Virginia Wethey > Fee Langstone > Auckland, New Zealand > Lawyer Profile
Fee Langstone Offices
Level 18
51 Shortland Street
Auckland 1010
New Zealand
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Virginia Wethey
Position
Partner
Career
Virginia specialises in insurance litigation with an emphasis on liability claims (particularly professional indemnity) fire and general insurance (including earthquake claims) and policy coverage. She also has front-end expertise in policy drafting and advice. Virginia has been named a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific edition since 2020, and a recommended lawyer in 2023.
Virginia first joined the partners of Fee Langstone at predecessor firm Jones Fee in 1999. In 2001, she moved to the UK where she spent nearly a decade practicing at two leading insurance law firms in London (Kennedys and Mills & Reeve LLP) primarily specialising in professional indemnity claims. In 2011, Virginia returned to New Zealand and re-joined Jones Fee/Fee Langstone. She became a partner at Fee Langstone in February 2019.
Virginia regularly provides advice to insurers on property insurance disputes. She also continues to have a substantial professional indemnity practice. She regularly acts for lawyers, accountants, brokers and other professionals in District and High Court proceedings.
She continues to regularly act on behalf of professionals (particularly solicitors) in professional disciplinary proceedings. She has acted for numerous solicitors in relation to complaints to the New Zealand Law Society and she has also appeared before the Legal Complaints Review Officer (LCRO) and has been successful in having NZLS Standards Committee decisions overturned.
Virginia also continues to advise various insurance broker networks in relation to the upcoming legislation changes for financial advisers which will have a significant impact on the broking industry. She regularly presents to clients and at conferences.
Memberships
New Zealand Insurance Law Association
Australasian Professional Indemnity Group
Australia New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance
The Insurance Network
Women’s Law Association
Education
BA, LLB
Lawyer Rankings
New Zealand > Insurance
(Next Generation Partners)Based primarily in Auckland, insurance is the cornerstone of Fee Langstone‘s practice. Renowned for its expertise in policy advice and indemnity matters, its capabilities also extend to regulatory and compliance work and professional disciplinary complaints. Department co-heads Philippa Fee, who clients describe as a ‘true insurance expert‘ with ‘wide ranging experience across various insurance lines’, and Craig Langstone
are leaders in the industry, with Langstone advising across the whole spectrum of insurance matters, including professional indemnity, public liability, business interruption and parametric insurance. Pauline Davies is highlighted as ‘extremely knowledgeable and approachable in the marine field’. Litigators Cecily Brick, Matthew Atkinson, Virginia Wethey and counsel Bradley Alcorn are key practitioners in Auckland.