The must-attend annual conference for NSW personal injury lawyers returns in 2027. This event sells out year after year, and for good reason. Hear directly from the Personal Injury Commission’s Workers Compensation and Motor Accidents Divisions and understand the major reviews underway, what their findings could mean and the reforms likely to follow. Across a packed program, leading barristers and practitioners will examine psychological injury claims following the reforms, significant PIC and appellate decisions, the overlap between workplace injuries and motor accidents, judicial review strategies and what comes next from the CTP Scheme Statutory Review. Gain the latest authorities, emerging risks and practical litigation strategies you need to prepare your practice and advise with confidence. Secure your place early.

Presenters

Chantille Khoury, Partner, Law Partners
Chantille Khoury is a Partner at Law Partners and a highly regarded workers compensation practitioner. Legalwise’s latest internal records identify her as a Doyle’s Guide Preeminent Workers Injury Compensation Lawyer for 2024–2026. Chantille has previously contributed to Legalwise programs on leadership and mentoring within personal injury practices and brings extensive practical experience to her role as conference chair.

Craig Tanner, Barrister, Sir Anthony Mason Chambers
Craig Tanner commenced practice at the NSW Bar in 2012. In July of that year he was awarded the Chris Gee QC Memorial Prize for Advocacy and Evidence, for achievement in the Bar Practice Course and in the Bar Examinations. He was an Arbitrator at the Workers Compensation Commission from the time of its inception 2002 until mid 2013, and conducted arbitrations and sat as a member of Medical Appeal Panels. Between 2002 and 2008 he practised as a solicitor in the Employment and Industrial Law section of Maurice Blackburn. From 1987 to 2001, he was a labour lawyer in South Africa, acting for trade unions and employees, and appearing for them in courts and tribunals. He also acted as an arbitrator and mediator appointed by the parties, and sat as a Commissioner in the statutory industrial commission that was established in 1996. He graduated from the University of Natal with a BA, LLB and LLM (awarded cum laude).

John Harris, Principal Member, Personal Injury Commission
John Harris is a Principal Member of the Personal Injury Commission. Prior to this appointment, he was appointed a sessional arbitrator in 2013 and subsequently a full-time arbitrator of the Workers Compensation Commission. The Principal Member was admitted as a Barrister in 1988 and practiced extensively in personal injury law prior to his appointment with the Workers Compensation Commission.


Rob Taylor, Barrister, Jack Shand Chambers
Rob Taylor was admitted as a Solicitor in 1984 and as a Barrister in 1992. He has practiced for more than 38 years in personal injuries and associated litigation. He was employed as a Solicitor by Carroll & O’Dea for 8-years and was working as an Associate Partner when called to the Bar. As Counsel, Rob has appeared regularly in the Supreme Courts of NSW and ACT, the NSW District Court, the Compensation Court and Workers Compensation Commission of NSW and more recently in the Personal Injuries Commission of NSW. Rob has a large practice involved in preparation of and appearing for injured workers in Work Injury Damages claims and for Plaintiffs in Medical Negligence claims, TPD and Income Protection claims and Common Law/Public Liability claims. He also has a large practice assisting in the preparation of Motor Accident claims and appearing at Assessments, mostly for injured Plaintiffs. From time to time, but thankfully not regularly, he has also appeared in and represented clients in the NSW Court of Appeal and the High Court. Rob has a reputation as Counsel who fights hard for his client, who prepares claims well and who provides regular and detailed Advices on how a claim can be best prepared not only to maximise the quantum of the claim but also how to identify and, if possible, avoid or minimise problems with a claim.

Marie Johns, Division Head, Motor Accidents Division, Personal Injury Commission
Marie Johns was appointed Division Head of the Motor Accidents Division of the Personal Injury Commission on 26 August 2020, ahead of the Commission’s commencement on 1 March 2021. She was previously appointed Principal Claims Assessor under the two NSW CTP schemes in August 2018.Marie’s career spans more than two decades across regulatory and service delivery roles within government and the community. She has held positions with CARS and DRS, the Workers Compensation Commission, ILARS–WIRO, Brett Slater Solicitors, DLA Piper, formerly Phillips Fox, and the Mid Hunter Community Housing Association. She is a committee member of the NSW Chapter of the Council of Australasian Tribunals. Admitted as a solicitor in February 2005, Marie holds a law degree from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Science, majoring in psychology, from the University of Newcastle.

Jnana Gumbert SC, Jack Shand Chambers
Jnana Gumbert SC has an extensive practice in common law, insurance law and administrative law, particularly judicial review of administrative decisions within the NSW CTP scheme. She has more than 20 years’ experience conducting personal injury litigation involving motor accidents, medical negligence and civil liability. Jnana was awarded a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney in 2009, focusing on tort law, healthcare law and administrative law. She has been recognised by her clients and peers as a Preeminent Junior Counsel in NSW Insurance and Personal Injury Law in Doyle’s Guide. Before being called to the Bar in 2012, Jnana practised as a litigation solicitor for more than six years and was a Director of Stacks/Goudkamp Lawyers. She was also a Law Society Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and an assessor for Specialist Accreditation assessments. Jnana served as President of the NSW Branch of the Australian Lawyers Alliance from 2009 to 2015 and is a member of the NSW Bar Association’s Common Law Committee. She regularly presents at legal seminars and conferences, has written extensively for legal journals and has co-authored the Motor Accidents chapter of the Personal Injury Law Manual NSW and The Law Handbook.


Will Murphy, Partner, Bartier Perry
Will is a partner at Bartier Perry. He practices in industrial accident law: workers compensation, common law claims and Work Health and Safety. In his personal injury practice Will acts exclusively for insurers and self-insurers. Will was one of the first accredited specialists in personal injury law in NSW.

Tim Concannon, Partner, Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers
Tim joined Carroll & O'Dea Lawyers in 1994 and became a partner in 2001. Tim has been an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law since 2000 and was an Assessor with the Claims Assessment and Resolution Service (CARS) from 2004 to February 2021. Tim was appointed Deputy Chair of the Injury Compensation Committee of the Law Society in 2020 and has been Chair of this Committee since 2021. He has played a leading role in drafting submissions to government agencies relevant to various areas of personal injury law and appeared on behalf of the Law Society at a number of government inquiries into the functioning of the workers compensation and motor accident schemes.