Meet our Staff
Martello Law is staffed across three offices with specialist insurance lawyers who have top tier and global firm insurance experience, acting as both coverage and defence counsel and risk management specialists for local and international insurance companies and Lloyd’s syndicates.
Our Origins
Martello Law provides specialised insurance defence services, in a unique model where our experienced lawyers handle matters from initial notification until trial, if necessary. We have a service agreement with insurance capacity providers (domestic Australian insurers and Lloyd’s Underwriters) to provide legal services to their insured and broker clients, frequently, at no cost for our services for the insured clients. We love to defend unmeritorious claims.
Our Unparalleled Services
Martello Law assists all of the insured clients of its insurance capacity providers with timely, expert advice in responding to claims, complaints and regulatory issues. Martello Law is able to provide timely assistance in relation to all matters to which a policy may respond, prior to any claim being made and in order to mitigate the risk of claims.
Our Brisbane Team
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Michael Wood
PRINCIPAL
Michael Wood has been a lawyer since 1986 with nearly 40 years of experience. He is a seasoned insurance and reinsurance litigation lawyer.
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Maria Kearney
LEGAL PRACTITIONER DIRECTOR
Maria has over 30 years of experience defending professional negligence claims and other financial lines claims in Australia and the United Kingdom.
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Jason Savage
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Jason is an experienced professional indemnity insurance solicitor and litigation specialist.
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Juliet Spencer
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Juliet has over 30 years of experience in corporate governance and legal advisory roles. As a former director, she has a wealth of knowledge in board and regulatory matters.
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Kerry Spies
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Kerry has over 15 years’ cross-border experience in dispute resolution. She specialises in Professional Indemnity matters and focuses on obtaining resolutions which maintain relationships.
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Letitia Yiu
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Letitia Yiu is a Special Counsel with over 16 years experience in defendant insurance litigation. She specialises in professional indemnity and public liability claims, and has extensive experience in large-scale litigation, including class actions and commissions of inquiry. Letitia previously worked as a Complex Claims Advisor at Queensland Treasury, where she advised the State on significant and complex claims. She is known for delivering clear, pragmatic advice on technically complex matters.
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Yen Tran
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Yen specialises in Professional Indemnity and Public Liability claims, with accolades for her professionalism, including being named one of the Top Young Insurance Professionals in 2023.
Our Sydney Team
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Alison Corcoran
LEGAL PRACTITIONER DIRECTOR
Alison has specialised in litigation, dispute resolution, and advisory work. Alison is a past President and Treasurer of the QLD Australian PI Group.
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Henry Bourke
PRINCIPAL SOLICITOR
Henry qualified as a barrister in Ireland before requalifying as a solicitor in Australia. He has extensive professional indemnity and personal injury experience.
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Emma Harriott
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Emma has over 10 years’ experience. She specialises in Financial Lines, providing expert advice and effective solutions.
Our Melbourne Team
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Brittney Carter
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Brittney specialises in general liability, personal injury and abuse claims. She has experience representing government personal injury clients (the Transport Accident Commission and Victorian WorkCover Authority) as well as the major national and international private insurers and insured clients. Brittney has significant experience defending complex litigation, including multi-defendant workers' compensation and public liability disputes, often involving high-quantum assessments and difficult contribution negotiations. Brittney's experience working in-house within a government entity has also shaped her understanding of the insurer / client experience. Brittney's practice has involved attending and appearing at mediations, pre-hearing conferences, statutory conferences and informal settlement conferences as well as running complex common law damages trials and originating motion matters, to judgment.
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Teresa Aherne
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Teresa specialises in professional indemnity and construction with a background spanning private practice, in-house insurance roles and contract management. She is a qualified lawyer, project manager and certified health and safety adviser.
Teresa has advised on indemnity issues, commercial and residential building claims and large infrastructure. Her experience includes acting in defence of architects, engineers and other construction professionals.
She brings a practical understanding of construction projects from both legal and project delivery perspective, having acted as contract manager on various developments up to $40m, being responsible for chairing progress meetings, reviewing payment claims, variation requests, extensions of time and completion requirements.
Teresa is skilled in managing complex matters, working with experts, resolving disputes through negotiation/mediation and appearing at court for all matters including trial.
Our Accolades
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Martello Law — Leading Professional Indemnity Firm Doyle’s Guide 2025
Martello Law — Recommended Professional Indemnity Firm Doyle’s Guide 2025
ANZIIF 2025 Australian Insurance Industry Awards Finalists — Martello Law
Michael Wood – Leading Professional Indemnity Lawyer, Queensland 2025
Maria Kearney – Recommended Professional Indemnity Lawyer, Queensland 2025
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Woodina Law (now Martello Law) — Leading Professional Indemnity Firm Doyle’s Guide 2024
Michael Wood — Leading Professional Indemnity Lawyers Doyle’s Guide 2024
Alison Corcoran, Maria Kearney — Recommended Professional Indemnity Lawyers Doyle’s Guide 2024
Nominated for ANZIIF Claims Team of the Year and Michael Wood CEO of the Year
Nominated for Insurance Business Awards Claims Team of the Year
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Woodina Law (now Martello Law) — Recommended Professional Indemnity Firm Doyle’s Guide 2023
Alison Corcoran, Maria Kearney & Michael Wood — Recommended Professional Indemnity Lawyers Doyle’s Guide 2023
Nominated for ANZIIF Claims Team of the Year, Yen Tran for Young Insurance Professional of the Year
Nominated for Insurance Business Awards Claims Team of the Year
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Winner of Insurance Business Awards Claims Team of the Year
View our latest accomplishments
“Proud to announce that we have been nominated as a finalist for Insurance Business Australia's AAMC Claims Team of the Year! ✨
Congratulations to the other nominees and a massive well done to the entire Martello/ Woodina Law team, for your tireless work and dedication to our profession and clients!”
