Insurance and litigation law firm Kennedys has added a Perth office which will be headed by new partner Jonathan Wyatt, an experienced insurance specialist with expertise in marine, property, financial lines and liability insurance.

He will lead a team of nine who all join from Clyde & Co, where Mr Wyatt was partner.

“My team and I are excited to be joining Kennedys. The global reach of the firm and the alignment of its goals to my areas of practice - Marine, Liability and Property – make it an ideal fit. We relish the opportunity to establish a leading insurance practice with Kennedys in Perth,” Mr Wyatt said.

The team is made up of special counsel Paul Graham and Alen Sinanovic, senior associate Rosie Blakey-Scholes, associates Kendall Messer, Jack Carroll and Ashleigh Weaver, paralegals Luke Docker and Quinton Roberts and secretary Danni Durrant.

Kennedys says its national team grew by a fifth over the past year, with two new partners and 10 special counsel and senior associate appointments.

Kennedys opened an office in Melbourne in 2017, which has since trebled in size, and has operated in Sydney since 2006.

“I am delighted to welcome Jonathan and his team to Kennedys, to help us build a leading insurance practice in Perth and a vital link in our growing national presence,” Australian Managing Partner Matt Andrews said.