Hannah Cohley

Barrister

Hannah was called to the bar in 2023 and specialises in all aspects of insurance law and insurance litigation including coverage issues, general liability, financial lines, property and general commercial litigation.

E
hcohley@twowentworth.com.au

Prior to the bar, Hannah worked in Melbourne for almost a decade at a top-tier international firm and national insurance law firms. Throughout her career she has acted for domestic insurers, corporate self-insureds as well as Lloyds’ syndicates and their insureds across education, health, entertainment, aged care, hospitals, not-for profit and building sectors. Hannah held in house-roles at CGU and Catholic Church Insurance (CCI) and was an active member of the Insurance Council of Australia's Liability Committee and has extensive litigation experience having instructed on matters in:

  • Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court.
  • Victoria: Court of Appeal / Supreme / County and Magistrates Court.
  • New South Wales: Supreme / District and Local court.
  • South Australia: Supreme / District and Magistrates court.
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Practice Areas

Current matters since coming to the bar:

  • Personal injury claims on behalf of a local council in the District court.
  • Acting on behalf of a Union in relation to an underpayment claim against a supermarket in the Federal Court.
  • Acting on behalf of a software developer seeking damages for breach of contract – junior in the Supreme Court.
  • Defending a breach of contract claim arising from a commercial property sale.
  • Defending subrogated recovery claims in the Local Court on behalf of domestic insurers.
  • Defending a restraint of trade dispute on behalf of an NDIS service provider in the District Court.
  • Arguing a recusal application in the Federal Court in relation to a breach of sale agreement of a burger chain.
  • Advising on quantum on behalf of a family of a resident who was sexually assaulted at an ASX listed aged care facility in the District Court.
  • Advising education provider on potential recovery against a third-party data storage provider.
  • Providing in-house training for not-for profit sector on student-on-student abuse claims.
  • Defending psychologist for allegations of boundary violations.
  • Defending optometrist for non-sexualised contact with colleagues.
  • Attending mediation on behalf of shopping centre in relation to a personal injury claim.
  • Advising on likely quantum arising from death of student during an overseas school excursion District Court.
  • Advising on appropriate WHS penalties for a worker who was sexually and physically assaulted due to a failure to conduct a risk assessment of young persons in care.
  • Coverage advice on whether the Wayne Tank principle applies to a personal injury claim with multiple proximate causes of damage; late notified claims; and fraudulent / non fraudulent disclosur.

Other mentions:

  • Contributor to the Victorian chapters of the Australian Civil Liability Guide 11th Edition and Australian response to Institutional Child Abuse.
  • Asian Lawyers Association mentor.
  • Commonwealth Panel.

Admissions

  • Called to the Bar: 2023
  • Admitted as to the legal profession – 2010

Contact

Hannah Cohley

E
hcohley@twowentworth.com.au
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