Linda Kornfeld, Partner Insurance Recovery - Blank Rome

Linda Kornfeld is one of the nation’s most prominent insurance recovery attorneys, representing corporate policyholders in high-stakes litigation for more than 25 years. Using strategic, creative approaches in her trial and appellate practice, Linda assists her clients in the recovery of hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance assets. She is a strategic adviser to senior executives and in-house counsel on mitigating risk and maximizing insurance recoveries.

Maurice Thompson, Senior Equity Partner - Clyde & Co

Maurice heads Clyde & Co’s Australian ‘Energy, Marine, Natural Resources’ (EMNR) Group, and the Aviation Group and sits on the firm’s Global EMNR Executive for APAC. He has 28 years’ experience advising clients in the shipping, offshore oil & gas, resources & mining, aviation and insurance sectors. As well as his Australian legal qualifications, he holds a specialist LLM (Shipping)(Hons) from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and an LLM (Admiralty)(Distinction) from Tulane University, USA and spent 6 years working in Dubai and Shanghai. He is a noted international thought leader in the drones/UAV and insurance space. He is the founder and Chair of Clyde & Co’s market leading ‘Global Drones Group’ which sits across multiple diverse sectors and co-authored a 23 chapter text book published by Routledge (London) in August 2021 “Drone Law and Policy: Global Development, Risks, Regulation and Insurance”. He co-founded ‘Gulf Recoveries Limited’, the market leading subrogation insurance recoveries entity in Dubai which has a broad portfolio of claims internationally, including funded claims. Maurice has pitched 8 complex matters to funders with a 100% success rate in achieving funding, with cases ranging from shipping disputes, toxic marine torts, international coal trading, construction and biosecurity.

Fiona Chaney, Investment Manager, Legal Counsel - Omni Bridgeway

Prior to joining Omni Bridgeway in Los Angeles, Fiona was a trial lawyer for 15 years specializing in insurance coverage with an emphasis in the entertainment and sports industries, and speaks frequently on insurance law topics. Fiona is also an editor and co-author of the New Appleman Sports and Entertainment Insurance Law & Practice Guide (LexisNexis, 2014). Fiona has the depth of experience to assist with handling funding inquiries from inception through completion. Her invaluable expertise and consultation helps claimants, lawyers, firms, and companies where needed, stopping short of controlling any litigation, all the while providing due diligence and in-depth analysis of the viability of a potential funded matter for Omni Bridgeway. She currently manages a broad range of investments including a portfolio with an AmLaw 100 firm and several insurance-related matters.

Gavin Beardsell, Investment Manager, Head of New Zealand - Omni Bridgeway

Gavin Beardsell is an Investment Manager based in Omni Bridgeway's Sydney office, responsible for managing funding opportunities in Australia and New Zealand. He is currently managing Omni Bridgeway's investments in a range of funded single party and multi-party claims. In Australia, this includes the CBA (Austrac)SirtexMedical shareholder class action, Combustible Cladding class actions and the Core Staff mine workers class action, and in New Zealand, the CBL Corporation shareholder class action and Combustible Cladding class action. He also manages a number of insurance-related matters, including a funded subrogated recovery claim made by an international insurer. Gavin has over 25 years' experience in commercial litigation and class actions. As a Partner at the UK's largest insurance law firms in London and Sydney, BLM, he acted for many several leading UK insurers and their policy holders clients in relation to high value litigated claims. Gavin is the co-author of the Practice Note, “Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance in Australia” (Practical Law, 2017).in the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal.

Simon Christian, Editor - Chambers and Partners

Simon was a researcher and later a deputy editor on the Chambers UK team, before becoming editor of the Chambers High Net Worth guide. He has an LLB in Laws from University College London. He also studied for the BPTC at City Law School and was Called to the Bar at Middle Temple.