Firm Profile > Fee Langstone > Auckland, New Zealand

“The practice has a mix of individuals with a strong understanding of the law, a good grasp of the industry and a sound commercial acumen which means that advice is accurate, practical and reliable. When you have received advice from most of the practitioners in the field, you learn to appreciate and identify when you are receiving quality legal service.”

“In my view, Philippa Fee is the leading insurance practitioner in the country. Her advice is concise, clear and easy to understand.”

“Matthew Atkinson has a strong experience in the insurance industry. He brings calm, measured and reliable advice. He is a quiet and dependable achiever in industry full of extroverts.”

“Cecily Brick grasps difficult concepts and is a reliable operator. She delivers what is needed.”

“Virginia Wethey’s experience has been recognised by her recent appointment to the partnership. She is enthusiastic and practical in her approach.”

“Within the insurance industry, marine insurance is considered a specialist field and Fee Langstone have marine insurance expertise by way of Pauline Davies and senior associate Bradley Alcorn. Pauline Davies has established herself as a leading expert in all matters marine and we seek her advice on all classes including Marine Cargo, Pleasure Craft, Commercial Hull and Marine Liability products.”

“The advice we receive is sound and on point in terms of what we as the insurer require and it allows us to respond to our customers.”

“Pauline Davies’ strengths lie in, policy interpretation, recovery action and settlement negotiation. What sets Pauline apart from the others is her ability to articulate complex marine concepts and communicate her response in a way where the insurer is able to understand and in turn relay this information to our end customers.”

“I feel when working with Pauline Davies that we are partners ultimately looking for a solution to a problem if one can be found. Pauline also assists with advice on unique marine underwriting risks and is acknowledged for her expertise and sound interpretation of the Institute Clauses. We feel her skills in marine insurance are unique and if not the top is amongst the top marine legal experts in the marine industry.”

“Fee Langstone has a team of smart and capable lawyers with an excellent understanding of insurance law and what insurers expect.”

“Philippa Fee shows good judgment and has a wealth of experience. She is an effective courtroom lawyer who has had some excellent results for us.”

“Virginia Wethey is smart and capable, gets to the point quickly and can grapple with complex legal issues.”

“Fee Langstone has a good cross-section of strong insurance lawyers at all levels which allows them to provide a cost-effective service, which is very important as insurance panel lawyers. They are consistently excellent to deal with: friendly, responsive and skilful. I know that my files are in safe sets of hands.”

“Philippa Fee is our ‘go-to’ lawyer for anything complex, particularly in the construction space. She has a fantastic ability to condense pages of complex technical information into a digestible summary and the ability to cut through the legalese to make clear recommendations for a commercial settlement.’

“Fee Langstone is probably our top performing law firm across a range of insurance work. It provides clear, concise and no nonsense advice at a reasonable cost. The partners are always only a phone call away to discuss any issues.”

“Philippa Fee is my ‘go-to’ person for any complex PI and D&O matters.”

“Matthew Atkinson is very solid and you can rely on him to get the job done.”

“This team is a safe pair of hands. Their advice is consistently thoughtful and accurate and they work well together, without too many individuals on each file. Their focus is on a pragmatic, cost-effective solution for each claim.”

“Philippa Fee is my ‘go-to’ lawyer for indemnity advice over a range of policies. Her advice stands up under scrutiny and is delivered in a timely manner.”

‘The firm provides personalised service, excellent knowledge of professional indemnity issues, pragmatic and realistic advice, and it is prepared to use senior counsel when required.’

‘They are personable, knowledgeable and available.’

‘Fee Langstone is a unique practice as they are very approachable and highly capable. They take pride in understanding their clients’ needs and have a high focus on delivering outcomes. They are an honest firm that understands their professional boundaries and limitations. As a result, they are a great asset to the insurance litigation sector.’

‘Philippa, Craig, Russell, Virginia and Matt are all excellent partners of the firm who are highly knowledgeable. They understand and value the practical aspects that insurance litigation requires which truly sets them our from other firms in the same field.’

‘The Fee Langstone team has very smart, capable lawyers with an in-depth knowledge of insurance law and a good understanding of an insurer’s perspective.’

‘Philippa Fee is an experienced and effective courtroom lawyer who has had some good wins for us at trial. Virginia Wethey always gets to the point quickly and can get on top of complicated legal issues.’

‘The firm has vast experience in dispute resolution, predominantly from the firm’s main insurer clients. However, as much of this work is dispute resolution, the firm has a strong experience in litigation and resolution of all manner of disputes from construction, contract, professional negligence and directors and officer type litigation.’

‘Philippa Fee is a standout litigator and has an excellent grasp of the law, and a sound commercial acumen. The other senior fee earners, including Cecily Brick and Matthew Atkinson, also have excellent experience.’

‘Fee Langstone has a good cross-section of litigation lawyers at all levels which allows them to provide a cost-effective service. They are consistently excellent to deal with: friendly, responsive and skilful.’

‘Philippa Fee is our go-to lawyer for anything complex particularly in the construction space – she has a fantastic ability to condense pages of complex technical information into a digestible summary and the ability to cut through the legalese to make clear recommendations for a commercial settlement.’

‘The firm has really deep knowledge of all aspects of insurance law and the claims that can arise. They are approachable and give pragmatic advice.’

‘Philippa Fee, Virginia Wethey, Craig Langstone and Pauline Davies are my standout individuals.’

‘Philippa Fee is the doyenne of insurance law in New Zealand. She has a very deep knowledge and brings gravitas through her experience and reputation, particularly in liability related issues.’

‘Virginia Wethey is very calm, smart and thoughtful. She approaches difficult issues by breaking them down into manageable stages to get to a resolution. She is also very personable.’

‘Craig Langstone thinks very laterally and often outside the box. He can bring a fresh viewpoint to situations.’

‘Pauline Davies’ knowledge of marine law and pragmatism to get a resolution are appreciated.’

‘Fee Langstone’s principal area of practice is insurance law, and they cover virtually all aspects. They are well-resourced and highly engaged. They are the best example of a smaller specialised practice, and their depth of talent and skill is unparalleled in the NZ market.’

‘Cecily Brick is a skilled practitioner handling highly complex insurance matters. She is a highly intelligent practitioner who has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of insurance law. Her opinions tread the difficult line of both showing the nuances of the law while remaining highly practical and commercial. She is a highly effective advocate in trials. I have instructed many of NZ’s insurance lawyers, and Cecily is right at the top.’

‘Fee Langstone is an excellent firm for PI claims that require innovative solutions and speedy settlements. The team are mindful that it is often better to settle a claim quickly and cost-effectively.’

‘I tend to work with Philippa Fee and Virginia Wethey. They are both pragmatic and know the value of an early settlement in PI claims. They give timely, thoughtful advice and identify indemnity issues as soon as possible.’