Joan is a Partner in our Liability and Australian Government Teams.
Joan is an experienced insurance lawyer specialising in indemnity disputes, public liability, product liability and professional indemnity claims. She also regularly advises local government clients on planning and environment and administrative law matters. Joan also specialises in administrative law, representing the Australian Government before the Administrative Review Tribunal and the Federal Court.
Experience & expertise
Joan acts for major insurers, NSW local councils and international insurers across a wide range of complex matters arising from diverse circumstances, from everyday liability claims to more intricate, multi‑party disputes involving cross‑claims, dual insurance and related workers compensation issues.
In addition to her insurance practice, Joan advises local government clients on planning, environmental and administrative law matters, including governance, GIPA and privacy obligations. She also reviews and develops policies to support compliance and effective decision‑making.
Joan also advises Australian Government clients on administrative law matters, including detailed consideration of ever-changing case law and policy considerations. Joan’s broad experience includes a period with the Australian Federal Police’s legal team, enhancing her analytical and investigative capabilities.
Admitted to practise law in the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia, Joan is known for her ability to manage complex factual matters and voluminous evidence with precision, and for her pragmatic approach to resolving challenging claims, including those involving self‑represented or unconventional litigants, including those with political agendas and novel legal claims.
Work highlights
Joan has a strong track record of achieving favourable verdicts and settlements for her insurance, government and local council clients. Notable matters include:
- Defending Wagga Wagga City Council against a public liability claim brought by a pedestrian alleging injury from an automatic door. Obtained a complete verdict in favour of Council, plus a costs order, establishing that local councils can successfully defend opportunistic premises liability claims when proper evidence is marshalled (Gray v Wagga Wagga City Council [2021] NSWDC 108)
- Representing a local council through complex appellate proceedings to the NSW Court of Appeal and High Court of Australia, involving three defendants, a workers compensation recovery claim under s 151Z, a Compensation to Relatives action, and novel issues under the Civil Aviation (Carriers’ Liability) Act 1959. Successfully navigated this rare intersection of aviation, tort and workers compensation law, resulting in significant High Court guidance on limitation periods and procedural rights (South West Helicopters Pty Ltd v Stephenson [2017] NSWCA 312; Parkes Shire Council v South West Helicopters Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 14)
- Defending a local council in Supreme Court proceedings involving allegations of professional negligence and defamation arising from regulatory enforcement activities. Negotiated a confidential resolution on favourable terms, avoiding protracted litigation costs and adverse media coverage that could have affected the council’s public standing
- Acting for an insurer in complex Supreme Court proceedings involving multiple parties, competing cross-claims, and intricate indemnity disputes arising from overlapping insurance policies and contractual arrangements. Achieved a commercially favourable resolution by disentangling the competing claims and identifying the appropriate allocation of liability.
Regularly advises local councils and government entities on complex, politically sensitive requests under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA). Developed a bespoke GIPA compliance workshop that has been delivered to multiple clients, helping in-house teams respond to access requests efficiently while managing reputational and legal risk.
Professional background
