Kate McInerney

Kate was awarded ‘Rising Star’ for Corporate at the Euromoney Women in Business Law Awards 2017, and is ranked as an ‘Associate to watch’ by Chambers UK 2018. Her team won Legal 500 Insurance (Specialism) Team of the Year (UK) 2018.

Clients quoted in Chambers (2019) say the following about Kate:

“She’s very good, and she’s very sharp. She’s quite a presence; you don’t forget her. She’s very sharp, and she’s prepared to battle for her client good and proper. The fact that she’s Aussie might help.”

“She is extremely able, technically very strong, a tough negotiator, and good fun to work with.”

“She’s very bright; she’s also very friendly, and has a great grip on the details of everything. She thinks ahead and thinks forward, and she’s also very collaborative about it, and isn’t aggressive.”

Other noteworthy experience includes advising:

• Scottish Equitable on the acquisition of Blackrock's UK defined contribution platform and the administration business comprising approximately GBP12bn of assets and 35,000 customers.
• Allianz SE on its GBP1bn retail insurance joint venture with Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited.
• Advising Aviva on its GBP5.6bn recommended all-share acquisition of Friends Life Group.
• Aviva on its GBP600m collateralised bulk annuity insurance policy with Pearson Pension Trustee Limited.
• Aviva on its GPB900m collateralised bulk annuity insurance policy with Marks & Spencer Pension Trustee Limited.
• Co-operative Group Limited on its GBP185m sale of insurance underwriting business, CIS General Insurance Limited to Markerstudy.
• MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc on its investment in ReAssure Jersey One Limited, a subsidiary of Swiss Re Life Capital.
• The trustees of the ICI Pension Fund on its bulk annuity “buy-in” policies with Prudential, Legal & General and Scottish Widows covering GBP4.2bn of pensioner liabilities in the ICI Pension Fund.
• The trustees of the BT pension scheme on a GBP16bn longevity swap with the Prudential Insurance Corporation of America. This was the largest longevity insurance and reinsurance agreement to date, and the first to include the establishment of an insurance company by a pension scheme.
• Guardian Financial Services on the acquisition of approximately GBP5bn of the UK annuity business of Phoenix Group by way of collateralised reinsurance and subsequent Part VII transfer.