Ethics, Professional Skills & Practice Management for Personal Injury Lawyers (19 March 2026)

Join leading personal injury practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen compliance, client management and professional judgement in PI practice. Gain practical guidance on cost agreements and disclosure obligations, including strategies to manage client expectations, minimise disputes, and protect your fees and liability for disbursements, with insights from recent cases and the post 1 January 2025 costs regime. Refresh your ethical and professional responsibilities by examining common ethical hotspots that arise in personal injury matters. Conclude with essential financial guidance for plaintiffs, including capacity issues, settlement considerations, and the key rules affecting Centrelink, the NDIS and superannuation.

Thursday, 19 March 2026
Professional Skills
4.15pm to 5.15pm Financial Issues For Plaintiffs: What Lawyers Need to Know

 

  • Why financial advice?
  • Financial capacity – black, white and grey
  • Financial considerations for settlements small, medium, and large
  • Relevant rules - Centrelink, NDIS, superannuation 

Presented by Jane CampbellFinancial Advisor and Principal, Aeran Pty Ltd

4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
Practice Management and Business Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Navigating Cost Agreements and Disclosure in Personal Injury Matters

 

Effective communication and compliance around costs are critical in personal injury matters. Gain practical guidance on how to manage cost agreements, disclosures, and client expectations, minimising disputes while protecting your professional fees and liability for disbursements. You will leave with actionable strategies and insights drawn from recent cases and current best practice. 

  • Understanding obligations under cost agreements and disclosure requirements
  • Strategies to manage client expectations and prevent and deal with disputes about legal costs
  • The new Scale of costs for recovery of party/party costs (new regime post 1 January 2025)
  • Lessons from recent cost cases 

Presented by Dipal Prasad, Director, Law in Check  

Ethics & Professional Responsibility
3.00pm to 4.00pm Ethical Hotspots for Personal Injury Lawyers

Presented by Nadia GrechLegal Counsel, Slater & Gordon

Chair

Megan Caines, Principal, Polaris Lawyers

Description

Attend and earn 3 CPD units including:
1 unit in Ethics & Professional Responsibility
1 unit in Practice Management & Business Skills
1 unit in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories




This seminar is part of a series

17th Annual Personal Injury Law 2026: Emerging Risks, Claims and Litigation Strategies

Thursday, 19 March 2026

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.

12.15pm to 1.15pm Assessment of Economic Loss

 

  • What is income?
  • Is the current income the right income?
  • Personal injury loss assessments for business owners – is the risk the same?
  • What if there’s been a capital loss?
  • What evidence do you need to provide the forensic accounting expert?

Presented by David Ferrier, Director, Forensic Solutions

4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
9.00am to 10.00am Psychosocial Hazard, New Dependency Compensation, and Claimant Rights: New Regulations and Changes to the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act)

 

  • Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025
  • Compensation of close family members for grief and loss
  • Modernisation amendments update

Presented by Joseph Ridley, Principal, Arnold Thomas Becker

Session 2: Ethics, Practice Management and Professional Skills for Personal Injury Lawyers

Chair: Megan Caines, Principal, Polaris Lawyers  

Professional Skills
4.15pm to 5.15pm Financial issues for plaintiffs – what lawyers need to know

 

  • Why financial advice?
  • Financial capacity – black, white and grey
  • Financial considerations for settlements small, medium, and large
  • Relevant rules - Centrelink, NDIS, superannuation

Presented by Jane CampbellFinancial Advisor and Principal, Aeran Pty Ltd

Description

Attend and earn 7 CPD units including:
4 units in Substantive Law
1 unit in Ethics & Professional Responsibility
1 unit in Practice Management & Business Skills
1 unit in Professional Skills
This program is based on VIC legislation

10.00am to 11.00am Freezing Orders in Personal Injury Litigation

 

  • When should I seek a freezing order on behalf of a client?
  • How hard is it to get a freezing order?
  • How quickly can I get one?
  • Should I go ex-parte or should I seek one inter-parties?
  • Disclosures
  • What are the ‘usual undertakings’ given by the clients?
  • Some success stories - brining the litigation to an end quickly (almost always)

