If your personal injury practice includes motor accident and/or workers compensation claims, you need to stay ahead in the complexities and evolving state of play. This is the program that gives you the edge. You will learn of recent developments in the Personal Injury Commission, hear the latest on The Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017, obtain an update on the latest workers compensation and motor accident cases and obtain an analysis of claims involving multiple injuries at work and much more!

Presenters

Helen Wall, Barrister, Henry Parkes Chambers
Helen has practiced as a barrister for 30 years in personal injury law. She has been a mediator for 11 years and a CARS Assessor for 16 years.


Peter Hunt, Principal, McCabes Lawyers
Peter is a Principal in the Statutory Insurance Group at McCabes, specialising in CTP. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Peter’s team was recognised by Doyle’s Guide as a First Tier Defendant CTP Team. In the same years, Peter was recognised by Doyle’s Guide as either a Leading or a Pre-Eminent Defendant CTP Lawyer. Peter has been the driving force behind a number of value-add initiatives, including the intuitive app, MC Max, and the Proper Lookout Podcast series. In addition to his core role, Peter is an NMAS accredited Mediator (with a focus on workplace disputes and common law disputes), the former author of the CCH Motor Accident Practitioners’ Handbook (2001 to 2016), a former CARS Claims Assessor (2004 to 2009), a member of the Law Society of NSW Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee (since 2011), a member of the Law Society of NSW Injury & Compensation Committee (2022 and 2023), a former Voluntary Director of Marrickville Legal Centre (from May 2018 to May 2022), a former Voluntary Director of Road Sense Australia (from December 2020 to May 2022), a former Voluntary Director of IDEAS (from May 2018 to November 2020) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (March 2017).


Marie Johns, Division Head - Motor Accidents, Personal Injury Commission NSW
On 26 August 2020 Ms Johns was appointed as the Division Head of the Motor Accident Division of the Personal Injury Commission (PIC), which commenced on 1 March 2021. Ms Johns was previously appointed as the Principal Claims Assessor under the two CTP schemes in NSW (Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 and the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017) in August 2018. Ms Johns’ career spans more than two decades across regulatory and service delivery, within government and the community. She has held various positions including at CARS and DRS, the Workers Compensation Commission, ILARS – WIRO, as an immigration lawyer with Brett Slater Solicitors, and DLA Piper (formerly Phillips Fox) and with Mid Hunter Community Housing Association. She is a current committee member of the NSW Chapter of Council of Australasian Tribunals (COAT). Admitted as a solicitor in February 2005, she holds a Degree in Law from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Science (major in psychology) from the University of Newcastle.


Mr. Tim Concannon, Partner, Carroll & O’Dea
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 20221. Tim was appointed Deputy Chair of the Injury Compensation Committee of the Law Society in 2020 and has been Chair of this Committee in 2021 and 2022. 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.


Matthew Jones, Barrister, 8th Floor Garfield Barwick Chambers
Since being called to the Bar, Matthew has appeared in a wide variety of jurisdictions from Local Court to Supreme Court in both Common law and equity divisions. Matthew also appears in NCAT and the AAT. Matthew is a bold advocate with a pragmatic and reasonable sense for commercial resolutions to matters. A sample of recent and significant judgments and decisions are as follows: The Estate of Robyn Alice May Linworth [2021] NSWSC 334 Matthes v The Nominal Defendant [2021] NSWSC 188 Norrington v QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd [2021] NSWSC 548


Misha Hammond, Barrister, 4 Wentworth Chambers
Misha Hammond was called to the bar in 2011 and has a varied practice in civil and criminal law. He appears regularly in the Personal Injury Commission in workers compensation matters. He has worked in personal injury for over 20 years.


Ms. Jnana Gumbert, Barrister, Jack Shand Chambers
Jnana Gumbert has an extensive practice in the areas of common law, administrative law and insurance law, and 20 years’ experience conducting personal injury litigation in the areas of motor accidents, medical negligence and civil liability. Jnana was awarded a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Sydney in 2009, focusing on the areas of tort law, healthcare law and administrative law. Since being called to the Bar in 2012, Jnana has worked extensively in administrative law and particularly in judicial review of administrative decisions within the NSW CTP scheme. Jnana has been recognized by her clients and her peers as a preeminent Junior Counsel in New South Wales Insurance & Personal Injury Law (Doyle’s Guide 2020, 2021). Prior to being called to the Bar, Jnana was a litigation solicitor for over 6 years and a Director of Stacks/Goudkamp Lawyers. Jnana was a Law Society Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and Assessor for Specialist Accreditation assessments. Jnana held the office of President of the NSW Branch of the Australian Lawyers Alliance from 2009 to 2015, and is a member of the Common Law Committee of the NSW Bar Association. Jnana has presented papers at numerous seminars and conferences for continuing legal education, and has written many articles for publication in legal journals. Jnana is co-author of the Motor Accidents chapter of the Goudkamp and Morrison Personal Injury Law Manual NSW (Thomson Reuters) and The Law Handbook (Thomson Reuters).


Mr. Paul Macken, Partner, Leigh Virtue & Associates
Paul Macken BA LLB is a partner of the firm of Leigh Virtue & Associates. He is an accredited specialist in personal injury law (since 1993) and has over 36 years' experience acting for workers and employers in work injury disputes. He has particular experience in representing a large number of self-insured employers in all types of work injury claims and in related industrial disputes. He is an honorary legal advisor to the NSW Self Insurers Association, the immediate past Chairman of the Medic-Legal Liaison Committee, a member of the Injury Compensation Committee, and the personal injury specialist accreditation board of the Law Society of NSW.


Dewashish Adhikary, Barrister, Henry Parkes Chamber
Dewashish Adhikary was called to the bar in 2018 and has a varied practice in civil law. He appears regularly in the Personal Injury Commission in workers compensation matters and CTP matters.


Dennis Epstein, Barrister, Second Floor Selborne Chambers
Dennis Epstein is a Barrister at 2nd Floor, Selborne Chambers, Sydney. Dennis has been practicing in the personal injury field for over 30 years. He initially practiced as a Solicitor for over 13 years including 7 years at GIO. He was admitted as a Barrister in 1995 and since that time has practice exclusively in the personal injury field, especially in workers' compensation, CTP and public liability claims. He was also appointed for several years as both a District Court and Local Court Arbitrator and has undergone mediation accreditation training.