Guy Narburgh

Guy has over 17 years’ experience in insurance and reinsurance, and works primarily with local and global corporate policyholders (many ASX-listed) across multiple sectors to achieve optimal legal and commercial outcomes on the full range of insurance and risk issues: from ‘front-end’ advice on policy wordings and insurance issues in major projects and transactions, to significant or complex insurance claims. 

Guy has advised across a broad range of policy types, including directors' and officers' liability, Industrial Special Risks (property damage and business interruption), contract works, public liability, professional indemnity, political risk, pollution liability and warranty and indemnity.

He also represents clients in general commercial disputes and investigations, with a particular focus on consumer class action defence work.

Guy writes articles on risk and insurance issues in a number of industry publications, frequently presents to clients on insurance issues and is a member of the Australian Insurance Law Association and the Risk and Insurance Management Society. Guy is the co-author of the chapter on securities class actions and D&O insurance in '25 Years of Class Actions in Australia'.

Guy is ranked as a Rising Star for Insurance by Asia Pacific Legal 500 and is ranked in Band 4 for Insurance by Chambers Asia-Pacific for consecutive years. He is listed on the Acritas Stars database and was also a finalist for Special Counsel of the Year in 2017 and 2020 Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards.

Guy’s experience includes advising:

• a major global property group in relation to numerous contract works, public liability, pollution liability and professional indemnity insurance claims across its business
• numerous ASX-listed clients in relation to insurance recoveries arising out securities class actions, product liability class actions and regulatory investigations (ASIC, ACCC, ICAC, Senate Committee)
• a global insurance and reinsurance broker in relation to a professional negligence claim arising from a global property insurance program
• on complex insurance coverage and transfer issues for major transactions, including the sale of a $2.15 billion services business and a $2.1 billion loan portfolio, and the sale/restructure of a $9 billion property fund business
• on insurance issues in relation to Macquarie Bank's unsolicited proposal for Martin Place Metro Station
• DePuy International in relation to a medical device product liability class action in the Federal Court

Additional credentials include:

Contentious/claims

• advising Ensham Resources/Idemitsu in relation to a $500+ million property damage and business interruption insurance claim in the Federal Court
• acting for Babcock & Brown in relation to insurance recoveries arising from the prominent collapse of this listed entity. Guy also acted for various non-executive directors and officers of Babcock & Brown in relation to public examinations by the liquidator of Babcock & Brown
• acting for a coal services company in relation to a material damage claim arising from water ingress to construction works
• advising an ASX-listed resources entity in relation to the recovery of costs arising from a public inquiry
• acting for an international construction company in relation to a contract works claim arising from damage to a wharf
• advising a major workforce planning firm in relation to a warranty and indemnity insurance claim
• acting for Cash Converters in relation to two class actions arising out of the provision of short term credit contracts in Queensland
• acting for Telstra in relation to a significant shareholder class action which involved allegations of contraventions of Australian securities laws
• acting for a quota share reinsurer in a US$100 million energy reinsurance dispute (UK)
• acting for various Lloyd’s syndicates in relation to an asbestos coverage dispute under compulsory employers' liability insurances (UK)

Non-contentious/transactional

• advising clients (many ASX-listed) on policy wordings and coverage enhancements as part of renewals or major projects
• advising on defensive D&O strategies in the context of threatened or actual takeover bids
• advising on the preservation of D&O assets in the context of corporate distress and insolvency
• advising on deeds of access, indemnity and insurance
• acting for Moorebank Intermodal Terminal (a Commonwealth Government Business Enterprise) with respect to its establishment and the planned delivery of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal in south-western Sydney, advising on various insurance and contractual indemnity issues which arose on the project
• advising Lendlease on the Barangaroo project, focusing on insurance and indemnity issues
• advising Veolia on insurance and contractual indemnity issues arising on a proposal to finance, design, construct, commission, operate, maintain and hand over two commercial-scale salt encapsulation facilities in connection with the Queensland Curtis LNG project
• advising the Western Australian government on insurance and indemnity issues associated with the Perth Stadium project
• advising Mirvac on insurance issues arising from a development at Sydney Olympic Park
• advising on insurance and risk issues arising from the redevelopment of The Star Casino and Hotel Complex in Sydney

Background

Guy holds a Master of Arts in Law from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

Guy is admitted in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and the Federal and High Court of Australia. He is also admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales.

Guy is a member of the Australian Insurance Law Association and the Risk and Insurance Management Society.