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Kennedys recognized in Chambers USA 2026 Guide We are pleased to announce that Kennedys has once again been recognized by Chambers & Partners in the USA 2026 Guide, with recognitions across seven categories, including attorneys in six state jurisdictions, as well as two nationwide rankings. The firm has maintained its Band 1 ranking for Insurance (New Jersey) and continues to be ranked for Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Illinois), Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Florida), Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer (New York), Insurance (Pennsylvania), Insurance (Washington), Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (Nationwide) and Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer (Nationwide). In addition, 13 Kennedys lawyers have been individually recognized in the USA 2026 Guide. Notably, Christopher Carroll (New Jersey), Meg Catalano (New Jersey), and Michael Guadagno (Washington) achieved Band 1 rankings in this year’s guide. We are grateful for this recognition, which reflects the strength of our national practice and our continued commitment to our clients.
Kennedys' global expansion drives solid FY26 performance We have reported strong financial results for FY26, with global revenue rising to £457m, representing a 9.1% increase on FY25. This marks our 12th consecutive year of growth, driven by continued investment in key strategic markets. North America and APAC delivered particularly strong performances, with revenue up 22.5% and 20.3% respectively. Together, the two regions now account for 43.7% of global revenue, demonstrating our growing international strength. The UK remains the largest region, generating £215m in revenue and representing 47% of the global total, with steady growth of 3.6%. EMEA and LATAM contributed a combined 9.2% of annual revenue. John Bruce, Senior Partner says, “Delivering another year of strong growth reflects the strength of our global offering and the confidence our clients place in us. We are particularly encouraged by the pace of expansion in North America and APAC, both of which are central to our long-term strategy. Our ongoing growth strategy is about building a stronger, broader and more connected firm. That means developing further our comprehensive insurance offering, expanding our service lines and strengthening our global footprint so that we are present, scalable and responsive in the markets that matter most to our clients. We are also investing in our global Corporate & Commercial practice that further supports our insurer clients.”
Kennedys appoints global General Counsel We have appointed Claire Larbey as our Global General Counsel. She will serve as principal legal advisor to Kennedys’ global leadership, including the Global Managing Partner, Senior Partner, and Executive Group, and will spearhead all legal, compliance, governance, risk, and professional liability matters across our 45 offices worldwide. Claire will also lead our risk and compliance function, a global network of high-performing compliance, risk and legal professionals that ensure effective risk management and firm-wide compliance. Claire joins from Trowers & Hamlins, where she served as General Counsel leading the firm’s general counsel and risk team. Prior to this, she held senior risk and compliance leadership roles at Eversheds Sutherland and The Parabis Group, following a role at the Solicitors Regulation Authority auditing law firms on regulatory compliance. A qualified solicitor since 2000, Claire began her legal career in insurance litigation at Waltons & Morse Solicitors, which is now part of Kennedys.
Kennedys scales up with arrival of 12-lawyer national trial team We're pleased to announce the arrival of a 12-lawyer trial team, significantly enhancing the firm’s complex litigation and high-exposure trial capabilities across the United States. The group, led by Randy Faust and Kristina Milone, includes partners John Anselmo and Bryan Ferrara along with two special counsel and six associates. The group’s arrival brings decades of collective trial experience defending corporations in high-exposure litigation, including global hotel and resort brands, a major multi-purpose stadium serving the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut metropolitan areas, a multinational consumer goods company and national retailers across the US. The team has successfully tried more than 200 cases to verdict, including numerous wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, catastrophic injury, and other high-exposure matters across the country. The addition aligns with the firm’s global strategic plan to further strengthen Kennedys’ position as the leading insurance and disputes firm in the US, building on the firm's ability to support clients with seasoned trial counsel and strategic litigation advice at every stage of a dispute. The team adds immediate depth to an already strong trial practice and reinforces the firm’s commitment to investing in key markets and practice areas that align with client demand.
Kennedys expands international aviation team We have strengthened our global aviation team with the appointment of aviation insurance specialist, Rob Ireland, as a partner in our London office. Rob rejoins Kennedys from Clyde & Co, where for the last decade he was a partner in the aviation practice and a member of the Global Aviation Executive, with responsibility for strategy and development across their entire aviation team worldwide. With over 25 years’ experience handling complex aviation liability and contentious matters, Rob advises numerous clients including insurers, airlines and major helicopter operators on high-profile and large-scale contentious work. He has led on significant international aviation losses and is recognised for his deep expertise in the aviation insurance market and longstanding relationships with leading insurers and brokers.
Supporting insurers and reinsurers following the Venezuela earthquakes Our thoughts are with the people and communities in Venezuela affected by the recent earthquakes. Events like this are a reminder that major property losses require immediate, coordinated, and technically informed support. For insurers and reinsurers, that often means navigating complex questions around property damage, business interruption, contingent exposures, aggregation, causation, engineering evidence, adjustment strategy, and cross-border coordination. Kennedys’ global insurance platform is well positioned to support clients responding to significant property losses wherever they arise. Our teams regularly advise domestic and international insurers and reinsurers on complex first-party property claims, catastrophe losses, and related disputes involving substantial financial and operational exposure. As the situation in Venezuela continues to develop, insurers and claims professionals will need practical guidance that is responsive to the facts on the ground, the policy language, and the broader commercial context. Our global property coverage team is ready to assist clients working through those issues.
We’ve published our fifth annual Responsible Business Report, which sets out the steps we’ve taken in 2024–25 to meet the ambitious goals we’ve set for ourselves. It also reflects a clear commitment from our senior leadership to push further and do more in the years ahead. This year’s edition outlines how we’re working to create meaningful environmental and social impact, with a long-term focus on building a more sustainable future. Swipe through for the key highlights. Read the full report on our website: https://okt.to/5LEq0W
Kennedys has launched a refreshed global wellbeing strategy, designed to embed wellbeing into our culture and offer a holistic approach that enables our people to be themselves and perform at their best. As part of our commitment to wellbeing, we’re delighted to announce that our Senior Partner, John Bruce, has today signed the MindForward Alliance Leadership Pledge. By signing this pledge, Kennedys commits to taking tangible actions to support the mental health and overall wellbeing of our people.
120 colleagues from our healthcare team, led by partner and global head of Kennedys healthcare division Christopher Malla, came together for our Annual Community Day to refurbish two wellbeing hubs in Bedfordshire. Teams from our Birmingham, Cambridge, London, Newcastle and Sheffield offices worked across both sites - painting, clearing gardens, assembling sheds and creating welcoming indoor spaces. Around 100 young people are expected to benefit from the transformed environments. Delivered in partnership with The Children's Society, this initiative forms part of Kennedys’ global Thrive Together volunteer programme, supporting our goal to increase volunteering and pro bono activity and reach thousands of individuals by 2030. See the full story of our community day in action: https://lnkd.in/eAKadxWg
Laura Koller has been appointed as our new Chief Financial Officer, marking our fourth Business Services Chief named in the past 10 months. With over two decades of experience in the securities industry, she most recently served as Finance Director of our 12 US offices. As we move forward with a renewed strategic approach to building a future fit firm, her extensive experience within Kennedys uniquely positions her to help drive our global financial strategy forward. Learn more about our new CFO: https://lnkd.in/eWdpwhZF
