Your annual update in personal injury law delivers exactly what you need, expert insights into the latest developments shaping the field. Stay across recent decisions on the surge in psychiatric and psychological injury claims in the workplace and the growing complexity of cases involving workplace violence and aggression. Unpack future economic loss under the Civil Liability Act and hear an update on developments in motor vehicle accident claims. You’ll also gain practical guidance on ethics, professional skills, and practice management tailored for personal injury lawyers, including the ethical imperative of accurate damage assessment to avoid under-settlement, the evolving role of AI in medical records, and strategies for building a resilient, sustainable practice. Designed for both plaintiff and defendant practitioners, this conference equips you with the knowledge, skills and tools to navigate an increasingly complex personal injury landscape with confidence.

Presenters

Verity Smith, Principal, McInnes Wilson
Verity is a Principal within McInnes Wilson Lawyers’ compensation division. In the personal injury field, Verity practises across a variety of matter types including motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents, workplace incidents, chemical harm, assault and general public liability incidents. Verity has a particular interest in motorcycle accidents and motorcyclist welfare, leading McInnes Wilson Lawyers’ motorcycle law division. In addition to supporting motorcyclists with compensation claims, Verity provides legal education to riders and assists core groups with road safety advocacy and initiatives. Verity has experience in broader insurance (including property damage and income protection) and injury insurance schemes (such as NDIS and NIISQ). Outside of her compensation practice, Verity is passionate about access to justice and coordinates McInnes Wilson Lawyers’ national pro bono program. She personally performs pro bono work for individuals, community legal centres and other organisations and has helped to establish multiple outreach legal clinics. Verity has been listed in Doyle’s Guide and is the recipient of awards including Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards (“Innovator of the Year” winner in 2023) and 30 Under 30 Awards (“Insurance” winner in 2023, and “Health Medical and Personal Injury” winner 2024).

Dr Tarni Jennings, Clinical Psychologist, Dr Jennings Psychology
Dr Tarni Jennings is an experienced Clinical Psychologist offering trauma-informed, evidence-based treatment. With 18 years of experience, Tarni completed her Doctoral Degree of Clinical Psychology at The University of Melbourne in 2006. She has worked extensively with adult survivors of trauma presenting with a range of mental health difficulties, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, eating disorders and addiction. She has focused her clinical work on helping people recover from trauma and loss. She has a passion for understanding the far-reaching and complex impacts of childhood trauma and adversity and helping people heal from these experiences. In her work with parents and couples, Tarni seeks to support adults to interrupt the intergenerational impact of childhood trauma. Her extensive experience includes working with special populations impacted by trauma, including providing individual and group-based treatment to military veterans, police, ambulance, fire, and other emergency service personnel. Tarni has also worked with disaster impacted communities and individuals, working in the disaster recovery team at Austin Health in the aftermath of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. Also providing evidence-based treatment to those impacted by the fires and specialist supervision, secondary consultation and training to community groups, volunteer organisations and mental health service providers working in the fire-affected areas. Recognising that trauma and adversity are underlying drivers of most youth and adult mental health conditions, Tarni sees the need for more widespread trauma-informed care, education, and training. She provides supervision, consultation and training to professionals wanting to deepen their understanding of trauma and its impacts and to workplaces wanting to become more trauma-informed and minimise the risk and impact of vicarious trauma on their staff.

Justine Matthews, Special Counsel, Hall Payne
Justine is Special Counsel at Hall Payne Lawyers, bringing over 20 years of legal expertise to the firm. Specialising in Health Law, she is dedicated to supporting health practitioners facing complaints, investigations, disciplinary actions or navigating the registration process with Ahpra. She has represented doctors and health practitioners before numerous authorities and regulatory bodies, including the AHPRA, OHO, HCCC and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Justine is renowned for her ability to navigate sensitive and complex cases, consistently handling high-pressure matters with discretion and exceptional expertise. In addition to her legal acumen, Justine has delivered training seminars and published articles to support the medical profession in understanding regulatory requirements and minimising risk. Justine’s extensive career includes senior roles in both private practice and corporate settings. She has served as Partner in Charge at leading law firms and has been recognised for her legal excellence, including listings in Australia’s Best Lawyers and Doyle’s Guide for Defendant Litigation.

