Ensure that you are up to speed with the rapidly evolving landscape of psychosocial hazards, workplace injury compensation and complex personal injury litigation. Gain clarity on the new psychological health regulations, expanded dependency compensation and key amendments to the WIRC Act. Examine high-stakes litigation tools such as freezing orders and their strategic use in protecting client assets, emerging challenges in concussion-related claims, including causation and evidentiary hurdles. Focus on essential professional skills, gain guidance on navigating cost agreements, disclosures and the new scale of costs, plus an exploration of emerging ethical hotspots for personal injury lawyers. You will also develop practical strategies for supporting seriously injured clients through sound financial planning and long-term compensation management.

Presenters

Scott Morris, Barrister, Young’s List
Scott has practiced in commercial litigation since he was admitted as a lawyer in 1998. He has worked in small firms and for a large Melbourne city firm; at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in its Enforcement Division and then at the Australian Taxation Office as a Senior Lawyer before joining the Victoria Bar in 2013. Scott's clients include private, government and statutory bodies, ASX listed entities, motor vehicle manufacturers, liquidators, trustees in bankruptcy, the Australian Taxation Office, State Revenue Office, the Victorian Legal Services Commissioner and clients facing prosecution by the ATO, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and WorkSafe. Scott is regularly briefed to seek freezing (mareva) orders. He considers them to be an important part of the legal landscape that assist in producing earlier and less expensive resolutions to litigation — particularly in larger or complex matters. During the last 3 years Scott has received briefs to appear for personal injury clients seeking damages against defendants who are not insured (both common law claims and compensation orders under section 85B of the Sentencing Act 1991). He has sought and successfully obtained freezing orders and the orders have brought a swift resolution to the litigation.

Amanda Ryan, Barrister, Lennon’s List

David Ferrier, Director, Forensic Solutions
David is an experienced forensic accountant and Director of Forensic Solutions Ligation Support. David has prepared many business valuations for a multitude of purposes including shareholder and family law disputes and given oral evidence in relation to these valuations in the Federal, Federal Circuit, Family, Supreme and Land & Environment Courts, business valuations for re-structuring purposes and pre-lending requirements. In addition to business valuations, David is also involved in all aspects of litigation support including economic loss claims, independent determinations, review of other expert reports, preliminary assessments and consulting expert work. David has been a guest presenter on the topic of accounting and valuation for a range of organisations on a range of forensic accounting and valuation matters, including CAANZ, CPA Australia, Legalwise, Leo Cussens and the Law Institute of Victoria.

Jane Campbell, Financial Advisor and Principal, Aeran Pty Ltd
Jane is a financial adviser (and former lawyer) who specialises in personal injury advice. Most of her clients have suffered very serious injuries and lack financial capacity. She has worked in the area of personal injury compensation since she was studying law/commerce at Uni more than 30 years ago. Jane is the Principal of Aeran Pty Ltd, an independent financial advice practice that is focused on the best interests of clients, not biased or compromised by conflicts of interest. Aeran was founded in order to ensure a client-first approach to advice, investments and service for vulnerable people. The business now has 21 staff and is steadily growing. Jane is a Certified Financial Planner and maintains her qualifications as a lawyer. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two sons.

Richard Johnson, Principal, McCabes
Richard has practised solely in insurance law for over 15 years and has been integral to the growth of the Melbourne general liability practice at McCabes. With specialities in personal injury, workers liability and property damage, Richard regularly provides advice to insurers relating to complex indemnity issues and through this work is widely regarded for his exceptional defence and negotiation skills in highly technical matters. He has a special interest in Sports related injury claims and is a committee member of the Law Institute of Victoria Sports Law Committee.

Nadia Grech, Legal Counsel, Slater & Gordon
Nadia Grech is a Workplace Injuries Special Counsel based at Maurice Blackburn’s Melbourne office. Nadia joined Maurice Blackburn in February 2021 after working in personal injuries law for more than a decade. Nadia is a LIV Accredited Specialist who prides herself on being friendly and hard-working. She was also a former chiropractor for many years so has a great understanding of musculoskeletal injuries. Nadia also speaks Italian.

Dipal Prasad, Director, Law in Check
Dipal is committing to working closely with, and being the voice for, individuals and businesses who have been charged unreasonable legal costs by a law practice. Reducing costs liability for such individuals and businesses is her priority. Dipal is also committed to educating law practices to comply with all their obligations so they avoid having their fees challenged by their clients. Dipal completed her Bachelor of Laws (Honours) with a Bachelor of Business and Commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in 2012. She obtained a Master of Laws in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University of London in 2020, with academic leadership from University College London and Queen Mary University of London. She is currently completing her MBA from the University of New South Wales. Having worked in building and construction, personal injury, insurance, motor vehicle accident, strata and property law prior to establishing herself in legal costing, Dipal’s litigation knowledge is broad and extensive. Dipal has a strong interest in every facet of legal costing with experience in costs disputes arising from the full spectrum of litigation in Family Court, Federal Court, High Court, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Victorian jurisdictions. As part of this interest, Dipal presents lectures on legal costing to law firms and legal organisations and contributes to legal costing academia through writing articles for the ‘Precedent’ journal, and articles for the Blackstone Brief and Australian Lawyer Alliance publications.Dipal is also a Court Appointed Costs Assessor (Supreme Court of Queensland).

Lisa Paul, Principal Lawyer, Robinson Gill Lawyers
Lisa Paul is a Principal Lawyer and a specialist in Personal Injury Law accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria. She specialises in work injury cases but also assists people with public liability and medical negligence claims. Lisa has practised solely in Plaintiff personal injury litigation since 2001. Lisa is a longstanding member of the Law Institute of Victoria's WorkCover Committee and through that, has served on various other Court and Government committees.

Joseph Ridley, Principal, Arnold Thomas Becker
Joseph commenced his legal career in 2010 and since then has practiced exclusively in personal injury matters on behalf of Plaintiff. He started working with Arnold Thomas & Becker as a trainee lawyer in 2010 and is now a Parter of the firm as well as the Practice Manager of Arnold Thomas & Becker’s Werribee office. Joseph practices in WorkCover, TAC, and public liability matters, and continues to work with a dedicated team of personal injury specialists out of Arnold Thomas & Becker’s Werribee office.