Australian insurance sector law firm Gilchrist Connell has announced its latest round of promotions, introducing three special counsels and six associates.

New special counsel Zoe Dempster has a wealth of experience across a broad range of public liability, professional indemnity, employment, and workers' compensation matters. She has a pragmatic approach to matters and adopts a targeted and outcome-driven approach to resolving her clients' legal problems. In her new role, she will focus on insurance and be based in Adelaide.

Mitchell Hauser, another new special counsel, is experienced in defending claims arising from recreational activities, educational institutions, mining and construction accidents, and sensitive matters. He brings to his new role a commercial and pragmatic approach when defending public and product liability claims and professional indemnity disputes. As a special counsel at Gilchrist Connell, he will focus on insurance and be based in Brisbane.

Sydney-based new special counsel Tiarn Pauletto has extensive experience in recoveries, construction, industrial special risks, property, professional indemnity claims, coverage disputes, fraud, and financial lines matters. She has acted for insurers and underwriting agencies across Australia, offering technical and strategic advice to insurance claims teams and insureds directly. Like Dempster and Hauser, she will focus on insurance.

Read more: Gilchrist Connell announces principal promotions

Meanwhile, the new associates are:

• Natasha Whitehead (Workplace, Melbourne);
• James Kyrios (Insurance, Melbourne);
• Joel Speldewinde (Insurance, Perth);
• Aayush Jain (Insurance, Sydney);
• Olivia Cameron (Insurance, Sydney); and
• Thomas Chapman (Insurance, Sydney).

Richard Wood, managing principal at Gilchrist Connell, said the latest round of promotions is evidence of the firm's talented individuals across its five locations and core market of insurance law.

“As we continue to grow, so to have our benefits offered to our staff with including flexible working arrangements for work/life balance, market-leading health and wellbeing services (including mental health support), extra leave, reward travel, in addition to our discretionary bonus scheme which all employees are eligible for,” Wood said.

The appointments follow the promotions of Helen Tieu and Malcolm Wood as principals in the Sydney team.