Presenters

Danielle De Paoli, Special Counsel & State Team Leader, Maurice Blackburn
Danielle De Paoli is Special Counsel of Maurice Blackburn's Parramatta office. She is a Law Society of NSW Personal Injury Accredited Specialist who has been helping people in Sydney and throughout NSW with motor vehicle compensation claims for 11 years. Danielle is also a senior member of the firm's national sexual and institutional abuse compensation team and has a particular interest in bringing claims for the survivors of childhood sexual abuse. She is specially trained in trauma informed practice which ensures she works with clients to access justice in a way that recognises the complex trauma they have suffered., Danielle is approachable and provides her clients with advice in plain English to help understand the legal process. She also speaks Italian. Danielle was born and raised in Griffith and is a proud mother of three.

Thomas Felizzi, Partner, Carroll &O’Dea
Thomas Felizzi is a Partner in the compensation team at Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers. Thomas is dedicated to keeping his clients informed while building strong relationships and achieving effective outcomes for their matters. He has worked on Stolen Generations matters and helps clients attain apologies and compensation for the wrong they have suffered as a result of being removed from their family. He has described the experience as a steep learning curve and an opportunity to learn about the first people and culture of Australia. Thomas also works on a variety of personal injury claims in respect of workers compensation, work injury damages, public liability, motor vehicle accidents, life insurance, international tort, discrimination law and product liability. He has litigated matters in the Supreme Court and District Court across several jurisdictions.


Naomi Bryant, Mediator BEc LLB and Accredited Mediator (NMAS), Bryant Mediations
Naomi has over 25 years of experience working as a mediator in civil litigation. Her expertise involves resolving complex and sensitive matters in the areas of institutional abuse, professional negligence, public liability and estates. She regularly delivers CPD training on mediation and is based in Hobart working across jurisdictions both in person and virtually.


Karen Stott, Founder and Principal at Karen Stott – ADR & Mediation Services
Karen Stott has been a full-time mediator and facilitator since 2016, with over 20 years of litigation experience acting for plaintiffs and defendants. Karen’s mediations practice covers a range of matters including abuse law, medical negligence, motor accidents, worker injury, occupier liability, professional negligence, commercial matters, building & construction, insolvency, and the like. Mediation of abuse claims has been a large component of Karen’s practice for many years, involving a range of respondents / institutions and across multiple jurisdictions. Karen is a Court-appointed mediator to the ACT Magistrates and Supreme Courts. She has been named by ‘Doyle’s List’ as a Leading Mediator NSW each year since 2018.


Jackie Waugh, Partner, Makinson d’Apice
With over two decades of experience in private practice and legal publishing, Jackie has extensive experience and expertise across all major areas of civil litigation, public liability and insurance law. Her experience spans complex and multi-party claims in the areas of abuse law, public liability, medical negligence, motor accidents, professional indemnity, and general insurance across multiple jurisdictions. Jackie is highly skilled in both litigated and unlitigated matters and in all forms of alternative dispute resolution. Complementing her experience in private practice, Jackie was a senior content specialist and Deputy Head of Legal Content for Australia and New Zealand for a major international legal publisher, during which time she created and published content in all areas of civil liability.