To have an agile, informed and successful personal injury practice you need to be up to date with key legal developments. Hear from our experts on workers compensation, public liability psychiatric injury, motor accident claims and intentional torts in the morning followed by ethics, practice management and professional skills presentations in the afternoon.

Presenters

Leah Hickey, Special Counsel and the General Manager for West Victoria, Shine Lawyers
Leah is a Special Counsel and the General Manager for West Victoria, where she leads our Victorian teams of dedicated legal professionals to provide access to justice for members of their local communities who have been wronged. A Law Institute Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law, Leah is driven by the desire to make sure all Australians have access to justice. Her primary area of practice is in Workers Compensation Claims, however Leah also has experience with Motor Vehicle Accident Claims and Public Liability claims. Leah graduated with a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Melbourne in 2008. She was successful in becoming a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in personal injury law in 2017. Leah is currently the treasurer for the Western Suburbs law association and sits on the LIV committee for specialist accreditation. Before joining Shine Lawyers, Leah worked at a leading law firm from 2011 to 2019 as a Senior Associate specializing in WorkCover claims.


Fiona Spencer, Barrister, Greens List
Fiona practices in administrative, commercial and personal injuries law. Her administrative law and appellate practice includes judicial review of medical panel opinions, appeals from decisions of the Magistrates’, County and Supreme Courts and appeals from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to the Federal Court. She also advises and appears in discrimination, sexual harassment, immigration and privacy disputes. Fiona’s personal injuries practice spans the gamut of disputes in the area including statutory compensation disputes (under State and Commonwealth legislation including Comcare and veterans’ claims), serious injury applications and jury trials. She has a particular interest and focus on claims involving intentional torts including police torts cases.


Richard Johnson, Partner, McCabes Lawyers
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 specialties 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.


The Hon Michael Kent KC, Inns of Court
Michael was admitted as a solicitor in 1983, was called to the Bar in 1991 and took silk in 2007. At the Bar Michael developed an extensive practice primarily in common law, insurance, professional negligence, estate litigation, company law and family law. He also developed a substantial appellate practice. A significant component of his practice was as a mediator in all areas of civil disputes. In 2011 Michael was appointed as a Judge of the Family Court of Australia. In 2015 Michael was assigned to the Appeal Division of the Court. He served on the Appeal Division until resigning his commission 2021. Michael returned to the Bar in 2021 to resume practice in Alternative Dispute Resolution.


Jessie Weatherley, Creative Director, Jork Consulting
Jessie Weatherley is the owner and creative director of Jork Consulting, a marketing consultancy based in Melbourne. She is passionate about inspiring professional services in their marketing. Working mainly with lawyers and accountants she understands the unique challenges and opportunities in marketing a professional services firm. Having graduated with a Bachelor of Business with a double major in Management and Marketing from Monash University, she is a Certified Practicing Marketer with the Australian Marketing Institute, and was also a judge in the 2021 & 2022 Australian Marketing Institute Awards. Jessie is a professional member of Professional Speakers Australia and is an engaging and enthusiastic speaker that aims to provide practical, useful information that you can start implementing immediately.


Geraldine Collins, Principal, Maurice Blackburn
Geraldine Collins is a Principal at Maurice Blackburn, based in Melbourne. She has more than 20 years legal experience in personal injury compensation claims. Doyles Guide lists Geraldine as a leading lawyer in motor vehicle accident compensation law in Victoria. She is a LIV accredited specialist in personal injuries law. She has been both the Victorian and National President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA). Geraldine was a member of the working group which undertook a complete re-write of the TAC Protocols during 2014 - 16. The new Protocols were introduced in July 2016. She is a member of the working group which has just finalized the Supplementary Common Law Protocols, which commenced 1 January 2020. She sits on the TAC Legal Liaison Committee, LIV TAC Committee, TAC Protocols Review Forum, TAC legislative review committee, the LIV Specialization Committee and is a former chair of the LIV's Litigation Lawyers' Executive. Geraldine has trained as a (snow) ski guide for people with disabilities and is involved in that activity each winter.


Genna Angelowitsch, Barrister, Greens List
Genna is a common law barrister, practicing primarily in personal injury and insurance law. She accepts briefs in transport accident cases, WorkCover and industrial injuries, medical negligence, public liability, police torts, VOCAT and sexual abuse cases. She also appears in administrative law matters relating to the judicial review of medical panel decisions, as well as coronial inquests. Prior to joining the Bar, Genna worked as a solicitor for over ten years in the personal injury department at Holding Redlich (now trading as Redlichs’ Work Injury Lawyers). During her time as a solicitor, Genna managed files across the complete spectrum of personal injury law, particularly in transport accident, industrial injury, medical negligence, public liability and sexual abuse cases. She also instructed in numerous hearings, including VCAT disputes with the TAC, Magistrates Court matters in WorkCover, applications for Serious Injury Certificates in the County Court, common law trials, and appeals in the Court of Appeal (both administrative and substantial). Genna also has extensive experience in the Coroner’s Court, including acting for the family of Gong Ling Tang who died shortly after being in custody at Dandenong Police Station, and acting for the families of the six individuals who died in the Bourke Street attack in January 2017. In 2017, Genna was accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a Specialist in Personal Injury Law. In 2019, Genna was a Finalist at the National Women in Law Awards in both the Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year and Senior Associate of the Year categories. In 2020, Genna was again a Finalist in the National Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year category. In 2020 and 2021, she was recognised by her peers through a listing in Doyle’s Guide as a Recommended practitioner in the Motor Accident Compensation, Work Injury Compensation and Public Liability Compensation categories respectively. Genna has authored several articles featured in the Law Institute Journal and Precedent magazine, distributed by the Australian Lawyers’ Alliance. Since 2016, Genna has been a member of the editorial committee for Precedent magazine.


Michel Margalit, Managing Principal, Margalit Lawyers
Michel is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and Partner at Le Grand Margalit Lawyers. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and a Master of Laws (Applied Law). In 2018 Michel will complete a second Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne focusing her studies on personal injury law and civil litigation. Throughout her career Michel has fought for the rights of injured Victorians, in the jurisdictions of WorkCover, TAC and Public Liability. She is a committee member of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.


Michael Lombard, Principal, Lombard Mediations
Michael Lombard is a mediator specialising in personal injury claims at Lombard Mediation. Michael was formerly a Partner at Adviceline Injury lawyers when he was awarded Personal Injury Lawyer of the year 2019 by Best Lawyers in Australia. He was previously involved in high profile cases such as the Bourke street rampage and the Flinders street tram stop attack, as well as a variety of public liability and industrial accident cases. He attained accreditation in Mediation in 2013 and now practices exclusively as a mediator. Michael has also served as a director of the Law Institute and is a current member of the Law Institute ethics committee. He was a Trustee of Lawaid for 10 years, four of which he acted as chairman.


Andrew Dimsey, Barrister, Dever’s List
Andrew came to the Bar in 2014 after 10 years of managing the Asbestos and Public Liability practices at Maurice Blackburn. In addition to having significant experience in Asbestos litigation and Public Liability claims, since joining the Bar, his practice has expanded to encompass WorkCover (statutory benefits and common law), TAC (common law), Sexual Assault and Medical Negligence matters. Andrew litigates, principally on behalf of Plaintiffs, in each of the Magistrates Court, County Court and Supreme Courts as well as the Commonwealth AAT.