COLIN PORTER
General Overview
Colin joined Blackstone Waterhouse in July 2008 and brought with him a wealth of experience in many areas of insurance and reinsurance. He has over 20 years' experience acting for global insurers and reinsurers, having been a partner in two leading London law firms (Barlow Lyde and Gilbert, widely regarded as internationally pre-eminent in insurance law and Addleshaw Goddard, another top 20 London law firm with a strong insurance focus) before relocating to Sydney and joining TressCox in February 2005.
Colin is recognised as a world leader in the legal insurance/reinsurance field, has been included in the Euromoney guide to the World's Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers and Legal 500 since 1998 and was an original author of the widely-acclaimed textbook “Reinsurance Practice and the Law”.
During his career in London and Sydney, Colin has handled a full range of national and international insurance and reinsurance matters and has consistently provided a top quality user-friendly service that is very much appreciated by his clients.
Relevant Experience
- Colin has maintained a relatively broad focus throughout his career both despite and because of his particular experience in reinsurance. He has experience in solicitor, accountant, broker, financial adviser and other professional indemnity issues as well as financial institution, property/construction, environmental and product liabilities and life assurance. He was closely involved in D & O liability issues in London and has continued to advise on such matters here in Sydney.
- Colin advises on such issues in the contexts of new product development, policy review and dispute resolution including litigation, arbitration and or other dispute resolutions procedures in many different jurisdictions
- Colin assists clients in all aspects of their business, whether their need be insurance and reinsurance policy or claims review and advice, risk management, new product development, or dispute resolution or a broader level of input. His practice has a strong international focus, but he has also developed a strong local presence in Australia.
- Utilising his experience in corporate transactions and regulatory issues, Colin has helped clients to set up operations in Sydney, particularly in the insurance arena, and negotiated related agreements.
- He also has expertise in wider financial services and general commercial issues.
- More generally, Colin has an excellent understanding of what clients need from their legal adviser, having spent time seconded to in-house to both the UK’s Financial Services Authority and to a major London insurance broker. He has been praised for providing “comprehensive and user-friendly advice”, “taking into account all aspects of an issue and its commercial context” and “achieving a great outcome against the odds”.
- Colin has published numerous articles and newsletters, in addition to his authorship of ‘Reinsurance Practice and the Law’, and has made many presentations on significant issues across his areas of expertise.
- He is fluent in French and has working German.
Memberships & Associations
- Reinsurance Discussion Group of NSW (Chairman of its Committee)
- Australian Insurance Law Association
- Australian Professional Indemnity Group
- Law Society of England and Wales
- Law Society of New South Wales
Qualifications
Admitted to practice in both New South Wales (since 2005) and England and Wales (since 1984).
BA Hons Law and French