Joanne is an expert in insurance law, who regularly defends professionals against negligence claims. She offers a comprehensive service, from medico-legal advice, to pre-litigation advice, to representation in high-profile trials. She has particular experience acting for medical professionals, insurance intermediaries and solicitors. Her expertise also encompasses insurance and reinsurance litigation and arbitration.
Joanne is frequently sought out by insurers for advice on policy coverage and policy drafting. She has notable experience in medical indemnity and legal expenses insurance relating to specialist healthcare professionals, including having drafted a number of policies herself.
Joanne is also adept at providing risk management counselling and professional conduct training to clients, as well as training on many aspects of insurance law and coverage.
Expertise
- Insurance and reinsurance
- Clinical negligence
- Professional negligence
- Dispute resolution
- Litigation
- Risk management advice
- Professional conduct training
- Arbitration
Experience
General Insurance
- Advised a medical indemnity insurer on coverage where the underlying claim was a very high-value clinical negligence claim against an in-patient mental health facility.
- Acted in Ocean Finance & Mortgages Limited v Oval Insurance Broking Limited [2016] EWHC 160 (Comm), defending a £5 million claim against an insurance broker arising out of PPI mis-selling together with a Part 20 contribution claim against another broker, involving complex coverage issues.
- Advised a medical indemnity insurer on a series of related coverage questions relating to late notification, and subsequently redrafted the policy wording to address inconsistencies in the notification provisions.
- Drafted a combined insurance policy aimed at self-employed surgeons, encompassing clinical negligence indemnity, legal expenses insurance, public liability cover and cyber cover.
- Drafted a combined insurance policy aimed at pharmacists, encompassing clinical negligence indemnity, public liability, criminal and professional discipline proceedings legal expenses cover and employment disputes.
Healthcare
- Provided a medico-legal advice service for specialist surgeons and sports doctors from 2014 to 2022.
- Advised on a multimillion-pound claim involving a psychiatric in-patient who absconded and suffered severe injuries.
- Represented a surgeon in a £250,000 claim involving complications following abdominal surgery.
- Advised on a multimillion-pound claim involving a patient injured by an air embolism during cardiac surgery.
- Acted in a high-value claim arising from orthopaedic surgery to the knee.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 2019 for Professional Negligence
Recognised by The Legal 500 2018 for Professional Negligence
Recognised by The Legal 500 2017 for Professional Negligence
Recognised by The Legal 500 2016 for Professional Negligence
Recognised by The Legal 500 2015 for Professional Negligence
Recognised by The Legal 500 2015 for Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation
Recognised by The Legal 500 2012 for Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation
Recognised by The Legal 500 2011 for Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation
Recognised by The Legal 500 2010 for Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation
“Joanne is tenacious in getting to the core issues and dealing with opponents.” The Legal 500 2010
Recognised by The Legal 500 2009 for Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation
Career
Joanne was Called to the Bar in 2003. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2022, she worked at the following firms:
- DWF
- Triton Global Limited
- Robin Simon LLP
- Hailsham Chambers
- Quadrant Chambers