Richard Perry KC, George Street Chambers
Richard Perry KC was admitted to the Queensland Bar in 1983 and took silk in 2004. He has extensive experience in commercial and civil litigation, regularly appearing in major trials, the Court of Appeal, and the Federal Court. His practice also includes statutory prosecutions, industrial relations matters, and legal profession disciplinary cases. Richard has acted in numerous Commissions of Inquiry, including the Home Insulation Inquiry, and has served as Counsel Assisting the Coroner. He was the inaugural Public Interest Monitor and later the acting Parliamentary Criminal Justice Commissioner. He has also conducted numerous mediations in Supreme Court matters.


Carl Moseling, Partner, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Carl Moseling commenced his articles of clerkship with Rees R & Sydney Jones solicitors of Rockhampton in September 2000. He was then admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in December 2002. He continued to practice in Rockhampton following admission until May 2005 when he moved to the Sunshine Coast. Carl commenced employment with McInnes Wilson as a solicitor in August 2005 and on 1 July 2012 he was appointed a Principal of McInnes Wilson Lawyers. Since his admissions, Carl has practised in and continues to practise in areas including workers' compensation, Compulsory Third Party motor vehicle claims and public liability claims. In relation to workers' compensation and CTP claims Carl is experienced in the defence of master and servant claims on behalf of WorkCover Queensland and self insurers including providing advices on indemnity, entitlement, liability, quantum and evidence; The defence of Compulsory Third Party motor vehicle claims on behalf of insurers including providing advices on indemnity, liability, quantum and evidence; Carl also provides advices to WorkCover Queensland and self insured workers compensation insurers in relation to statutory appeals before the Industrial Magistrates Court and Queensland Industrial Relations Commission; Defence of claims in the workers' compensation and CTP arenas is Carl's primary area of practice and expertise. Carl's qualifications include Bachelor of Laws, James Cook University; Solicitor of the High Court of Australia and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

Justin Harper, Barrister, Darrow Chambers
Justin Harper holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. He was called to the Bar in 2005 and practises in tort law, public law and coronial inquests. Justin represents clients in all areas of personal injury law, acting for both plaintiffs and defendants. He has represented numerous victims of institutional child abuse in their compensation claims. Justin has acted as Counsel Assisting in numerous coronial inquests, including at Inquests into deaths arising from police pursuits and other deaths in custody. He represented family members at the Inquest into the Death of Hamid Khazaei, relating to the Manus Island offshore detention centre, and the Inquest into the Death of Omid Masoumali, relating to the Nauru offshore detention centre. He represented the patients of Dr Jayant Patel and the Bundaberg Hospital Support Group at the Queensland Public Hospitals Commission of Inquiry and the mothers of deceased adolescents following closure of a psychiatric facility at the Barrett Adolescent Centre Commission of Inquiry. Justin began his legal career as an articled clerk and then solicitor in criminal law and personal injury, and then worked in senior policy roles within the Queensland Government. He is a past president of the Queensland branch of the Australian Lawyers’ Alliance, a national board member of the Australian Lawyers’ Alliance and was the Queensland representative on the board of the Professional Standards Council in 2006 and 2007. He is active in his local community, is an avid Brisbane Lions fan and a golf and cricket tragic.

Chau Donnan, Barrister, Darrow Chambers
Chau was called to the Bar in May 2019 and specialises in personal injury (CTP, public liability, WorkCover, product liability and medical negligence), general insurance and employment claims. She has represented plaintiffs and defendants in contested applications and the hearing of property claims. Chau completed her Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Adelaide and was admitted as a solicitor in 2000. Prior to commencing at the Bar, Chau worked as a solicitor representing injured plaintiffs, as an in-house solicitor for a government entity and as a Settlement Manager for a global insurer. Chau is a fluent speaker in Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese. She also serves on the Australian Insurance Law Association, Queensland Committee.

Susan Anderson, Barrister, Chambers 33
Susan has been a barrister with a general civil practice in Queensland since 2003. In her personal injuries practice she specialises in pure psychiatric injuries whether in the workplace or caused in other ways. Susan also practices in administrative law, commercial claims, and white collar crime.