About us

Fresh thinking. Better outcomes.

A fresh approach.

Gilchrist Connell brings together a team of highly skilled lawyers and professionals committed to delivering excellence and building deep and trusted relationships. Our mantra is to Listen. Engage. Solve. which we bring to every matter for every client.

Listen.

To better understand your needs and approach. To know you so that we can advise and represent you.

Engage.

Fresh thinking finding new solutions. Bringing together perspectives – your team with our expertise – to create a clear strategy.

Solve.

Fulfilling our promise to you. Delivering sound solutions that achieve commercial resolutions promptly and cost-effectively.

Expertise and specialisation.

We are a team of hands-on insurance, corporate and litigation lawyers, highly specialised and experienced in all areas of insurance, workplace, corporate, regulatory and dispute resolution. We focus on efficiency and manage your legal matters from start to finish. We think commercially, see ourselves as strong negotiators and communicate clearly and directly, giving you more than just value for money.

Open and direct communication.

We communicate clearly and keep you regularly updated on all matters. Key to this is transparency and responsiveness in keeping you informed about case progress. This approach keeps you involved and in-the-loop throughout the legal process. To maintain this standard, we've established clear communication processes, providing regular updates and proactively informing clients of any challenges or delays.

Clear and succinct advice.

You value clear and easy-to-understand advice, so that's what we provide. By breaking down complex legal matters into practical advice, we help you make informed decisions. Solutions are tailored to your specific needs, offering concise, actionable guidance, using plain language, and centred around a sound strategy. What can you expect from us? Timely, commercial and well-structured advice that achieves resolutions within expectations. This is our promise to you.

Excellent service in all matters.

To us, truly excellent service means addressing your needs with transparent communication, prompt responses and attention to detail. Whether it's a query on a complex legal issue, advice on compliance matters, or dispute resolution strategies, we go above and beyond providing commercially focused and timely solutions.

Our market score.

We are regularly shortlisted as Insurance Specialist Firm of the Year finalists at the Australasian Law Awards and Lawyers Weekly Law Awards, most recently in 2023. We continue to be ranked by Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific and Legal 500 as a leading insurance firm in Australia, and our individuals are uniformly included by Best Lawyers and Doyles Guide as leading insurance specialists across multiple practice areas including professional indemnity, public and product liability, medical negligence and malpractice, workers compensation and comprehensive third-party insurance. Our clients similarly rank our offering. In 2023, an independent Beaton Global Benchmarking exercise found that Gilchrist Connell outperformed its insurance industry peers in terms of client service and client experience.

New York skyline

Australian expertise with international reach.

We operate across Australia and regularly assist global and Australian insurance sector clients with coverage issues and in defence of claims in New Zealand, Asia, Europe, US and the London market, as well as global insurers participating in multi-national insurance programs. Our partnership with The Harmonie Group connects us to firms with the proven ability to serve the specific needs of the risk industry, expanding our global reach and capability to service clients in international markets.

Our growth is a testament to our service.

Since opening in 2008, we have grown exponentially in response to our clients’ continued demand for quality services. We are regularly recognised as one of the fastest growing law firms in the country by Australasian Lawyer. Our growth has fortified a collegiate culture of continuous self-improvement resulting in job satisfaction and low attrition. This means that our clients have continuity on their files and build strong relationships with us.

To achieve this solid growth and success, we work hard to stay at the forefront – constantly adapting to offer better value and results. Our clients hold us to rigorous standards, and our skills, agility and dedication have been rewarded as we continue to service many of the world’s most sophisticated, global insurers.

How we stay ahead.

We build strong relationships with our clients and are continually responding to their changing needs. Some of our longest standing and largest clients have been re-appointing our principals to their legal panels for over three decades. We have remained alongside them throughout the changes, disruptions and cycles of this complex and dynamic industry.

We maintain a laser focus on delivering what our clients need – a pre-eminent commercial and tailored service, knowing we are only as good as our next job. We stay highly engaged with the industry and invest strategically – implementing innovative, streamlined systems to boost productivity and client value while actively seeking client feedback to ensure we continue to deliver a relevant, leading service.

Our shared values underpin everything we do.

Freshness

Innovation and forward thinking

Simple effective approaches

Flexibility and agility

Unity

Working together as one

Across geographies, teams and levels

Bringing our skills together

A supportive environment

Celebrating achievements and wins

Quality

Pride in our work

Reliability and consistency

Realising potential

A commitment to excellence

Trust

Always acting with integrity

Clear and open communication

Treating everyone honestly and fairly

Respect

For each other and our diversity

For our clients and what they need from us

For the work we do and its importance

For the environment and the needs of others

Enjoyment

Fulfilling work

A friendly atmosphere

A sense of fun

Importance of work/life balance

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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians throughout Australia and their connection to land, culture, waters and skies. We pay our respect to the communities, the people, and Elders past, present and emerging.

© Gilchrist Connell 2024

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Legal Practitioners employed by and the directors of Gilchrist Connell Pty Ltd are members of the scheme.