EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE
Shaun has worked in insurance law for most of his career. His expertise spans health law, public and property liability, workplace accident claims and class actions. He has acted in a number of complex dependency claims brought pursuant to the Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 (NSW).
Since admission in 2001, Shaun has acted for public liability and professional indemnity insurers in all manner of claims, including industrial, construction, residential, schools, recreational, faulty work, toxic torts and commercial property damage. More recently, Shaun has acted for medical professionals in civil actions arising out of the full range of clinical circumstances.
Shaun takes a forensic and considered approach to litigation with a focus on thoroughly investigating all avenues and providing concise and practical advice to clients. Shaun is experienced in alternative dispute resolution and will pursue early resolution where possible as well as taking a firm defence where necessary.
Shaun has successfully resolved hundreds of insurance claims from small to high value claims in his career. He has been involved in resolving highly sensitive civil claims brought against medical practitioners in hospitals and private practice, many of which concern catastrophic injuries.
Shaun successfully defended a large Australian-based manufacturer in a $40 million building dispute in the Supreme Court brought by an Owners Corporations in relation to a defective building façade where it was alleged that the entire façade needed to be replaced (The Owners – Strata Plan No 74602 v Brookfield Australia Investments Ltd [2015] NSWSC 1916 (16 December 2015)). He also successfully defended a respite centre in the Supreme Court where it was alleged that the centre had provided inadequate care to a patient (Moggridge v The Benevolent Society [2019] NSWCSC 638 (3 June 2019)).
In the District Court, Shaun acted for a security company where he successfully defended at hearing a claim for psychiatric injuries arising out of false imprisonment alleged against a security guard at a shopping centre. He was also successful at hearing in the District Court in a recovery claim brought on behalf of a property insured against a large commercial tenant arising out of damage to the premises.
Shaun has had success in the Administrative Appeal Tribunal where he acted for a large national transport company at a number of hearings in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and successfully resisted claims being made by injured workers.
Other notable outcomes include defending a $150 million class action before the Federal Court of Australia arising from the suspension of the manufacturing licence of Pan Pharmaceuticals Limited and acting for a transport company where it was successfully argued on appeal that the public liability policy did not respond to a personal injury claim.