerous large financial institutions in investigations commenced by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) and the Reserve Bank (RBNZ). She also assists financial institutions with compliance issues arising out of their financial products and services.
Olivia is experienced in representing clients in court proceedings and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). She has a keen interest in multi-party litigation, having acted on large class actions. She is diligent, solutions-focused and is valued by clients for her excellent communication skills, pragmatism, and strategic thinking.
As a former Judges Clerk at the Auckland High Court, Olivia worked closely with members of the judiciary and gained unique insights into the inner workings of the court. Olivia also has a Master of Laws from New York University, where she received a Dean’s Graduate Award. She joined MinterEllisonRuddWatts in June 2018 from another large commercial law firm.
Olivia is a co-editor of the firm’s insurance industry magazine, Cover to Cover. She regularly publishes articles and present seminars on the latest developments in insurance law.
Career highlights
Acting for insurers on numerous insurance claims arising out of damage caused by the Canterbury earthquakes.
Advising on insurance disputes arising under policies for house insurance, material damage and business interruption, professional indemnity, statutory liability, product liability, and life and income protection insurance.
Advising insurance brokers on claims alleging breaches of their duties, including assisting with a large and complex dispute claiming losses of more than $500 million for alleged breaches of director duties.
Representing large financial institutions on regulatory investigations commenced by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ).
Advising financial institutions on regulatory compliance matters, including reviewing financial products and services and assessing their compliance with wide-ranging legal obligations.
Achievements and recognition
- Rising Star, NZ Lawyer, 2024
- Rising Star, Dispute Resolution, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
- Tier 1 team, Dispute Resolution, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific