Sophy Woodward
Partner
About Sophy
Sophy is a partner at HFW specialising in complex disputes, particularly construction disputes, and all aspects of insurance law. She advises policyholders, brokers and insurers on policy wordings, regulatory requirements, and coverage for claims. Sophy has particular experience in E&O, D&O, ISR, contract works, professional indemnity and product liability insurance claims. She also specialises in construction disputes including contractual disputes, delay claims, quantum meruit and misleading and deceptive conduct claims. Sophy also has experience advising on the insurance aspects of transactions and AFSL requirements.
Prior to joining HFW Sophy was a senior associate at HSF for nine years, during which time she was seconded into the BHP legal team for nine months. During her time at BHP she managed BHP’s insurance claims and major disputes. She has also been seconded into the legal team at Transurban.
Sophy has represented corporate clients involved in many of Australia’s largest disputes including the Victorian Bushfires class action and the Royal Commission into Banking Misconduct. Prior to working in private practice she was a graduate and then a senior lawyer at ASIC.
Testimonials in the 2023 Legal 500 include ‘Sophy Woodward is one of the most impressive lawyers I have ever worked with,’ and ‘Sophy Woodward is thorough, meticulous, and tireless. Extremely intelligent and able to capture and organise every technical, scientific, and factual detail relevant to our insurance claims.‘
Clients commend Sophy as “enormously reliable, efficient and helpful, able to assimilate issues quickly and provide advice quickly and succinctly.”
Her recent work includes:
- Acting for a large construction company in NSW SC proceedings regarding alleged defects in the Lane Cove Tunnel in Sydney
- Acting for a large joint venture in a multi-billion dollar contract works claim arising out of the construction of an LNG facility in Darwin
- Acting for the joint venture constructing the Sydney light rail on their professional indemnity insurance claim
- Acting for the captive insurer of a large mining company on numerous legacy asbestos claims
- Acting for Newcrest Mining defending a shareholder class action and bringing a cross-claim for coverage against its D&O insurers
- Acting for a major bank on the Royal Commission into Banking Misconduct
- Acting for SP AusNet in the class action arising from the Victorian bushfires