Experience & Expertise

Emma acts for both domestic and London-based insurers, defending and advising on litigated and non-litigated claims primarily in New South Wales, as well as advising on policy coverage.

Since joining the firm as a paralegal in 2011, Emma has worked exclusively in the general insurance team, and has a particular focus in defending professionals and insured persons in civil actions in the District Court and Supreme Court of NSW. Emma has also appeared in the Court of Appeal, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, and acted in coronial inquests.

Emma has experience acting for a diverse range of insureds, including Government Agencies, Associations, legal professionals, real estate agents, engineers, principal contractors, subcontractors, cleaning companies, security companies, sport and recreational organisations, health care providers in immigration detention centres, and transport companies.

Emma takes a pragmatic and enthusiastic approach to the management of all claims, focussing on thorough investigation of the issues and attention to detail. Emma’s clients benefit from her ability to engage with them to develop and implement an effective strategy for resolution of the claim, whether by way of settlement through alternate dispute resolution, or proceeding to trial.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Emma has successfully resolved claims from small to high value and with varying levels of complexity, across many jurisdictions. Some examples of the breadth of Emma’s experience include:

• Acting for the Commonwealth of Australia (Australian Electoral Commission) in District Court proceedings brought by a plaintiff for personal injuries she suffered from a fall at a voting hall on Election Day. The claim was successfully defended at trial, and costs were successfully argued and awarded on an indemnity basis
  
• Successful dismissal of proceedings brought against a legal professional in the District Court of NSW for alleged defamation in the course of acting for the former spouse of the plaintiff. The proceedings were dismissed, and a gross sum costs order was also successfully sought. Both the dismissal and the gross sum costs order were upheld on appeal
  
• Successful dismissal of proceedings brought against a Commonwealth agency in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. A range of complaints were made against the department, including breaches of various legislation, all of which were found to have no reasonable prospect of success
  
• Successful dismissal of proceedings brought against a legal professional in the Supreme Court of NSW. Our client acted for the plaintiff in a previous claim in the Personal Injury Commission. The plaintiff made many allegations including that our client had been negligent and failed to properly represent him in his workers compensation claim. The claim was dismissed on grounds it was hopeless, had no reasonable prospect of success and was an abuse of process
  
• Providing advice and assisting in the defence of a suite of claims associated with the alleged use of banned substances by sportspersons arising out of the ASADA supplements scandal
  
• Successfully defending proceedings in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a business broker. The claim concerned one relating to an unsuccessful sale of a business ending in Supreme Court proceedings. The Applicant sought to recover its costs of the Supreme Court proceedings and made allegations of misleading and deceptive conduct against our client. Emma successfully defended the claim and the Tribunal also ordered the Applicant pay our client’s costs
  
• Advising and acting in a coronial inquest regarding a death related to the use of performance and image enhancing drugs
  
• Advising and acting in the defence of claims brought against the provider of healthcare services in immigration detention facilities.