Special Counsel
Jane Yoo
Jane has almost exclusively practiced in defendant insurance litigation since admission. She acts for domestic and international insurers, self-insured corporations, government departments, London underwriters, as well as retailers, shopping centres, supermarkets, real estate agents, hospitality venues and large international hotel chains.
Over her career, Jane has managed, conducted and run litigated common law claims involving product liability, travel insurance, accident and health, income protection, public liability, institutional abuse, intentional torts, international family law, defamation, property damage, motor accidents, workers’ compensation, home warranty, construction, medical negligence and fraud.
Today, Jane is primarily focused on matters that fall into the categories of general liability, public liability (including catastrophic injury), professional indemnity, institutional abuse, property damage and workers’ compensation.
Jane is highly experienced in professional indemnity coverage advices, as well as policy drafting. She acts in litigated and unlitigated matters involving building and other professionals such as architects and real estate agents. She regularly acts for and advises insurers and other corporate clients in claims involving construction disputes, building and design defects, defective mechanical works and property damage.
Jane’s philosophy involves providing clients with plain English advice, as early as possible, regarding the merits of a claim and collaboratively engaging with all stakeholders to resolve disputes as quickly and as cost effectively as possible. She prides herself on her ability to action urgent instructions, with the provision of definitive advice.
One of Jane’s more notable cases was the successful defence of an insurer in respect of a home and contents claim relating to allegedly stolen property. In Trajkovski v Commonweath Insurance Ltd (No. 2) [2020] NSWDC 694, the Court found in favour of the insurer on the basis that the theft could not be established and the insuring clause had not been triggered.
Immediately prior to rejoining HBA (Jane worked with HBA previously in 2015/2016), she spent three and a half years as Principal Solicitor with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice.
Jane is efficient, responsive and personable. She obtained her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology in Sydney in 2010. Jane was admitted as a solicitor in 2011.
Personal Awards/ Accreditations
Further examples of Jane’s expertise include:
- Acting on behalf of the Commonwealth Government in a Hague Convention (International Child Abduction) matter in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Successfully obtaining a decision resulting in the return of a child to the parent who was left behind.
- Acting for an insurer in a multi-party subrogated recovery claim involving the destruction of an insured’s commercial premises as a result of a fire, and successfully recovering the full amount of insured losses (including a large portion of uninsured losses) and costs prior to hearing.
- Acting for a developer and property owners, to conduct their defence of a claim by neighbouring property owners for damage to their premises caused by the weakening and removal of building foundations. The proceedings were resolved based on a contribution by the developer and property owner of approximately 1%.
- Acting for a motor vehicle insurer on a liability claim and achieving a resolution well prior to any hearing, for less than 50% of the total amount claimed.
- Advising and acting for government departments in response to claims of abuse (sexual and other abuse) particularly in the context of out-of-home care and Youth Justice.
- Handling diverse and extensive portfolios of public and product liability claims, in particular large scale and complex litigated matters.
Why clients like her
Jane’s areas of expertise
Catastrophic Injury Claims
Catastrophic injury claims involve the severely injured, such as quadriplegics, paraplegics and those with severe brain injuries. These types of claims require…
Compulsory Third Party
HBA provides CTP legal defence to licensed insurers and scheme agents in Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. We combine…
Coverage Disputes & Investigations
Disputes over insurance coverage require careful, technically informed legal strategies. Our coverage disputes and indemnity expertise assists insurers and self-insured entities with…
General Liability
While public liability, product liability, and property damage represent major segments of the general liability landscape, many other claims fall into specialised,…
Sensitive & Institutional Abuse
HBA is highly sought-after by insurers and insured institutions in the defence of sensitive, legacy and institutional abuse claims across Australia. These…
Motor Vehicle
We act for various insurers in the defence and management of motor vehicle claims across Australia, including personal injury (CTP) and property…
Product Liability & Recall
A serious safety issue with a children’s toy; faulty building products; food contamination issues… whatever the specifics of your product liability issue,…
Professional Indemnity
When it comes to professional indemnity matters, our team has complete appreciation that these claims are almost always complex and sensitive. HBA…
Property Damage Liability
HBA’s experience includes both large loss and small property damage claims. Insurers, self-insureds and corporations have come to rely on HBA for…
Public Liability
HBA Legal has unparalleled experience right across the casualty arena, in all States and Territories across Australia. Our track record extends to…
