Practices
Insurance Grace is a meticulous defendant lawyer, who has exclusively practiced in WA workers’ compensation and Seafarers compensation schemes for the past six years. With previous experience in plaintiff firms and undertaking secondments with insurer clients, she has a nuanced understanding of all stakeholders in the process which enables her to provide balanced and realistic claim assessment targeted at early resolution.
Grace regularly appears before WorkCover WA and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for litigated claims.
As well as her legal qualifications, Grace has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Anatomy and Human Biology which provides her with a highly technical understanding of injury pathology and the ability to interpret and apply medical evidence in the personal injury space.
Grace has a particular interest in medically complex cases and provides commercially astute advice in respect of injuries with complicated aetiology, as well as catastrophic and fatality claims.
Her experience with maritime clients and in-depth knowledge of the Seafarers legislation and case law allows her to provide timely, accurate and importantly commercially sensible advice in the niche market.
Grace supports and encourages aspiring lawyers through formal and informal mentoring of junior lawyers and law students, and participates in Pro Bono opportunities within the firm.
Experience
- Extensive experience providing written advice in respect of complex, disputed and long tail WA workers’ and Seafarers compensation claims.
- Acting as instructing solicitor in litigated claims in the District Court of Western Australia.
- A six-month long secondment with a workers’ compensation insurer driving resolution of a specialist portfolio of complex, catastrophic and fatality claims.
- Appearing on behalf of insurers and employers before Tribunals and Courts including WorkCover WA, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the District Court of Western Australia.
Professional Membership
- Law Society of WA
- Australian Insurance Lawyers Association
Latest thinking
Marine Insurance | 29 Aug 2023
Employers of seafarers looking for an exemption? We’ll need to sea evidence for that!
A Ministerial Direction requiring Seacare to consider additional factors when determining whether to grant exemptions from the scheme has taken effect from 1 July 2023.