John Coorey
Partner
John has extensive experience in professional indemnity, directors and officers liability and commercial litigation which includes the following:
- Acting for the managing director of a collapsed re-insurance company in proceedings alleging misleading and deceptive conduct involving a capital-raising by way of convertible notes. The proceedings involve issues relating to the proper accounting treatment of contracts of reinsurance, the provisioning for outstanding claims liabilities and the issues relating to the liability of directors for the accuracy of a prospectus.
- Successfully defending a financial planning organisation and its insurers in a Federal Court class action arising out of an alleged misleading and deceptive prospectus regarding fund raising for TrackNet Australia Limited. The case involved consideration of the liability of directors responsible for the issuing of the prospectus together with the liability of the trustee company responsible for administering the scheme.
- Advising and appearing for the directors of a publicly listed construction company in relation to a Australian Securities and Investment Commission investigation into an alleged breach of the Australian Stock Exchange disclosure rules.
- Acting for an Australian pharmaceutical company in a US$30 million claim against a firm of patent attorneys. The matter involved complex issues of US and European patent law as well as complex issues regarding calculation of damages for loss of use of intellectual property rights.
- Advising the insurers of financial planners threatened with a class action arising out of the Westpoint collapse.
- Advising insurers regarding policy interpretation and construction of director and officer liability policies, professional indemnity policies and general policies of insurance.
John was appointed a LawCover panel solicitor in 1996 and has acted for solicitors in diverse matters involving legal negligence. He has also acted for accountants, engineers, insurance brokers and medical practitioners in disputes both at first instance and on appeal.
Prior to joining Sparke Helmore, John was a partner with Corrs Chambers Westgarth for seven years. He is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales having spent three years working for Lovells, a major London law firm.
John has a Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Law specialising in directors' duties and international commercial litigation.
Memberships
- Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA)