Frances is a Partner in our Compulsory Third Party Insurance Team. She has 25 years’ experience specialising in CTP claims and associated indemnity disputes.
Frances focuses on major and complex mainstream claims, including those for recovery and contribution from public liability and workers compensation insurers.
Experience & expertise
Frances acts for insurer clients on complex and high‑value matters, including catastrophic injury claims, recovery and contribution issues, and multi‑party disputes involving indemnity and dual insurance.
She has extensive experience in defendant CTP litigation and claims management, including matters involving complex medical and causation issues, section 151Z matters and Compensation to Relatives Act claims.
Frances is also highly regarded for identifying and defending unmeritorious and fraudulent claims, regularly achieving withdrawals, dismissals and favourable judgments that deliver significant savings for insurers.
She regularly appears in mediations, informal conferences and Claims Assessment and Resolution Service (CARS) and the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) hearings, and has represented clients in courts and tribunals across NSW, including administrative law challenges arising from Medical Assessment determinations.
Admitted to practise law in NSW and the High Court of Australia, Frances has an outstanding reputation for her pragmatic, solutions‑focused approach and tailored legal strategies that support early, cost‑effective claim resolution. Her close attention to detail ensures each client’s full compliance with statutory obligations, particularly the implementation of rehabilitation and treatment for injured claimants.
Work highlights
Frances’ expertise and pragmatic approach to problem solving has seen her develop an advisory relationship with her insurer clients. She has been closely involved in the training and transition of MACA to MAIA and was involved in one of the first successful Supreme Court of NSW challenges brought by an insurer which had scheme wide implications.
Frances also has an impressive record in achieving verdicts for the defendant in disputed liability claims. She has also been involved in a number of unmeritorious claims which have subsequently been withdrawn or dismissed resulting in considerable savings to her client insurers.
Frances has achieved seven verdicts for the defendant and had 14 unmeritorious claims withdrawn. She has also achieved several favourable verdicts in the Supreme Court of NSW relating to judicial review challenges, minimising awards for damages and resulting in considerable savings to her insurer clients. Her success in the matter of Jenkins, has scheme wide significance and results in substantial savings to insurers in the calculation of entitlements to statutory benefit payments under MAIA.
Professional background
