Lena is an insurance and regulatory specialist. She supports clients with complex investigations, disputes, and ongoing advisory.

Lena regularly assists clients throughout the life, health, travel, and liability insurance industries. This includes claims advisory, dispute resolution, and regulatory advice. She provides coverage advice on umbrella and rider wordings such as trauma, permanent disability, private hospital cover, and income cover. Working with many insurance products, Lena has extensive policy drafting experience across life, health, travel, and liability insurance lines.

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She provides indemnity advice to international and domestic insurers as well as assisting policyholders in defending claims. These include directors’ and officers’, professional indemnity, statutory liability, and other liability offerings across financial and casualty insurance lines. Lena also assists clients in defending regulatory investigations and prosecutions involving WorkSafe, Department of Conservation, the Commerce Commission, as well as other regulators.

Lena routinely represents insurers and their clients in general insurance matters.

Having worked in both private legal practice (at boutique and large firms) and in-house for one of Australasia’s leading insurers, Lena has a well-rounded understanding of clients’ needs and provides solution-focused advice to support their objectives. Commerciality and pragmatism are central to her approach.

Recent highlights

  • Life, health, travel, and liability insurance policy wording analysis for a number of insurers and brokers.
  • Successfully defending life and health insurer complaints to the Ombudsman.
  • Advising insurers on indemnity issues across life and health insurance lines.
  • Representing clients in arbitrations, mediations, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution to resolve corporate and commercial issues.
  • Advising directors on insurance cover including directors’ and officers’ insurance policies.
  • Representing clients through all stages of regulatory investigations and prosecutions by a variety of regulators.

Lena's insights

Former CEO of Ports of Auckland fined $130,000 for health and safety conviction

5 March 2025

Insurance Law Reform in New Zealand – Professor Rob Merkin KC

7 February 2025

Contracts of Insurance Act 2024 passed

14 November 2024

We're driven by our values

They drive our client relationships and connections with our community, and underpin our achievements.

He tāngata

  • Member of the Hato Hone St John Central Auckland Area Board.
  • Member of the Diocesan School Alumnae Association board.
  • Immediate past president of New Zealand YIPs.
  • Past member of the NZLS AYL committee.

Enterprising

  • Secondment to life insurer client as Legal Counsel.
  • Three secondments to insurer clients as Liability Claims Counsel.
  • Member of NZILA.
  • Member of NZSBA.
  • Member of the Insurance Network.

Excellence

  • Insurance Business Rising Star/Young Gun.

Authenticity

“Thank you so much for your ongoing support with defending regulator complaints. Since we started working with you, we have had no regulator complaints upheld.”
Feedback from a life insurer client.

“Lena, thank you for your support and assistance with this matter. It is an excellent result. We are thoroughly impressed with your work again.”
Feedback from a client following a health and safety investigation by WorkSafe where WorkSafe decided not to prosecute.

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