If you are looking for the absolute latest and most critical information you need to navigate dust diseases litigation in jurisdictions around Australia, then this conference is the one you should make time for. This all-encompassing program covers off on the medicine, assessment of damages, the key legal issues in causation and economic loss plus the proposed reforms. 

Presenters

Mark Thompson, Director, Forensic Insurance Litigation, Vincents Chartered Accountants
Mark Thompson is one of the founding directors of Vincents Chartered Accountants. Mark’s key area of expertise is in the assessment of damages in personal injury matters. Notable general matters Mark has prepared expert reports in relation to include: The Australian victims in the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York; The Blackhawk helicopter incident; DePuy Hips and Knees class actions; The QF32 Class Action; Dreamworld “White Water Rapids” claims; MH370 & MH17 Victims claims. Notable dust diseases matters that Mark has recently prepared reports in, include: Werfel v AMACA [2019] SAET 22; Latz v AMACA P/L (formerly James Hardie & Co P/L [2017] SADC 56; and Parkin v AMACA WASC 306.


Timothy McGinley, Senior Associate, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Timothy McGinley is a Senior Associate who works in the Dust Diseases Department of Maurice Blackburn’s Sydney office. Tim joined Maurice Blackburn as a paralegal in 2011, and was admitted to practice in 2013. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts with majors in History and Psychology, and a Masters of Laws. Tim has expertise in running claims for sufferers of asbestos, silica, and other occupational lung diseases in NSW, ACT, WA, and the UK. He regularly contributes to law reform initiatives relating to dust and other occupational diseases, including drafting written submissions, and appearing before Parliamentary Committees to give oral submissions. Tim completed his Specialist Accreditation in Personal Injury Law (Dust Diseases) in 2018.


Dr Anthony Johnson, Respiratory Physician
Dr Anthony Johnson is a Respiratory Physician working in Liverpool, Sydney. He has a longstanding interest in occupational lung diseases. After completing speciality training in Sydney he completed a Masters of Occupational Health and Safety with a thesis on Malignant Mesothelioma in NSW. He then worked in Vancouver, Canada conducting research on Occupational Asthma due to Western Red Cedar. In Sydney he worked at the Dust Diseases Board for many years examining claimants and was cofounder of a research centre established at the Board. He has been actively involved in patient care and research into occupational lung disease during his career and has published extensively on asbestos related diseases, silicosis and occupational asthma. He has extensive medicolegal experience preparing reports for plaintiff and defendant firms. He has worked in clinical practice in Liverpool for 20 years.


Alex Giurtalis, Barrister, Jack Shand Chambers
Alex Giurtalis is one of the leading dust diseases and toxic tort barristers in Australia, having been involved in a number of significant decisions in this area. Alex acts for both plaintiffs and defendants in all States and Territories, both at trial and appellate level. He is an appointed Contributions Assessor under the Dust Diseases Tribunal Regulation 2019 (NSW). He is also appointed by the Dust Diseases Tribunal of NSW as the sole barrister member of the Dust Diseases Tribunal Rule Committee under the Dust Diseases Tribunal Act 1989 (NSW).


Associate Professor Steven Kao Oncologist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Clinical Associate Professor, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney
Dr Steven Kao is a medical oncologist at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. He completed his PhD at the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute and focused his research on predictive and prognostic factors in malignant mesothelioma. Steven has a wide clinical, translational and psycho-social research interest in thoracic cancers including malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancers. He was awarded the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Research Scholar from the Cancer Institute NSW in 2012.


Natala Cogger, Director & Senior Occupational Therapist, Expert OTs
Natala Cogger has been practicing as an occupational therapist for 20 years. She has more than 15 years’ experience in medico-legal activities of daily living assessments and as an experienced expert witness throughout Australia. She conducts medico-legal assessments and reports for dust disease matters, medical negligence cases, workers compensation injuries, personal injury and CTP claims. She has extensive experience assessing people with respiratory conditions, traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain injuries, musculoskeletal/orthopaedic injuries, amputations, vision impairments, psychological impairments, intellectual disabilities and paediatrics.


Leah O’Keefe, Senior Associate, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Leah O’Keefe is a Dust Diseases Senior Associate in Maurice Blackburn’s Melbourne office. An approachable and hard-working lawyer who is dedicated to her clients, Leah works closely with sufferers of asbestos, silica and other dust diseases, as well as their families. Leah joined Maurice Blackburn as a trainee lawyer in 2014, and was admitted to practice in 2015. She holds a Masters in Laws (Juris Doctor) and a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Indonesian and International Studies from Monash University. In early 2019, Leah commenced work at Irwin Mitchell in London in their asbestos disease department before returning to Maurice Blackburn in Melbourne in late 2020. Leah completed her Specialist Accreditation in Personal Injury Law in 2021, consolidating her knowledge to further serve and support her clients.


Bree Knoester, Principal Lawyer, Brave Legal
Bree Knoester is the founder of Brave Legal and one of Australia’s leading personal injury lawyers. Bree has practiced for over 18 years as both a barrister and solicitor and has represented clients in some of Victoria’s largest compensation settlements. In recognition of her experience and exceptional client results, Bree has won numerous industry awards including ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Personal Injury Litigation (Best Lawyers® in Australia 2020), Preeminent practitioner – Asbestos & Dust Diseases Compensation (Doyle’s Guide 2020), Preeminent practitioner - Work Injury Compensation (2020), and Partner of the Year Finalist - Litigation (Lawyer's Weekly 2019).