Nicola is an experienced litigation lawyer who has provided high level legal advice and representation in a range of civil litigation disputes and common law claims in the Northern Territory and New South Wales.
Nicola prides herself on providing clear, practical and client-focused advice and achieving collaborative and timely resolutions. She adopts a detail oriented and technical approach and has proven experience in dealing with complex defendant litigation.
Nicola has advised and appeared on matters in the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Darwin Local Court, District and Supreme Courts, Federal Court and the High Court of Australia. She has appeared and mediated a number of disciplinary and regulatory matters before the Public Sector Appeals Board, Liquor Commissions
Nicola has provided strategic advice and representation to Ministers, government agencies and statutory entities in a range of complex matters and disputes including medical negligence claims, administrative law and judicial review matters, employment law and workers compensation, general litigation, coronial inquests and Royal Commissions.
Nicola is a Darwin local and has previously held positions as a committee member for the Northern Territory Women Lawyers, Northern Territory Young Lawyers, and Law Society NT Legal Education Committee.
She has volunteered with the Top End Women’s Legal Service and the NTPS Aboriginal Employee Mentor Program.
Experience
Nicola’s experience includes:
- Providing defendant advice and representation in claims in tort (particularly medical negligence and police tort claims), civil litigation disputes and recoveries.
- Representing service and regulatory agencies in New South Wales in relation to civil damages claims across all jurisdictions.
- Appearing in the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Darwin Local Court, District and Supreme Courts and Federal Court.
- Advising and representing the Northern Territory Government in respect of employment law, administrative law and judicial review matters, and disciplinary and regulatory matters before various Boards and Tribunals.
- Representing the Northern Territory Government in the Royal Commission into the Violence, Exploitation, Abuse and Neglect of people with disability, and the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
- Instructing the Solicitor General for the Northern Territory in proceedings challenging the Constitutional validity of covid-related quarantine restrictions proceedings in the High Court of Australia: Palmer v The State of Western Australia [2021] NTSC 9; Gerner & Anor v The State of Victoria [2020] HCA 48.
- Quasi-criminal and regulatory matters, including criminal property forfeiture, mental impairment/unfitness to be tried matters, consumer affairs and work health prosecutions.
Memberships
- Law Society of the Northern Territory
- Northern Territory Women Lawyers’ Association