Paul Baker

Paul is the Managing Director and founder of Meridian Lawyers. With more than 30 years’ experience as an insurance and commercial lawyer, Paul is renowned for his legal acumen, strategic insights and legal industry knowledge. Since founding Meridian in 2004, Paul has led the growth of the firm from 14 employees to its six offices and more than 200 employees today. As Chair of EML and Director of HEM, Paul is a sought-after leader in the commercial sector.

Paul has acted as the principal legal adviser to Guild Insurance Limited since the 1980s. More broadly, his experience ranges from involvement in high-profile cases, to assisting in the resolution of niche legal matters. Having acted for a wide-ranging insurance client base, including local and overseas insurers and underwriters, Paul has a tremendous breadth of insurance experience. Paul has dealt with professional indemnity claims, defamation, directors and officers, general liability policy issues, drafting policy wordings, and policy interpretation. His extensive in-house insurance background gives him the edge in providing clients with deep industry knowledge and informed legal advice. Paul is known as an excellent negotiator, a highly skilled communicator, and a leader in the legal space.

Paul’s breadth of experience across the insurance and commercial space is consistently recognised by the industry and his peers. Notably, Paul is repeatedly acknowledged by the peer-review guide, Best Lawyers Australia for his expertise in Health and Aged Care Law, Insurance Law, Medical Negligence, and Professional Malpractice Litigation, and in Doyle’s Guide. In 2016 and 2017, Paul was also a finalist for Managing Partner of the Year at the annual Lawyers’ Weekly Australian Law Awards. Paul has also been invited to become a member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC).