Presenters

Mark Brookes, Partner, Mediator, Carter Newell
Mark is an expert in professional and directors’ and officers’ liability – acting as both coverage and defence counsel for some of the world’s largest insurers and their insureds for more than 30 years. Mark is also a Nationally Accredited Mediator (AMDRAS) with experience in mediations involving a wide range of commercial disputes, having first been accredited in 2003. With specialist expertise in third party liability policies – including professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, medical malpractice, management liability, statutory liability and employment practices liability – he advises on coverage and defends civil and regulatory proceedings and disciplinary complaints in the mutual interests of insurers and their insureds. Mark was named Lawyer of the Year for Professional and Legal Malpractice Litigation for 2021, 2023 and 2026. Since 2017 he has also been ranked in Best Lawyers in Australia for his expertise in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Insurance Law, Professional Malpractice Litigation and Legal Malpractice Litigation and has also been ranked in Doyle’s Guide as a leading and preeminent Queensland Professional Indemnity Lawyer. Mark is a member of the Queensland Law Society’s Dispute Resolution Committee and is a past president and twenty-year committee member of the Queensland Chapter of the Australian Professional Indemnity Group.


Robert Crittenden, Principal and Practice Group Leader, Meridian Lawyers
Robert practices in insurance law and litigation, with a focus on professional indemnity and product liability insurance. He joined Meridian Lawyers in November 2014, bringing a wealth of experience in insurance law, having acted in many high profile insurance cases. He acts for overseas underwriters, particularly Lloyd’s Syndicates and others in the London insurance market. He also advises insurers, brokers, underwriting agents and insured parties and provides risk management advice to clients in the sports, leisure and construction industries. Robert has many years’ experience drafting and amending insurance policies and endorsements. In the professional indemnity space Robert has a particular focus in defending claims against lawyers, construction professionals and insurance brokers . Currently Robert is defending a large architectural firm in a large multi-defendant case involving cladding issues. He is also currently acting for a road base supplier in a large Supreme Court product liability case brought by a local government authority. He has acted in a number of large class actions including the Cash Converters action (pay day lending). Robert has also acted for the London market insurers of RailCorp in relation to the Waterfall rail disaster. Additionally he acted for the liability insurers of Cochlear in relation to a large number of product liability claims across the globe. Robert has been acknowledged by Best Lawyers in Australia for many years for his expertise in the areas of Insurance Law, Product Liability Litigation, Professional Malpractice Litigation and Litigation. He is also acknowledged in Doyle’s Guide as a leading professional indemnity lawyer. Prior to joining Meridian Lawyers, Robert was a partner at DLA Piper and its predecessor Phillips Fox for nine years and prior to that a Partner at Moray & Agnew.