Practice Expertise

  • Insurance
  • Litigation and disputes
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Areas of Practice

  • Insurance
  • Litigation and disputes
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  •  

WSG Practice Industries

Profile

I provide advice on complex insurance and indemnity arrangements (particularly prevalent in the resources, mining and construction industries) and multi-party disputes in relation to breaches of contract, the enforceability of contractual indemnities, possibility of recovery against third parties and double insurance issues. I particularly enjoy the variety and challenges of this work and the intricacies of assessing damages for personal injuries. 

Career highlights

  • Acted for Newcrest Mining Ltd in the High Court of Australia appeal in Newcrest Mining Limited v Thornton. The appeal addressed the interpretation of section 7 of the Law Reform (Contributory Negligence and Tortfeasors’ Contribution) Act 1947 (WA) and specifically whether a plaintiff can bring a second action against a defendant after previously resolving an action by a consent to judgment against a concurrent tortfeasor. The High Court decision forced insurers to review and revise practices in settling claims in order to minimise exposure to multiple, successive claims arising from the same injury.
  • Successfully represented two defendants in a catastrophic personal injury claim who were able to transfer any exposure they had for the accident to a third party's insurer. The action was ultimately dismissed at trial.

Education
LLB (HONS)

Areas of Practice

  • Insurance
  • Litigation and disputes

Professional Career

Professional Associations
  • Law Society of Western Australia
  • Australian Insurance Law Association
  • Women Lawyers of Western Australia Inc


Articles

  • COVID-19: Workers' Compensation and Injury Management Act Amendments

    The Western Australian Government has made legislative changes to the workers' compensation scheme due to COVID-19, which came into effect on 12 October 2020.

  • When is a settlement not the end of a historical sexual abuse claim?

    Recent decisions in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia have considered the applicable legislative regime and the ability of plaintiffs to set aside previous settlements of their historical sexual abuse claims and proceed with further claims for damages.

     

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