You will gain a clear understanding of current workers’ compensation reforms, what is changing and how the updated regulatory framework affects your claims in practice. Amanda Bond brings a defendant‑side perspective to help you translate reform into action and manage risk with confidence. Receive expert guidance on key issues and strategies for achieving defensible outcomes, drawing on David Baran’s extensive experience and expertise. Learn from the war stories of recent cases. Develop core professional skills through a medico‑legal lens, gaining valuable insight into the forensic assessment of work‑related psychiatric injury. Dr Joshua Flavell demystifies how psychiatric injuries are assessed, how impairment is evaluated and how to work more effectively with medical evidence and expert opinions.  

Presenters

David Baran, Barrister, Jack Shand Chambers
David Baran was called to the Bar on 01 November 1991 and since that time has conducted a general practice but has concentrated primarily on common law in particular damages for personal injury with a specific focus on psychiatric injury representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He has appeared in the High Court of Australia, the New South Wales Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the District Court. He has also conducted cases around the country and was recently involved in the case brought by the detainees of the Don Dale Detention Centre in the Northern Territory. He applied and was granted special leave in Gifford v Strang Patrick Stevedoring Pty Ltd (2003) 214 CLR 269 which established the principle of a common law duty of care being owed by employers to persons who had a bond of close and loving affection with an injured worker to recover damages for psychiatric injury before s 51P was repealed. He maintains the record for one of the highest verdicts of exemplary damages for malicious prosecution in Nye v State of New South Wales [2002] NSWSC 1212. He continues to represent both plaintiffs and defendants in complex tort cases but has been practising ever since the old jurisprudence regarding nervous shock was abolished by the High Court of Australia in Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 and Annetts v Australian Stations Pty Ltd (2002) 211 CLR 317.He will be setting out recent developments by application to caselaw from New South Wales, the High Court and around the country in his presentation today.


Amanda Bond, Partner, Gillis Delaney Lawyers
Amanda Bond is a partner of Gillis Delaney Lawyers who specialises in insurance claims. Amanda is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and has over 20 years of experience in acting for government entities, insurers, self-insurers and corporations. In the last four years, Amanda has been recognised by the Doyles Guide as a leading liability lawyer, pre-eminent and leading worker’s compensation lawyer and recommended lawyer in CTP demonstrating her breadth of experience.

Peter Lichaa, Partner, Bartier Perry
Peter began his legal career working for NSW Police, where he managed a high volume of workers compensation and employment related claims. Since then he has built over a decade’s worth of experience providing strategic insurance litigation advice. Peter’s strong focus on customer service has earned him a reputation for common sense, reliability and professionalism. His depth of experience in workers compensation provides him with the knowledge to work towards the best possible outcome, including in the most complex and sensitive disputes.

Dr Joshua Flavell, Consultant Psychiatrist, Medicolegal Psychiatry
Dr Flavell is a Consultant Psychiatrist specialising in old age psychiatry and cognitive disorders. He has completed an Advanced Certificate in Neuropsychiatry and a Fellowship in cognitive disorders. He works in clinical roles including as a private psychogeriatrician at Pine Rivers Private Hospital Consulting Suites and The Mind Cove. Dr Flavell undertakes psychiatric assessments at MedicoLegal Psychiatry in Sydney. His medicolegal work is focused on personal injury matters, including but not limited to medical negligence claims, public liability matters and work-related injuries. He is a WorkCover Independent Medical Examiner (IME) and an Assessor of Permanent Impairment. He is a Motor Accident Authority Assessor of Permanent Impairment. Dr Flavell is also an Assessor of the QLD Guidelines for Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (GEPI). Dr Flavell has been a recipient of several research scholarships including Bonnie Healy research fund and Carly Stokes research grant. He has published extensively and has presented at numerous conferences in Australia and overseas. He is currently undertaking PhD research and is a recipient of an Australian Government research training program scholarship. Dr Flavell completed a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University. He completed his Graduate Certificate in Public Health at the University of Wollongong. He undertook his psychiatry training in Queensland and New South Wales. He has held research training positions at Royal Brisbane Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Black Dog Institute, Prince Charles Hospital and Mater Memory and Cognitive Disorders Clinic. Dr Flavell is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. He is an Associate Member of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists.