Fee Langstone

Partner

Cecily specialises in insurance litigation. She is an experienced Court advocate who makes frequent appearances in the High Court and has appeared in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.   She regularly advises local insurers on policy coverage and litigation matters.  Cecily’s areas of specialty include insurance coverage disputes, property insurance, business interruption, life insurance, travel insurance, negligence, construction and engineering issues and Fair Trading Act claims.  Cecily also has particular expertise in the drafting and review of policy wordings.

Cecily has provided advice on insurance issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including in relation to travel insurance coverage, life insurance and reinsurance.  She has negotiated settlements for insurers in 16 earthquake insurance disputes, including representing the insurer at mediations and Court settlement conferences.  She successfully negotiated the settlement of a proceeding over a life insurance claim in which the policy was avoided for non-disclosure.

Cecily has provided extensive advice to insurers on novel and complex insurance issues arising out of the Christchurch earthquakes across both commercial and domestic policy wordings.  Cecily is currently lead counsel in 22 proceedings arising from the Canterbury earthquakes filed in the High Court or the Canterbury Earthquake Insurance Tribunal, acting for Vero Insurance and AA Insurance in a range of disputes.

Cecily was one of three presenters at the Successful Settlements seminar run by the Auckland District Law Society, providing insight into mediation and settlement negotiations where an insurer is involved.

New Zealand Insurance Law Association ADLSI New Zealand Law Society

LLB (Hons)