We are delighted to announce that Ben Mason will be joining us to head our Government practice in Canberra. Ben is an Accredited Specialist in Government and Administrative Law, and was most recently a Senior Executive Lawyer and Assistant Secretary in the Australian Public Service with legal policy responsibility for work health and safety and workers’ compensation in the Commonwealth, and compliance and enforcement under the national workplace relations framework.

His expertise is in Commonwealth compensation schemes including licensing arrangements under the Comcare scheme and claims under the Comcare, Seacare, military compensation, veterans’ entitlements, superannuation, ex gratia and administrative schemes, and asbestos-related disease claims involving the Commonwealth.

He has extensive experience in managing national legal teams in both the private and public sectors, and has worked closely with employers, insurers, claims mangers, regulators, policy-makers and legislators. He has run, defended and advised in relation to compensation claims in most Australian jurisdictions, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Federal Court and High Court.

John Solomon, Managing Partner of the Canberra office says ‘Ben brings directly relevant experience, expertise and perspective to our clients to identify the legal, regulatory and policy issues they face and to provide options on how to resolve them. This senior appointment is very much in line with our Commonwealth and State Government strategy and expands upon the services we are able to offer our clients’.