EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Victoria specialises in insurance claims, with a particular focus on public liability and workers compensation matters.

She also advises and represents employers, including in responding to unfair dismissal and general protection claims.

Victoria has extensive litigation experience, including appearing and instructing in matters in Civil and Administrative Tribunals, Magistrates Courts, District Courts, Supreme Courts and Courts of Appeal across various jurisdictions, as well as before the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission.

Victoria is a strategic and pragmatic litigator with a proven track record, who provides commercially minded advice to her clients. She has a high attention to detail and appreciates that no two matters are the same.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Victoria’s experience includes:

• Appearing in contested interlocutory applications and directions at the ACT Courts
• Advising clients and appearing in dispute resolution processes, including conciliations, conferences and mediations
• Completing secondments to several Australian Government agencies within their litigation teams, where she has worked on high profile and sensitive claims
• Presenting to clients on various topical issues, including pre-court procedures and compliance and general training.
• Involvement in the successful defence in various matters and across jurisdictions, including:
  • Howard v Holdaway [2023] ACTMC 26, which involved a public liability claim brought against an uninsured individual under the Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT). Here no breach of duty of care could be established.
  • On appeal in Aluabaid v Kilani [2022] ACTCA 31, which involved a compulsory third-party claim for which liability was denied. An attack on the plaintiff’s credibility resulted in an adverse credit finding being made against him. The Court of Appeal ultimately found that the circumstances of the accident, as alleged by the plaintiff, could not be proven and a breach of duty of care against the insurer could therefore not be established.
  • Assisted in the successful defence of a compulsory third-party claim, including on appeal in Ryan v Bhagria & Anor [2022] ACTCA 29. In this matter the Court could not be satisfied that the plaintiff suffered any injury, loss or damage, despite a breach of duty of care having been admitted by the insurer.
  • Assisted in the successful defence of an unfair dismissal claim, including on appeal in Hijazi v Calvary Health Care ACT Ltd t/as Calvary Public Hospital Bruce [2021] FWCFB 1920.