Professional Indemnity Insurance Management Committee

The Professional Indemnity Insurance Management Committee (“PIIMC”) was established under Section 331 of the Legal Profession Act 2008 and is governed by terms of reference which were adopted by the Council on September 2009. The terms of reference sets out the scope, power and duties to enable members to oversee the Law Mutual internal control, risk management, financial reporting and compliance monitoring processes associated with the making of the insurance arrangements for the legal profession in Western Australia. Current Law Mutual PIIMC Members are:

Dudley Stow (Chairman)

Dudley has a varied practice in the commercial area, acting mainly for institutional clients and companies, with particular expertise in the area of property development, commercial agreements, reconstruction, joint ventures, building developments, building contracts, leases, trusts and family dispute/reconstructions and resolutions.

Dudley works mainly on projects, such as major office sites, subdivisions and shopping centre developments and for companies providing commercial advice and assisting in negotiating and documenting commercial agreements. He also acts for a number of port authorities, providing commercial advice.

During his time with Freehills, Dudley has also developed banking and finance skills, where he assists receivers and liquidators in workouts and dispositions of assets as well as the preparation of securities. Dudley has also drafted Acts of Parliament.

Among others, Dudley has worked for a number of banks, insurance and superannuation companies and Port Authorities.

His roles within the Law Society of Western Australia include: President 2005 (4 months) and 2007-2009; Treasurer 2004; Vice President 2005; Senior Vice President 2005; Council member 1996-1999.

Dr Christopher Kendall 

Dr Christopher Kendall is President of the Law Society of Western Australia and a barrister at John Toohey Chambers specialising in intellectual property litigation. Dr Kendall was previously Dean of Law at Murdoch University, a Commissioner with the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia and Director of the Asia Pacific Intellectual Property Law Institute.  He is the co-author of Advocacy: An Introduction (LexisNexis) and the co-editor of Civil Procedure: Western Australia (the "Red Book").  Dr Kendall is also a Commissioner with the Insurance Commission of  Western Australia.

Denis McLeod

Denis established the practice now known as McLeods in 1980. He has represented local governments for 38 years and has extensive knowledge of all areas of local government activity.

Well known for his contribution to planning in Western Australia, Denis was honoured with Life Membership of the Local Government Planners Association in 1991, Honorary Fellowship of the Planning Institute of Australia in 1993 and Adjunct Professor at Curtin University in 2006. He teaches planning law to planning students at Curtin University and UWA. Denis is Convenor of the Law Society’s Environment Town Planning and Local Government Committee, and is a member of the Law Society Council.

Hylton Quail

Hylton is the immediate past president of the Law Society of Western Australia and has been closely involved with Law Mutual and its restructure over the last five years.  For a number of years he sat on the Law Mutual Management Committee and now once again represents Council on the PIIMC.

Hylton is a well known criminal barrister and previously practised as a sole practitioner for ten years.

Laurie Shervington

Laurie is a senior member of Minter Ellison’s Corporate Commercial Division, with more than 35 years experience dealing with corporate issues, particularly capital raising, reconstruction, mergers and acquisitions, directors’ duties and corporate governance advice, due diligence, risk management issues and ASIC licensing and investigations.

He has advised the Law Society of Western Australia on the corporate structure and corporate governance processes and procedures of its professional indemnity insurance division, Law Mutual, which involved advising on complex conflict and liability issues and advising on appropriate corporate governance policies and practices for the new structure.

Craig Slater

Craig is a member of Council; the Law Society’s Senior Vice President for 2012; and was the Law Society’s Vice President in 2011 and Law Society’s Treasurer in 2010.  He is also the Convenor of the Quality Practice Standard Committee and has been since 2002.

Craig has particular experience in litigation dealing with professional negligence.

Areas of Practice: Appeals / Banking and Finance / Bankruptcy and Insolvency / Building and Construction / Commercial and Civil Litigation / Common Law / Conflict of Laws / Corporations / Equity and Trusts / Negligence / Trade Practices.

Ian Robert Williams 

A senior executive with four decades of experience in the financial services sector working for large insurance companies with dominant market positions and as CEO of an Approved Deposit Taking Institution (ADI). Experience ranging from day-to-day management to ultimate accountability for every aspect of an operation.

Ian has had specific experience as an underwriter of professional indemnity insurance and held senior positions within the insurance industry.