Present by Scott Morris, Barrister, Young’s List and Amanda Ryan, Barrister, Lennon’s List

Practice Management and Business Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Navigating Cost Agreements and Disclosure in Personal Injury Matters

 

Effective communication and compliance around costs are critical in personal injury matters. Gain practical guidance on how to manage cost agreements, disclosures, and client expectations, minimising disputes while protecting your professional fees and liability for disbursements. You will leave with actionable strategies and insights drawn from recent cases and current best practice.

  • Understanding obligations under cost agreements and disclosure requirements
  • Strategies to manage client expectations and prevent and deal with disputes about legal costs
  • The new Scale of costs for recovery of party/party costs (new regime post 1 January 2025)
  • Lessons from recent cost cases

Presented by Dipal Prasad, Director, Law in Check

11.00am to 11.15am Morning Tea
11.15am to 12.15pm The Status of Concussion Related Claims

 

Examine the latest legal developments, challenges, and evidentiary considerations in concussion-related personal injury claims
Presented by Richard Johnson, Principal, McCabes

Session 1: Psychosocial Hazards, Workplace Claims and Litigation

Chair: Lisa Paul, Principal Lawyer, Robinson Gill Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Injury Law

Ethics & Professional Responsibility
3.00pm to 4.00pm Ethical Hotspots for Personal Injury Lawyers

Presented by Nadia Grech, Legal Counsel, Slater & Gordon

Presenters

Megan Caines, Principal, Polaris Lawyers
Megan Caines is a Principal at Polaris Lawyers, and currently works across a number of personal injury practise areas. Megan began her career at a large plaintiff law firm acting exclusively for Victorians injured as a result of road trauma, and has extensive experience in road trauma claims. In 2017, 2018 and 2019 she was named by Doyle's Guide to Leading Lawyers as a recommended lawyer in motor vehicle accident compensation law in Victoria, and she is currently a member of the ALA Victorian committee. Megan made the transition to Polaris Lawyers with the vision of helping to establish a boutique innovative personal injury law firm. Polaris Lawyers was named NewLaw Firm of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards 2018 and Law Firm of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards 2019.


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 nationally recognised expert in the management of personal injury compensation. For more than two decades she has been assisting personal injury lawyers, plaintiffs and their families in the lead up to and post-settlement. Jane is the Principal of Aeran Pty Ltd, an independent financial advice business. Aeran was founded 10 years ago to ensure a client-first approach to financial advice, investments and service for vulnerable people. Our clients are located Australia-wide. Our independence guarantees that the advice is purely in the best interests of clients, not biased or compromised by conflicts of interest. Jane is a Certified Financial Planner and maintains her qualifications as a lawyer. Jane has been a member of the Australian Lawyers Alliance since 1999 and is a longstanding NSW Committee member. She is actively involved in seeking to protect the rights of injured people.

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.

 

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263V17

Ethics, Professional Skills & Practice Management for Personal Injury Lawyers (19 March 2026)

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DELIVERY MODE BELOW

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Afternoon Session
Thursday, 19 March 2026
2.00pm to 5.15pm Australia/Sydney
CPD Points 3
$420.00
Face to Face 20260109 20260319

Face to Face

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Online 20260109 20260319

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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.

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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.

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Venue
InterContinental Melbourne

495 Collins Street, Melbourne 

Directions

Nearest Public Transport:

  • By train: Southern Cross Station (5-minute walk)
  • By subway: Southern Cross Station (5-minute walk)
  • By Tram: Trams on routes 12, 109, 11 and 48 all pass the hotel along Collins Street, get off at the William Street stop (3-minute walk). The hotel is located within the free tram zone which means travel within the CBD on the tram is free.
Parking Information

Valet Parking is only available for Resident Guests.

Nearby Parking: 
Wilson Parking - View locations and rates here