Profile

Significant matters undertaken as a solicitor include:

› Acting for a Northern Territory Senior Counsel in an ongoing multi-faceted matter featuring disciplinary investigation, a claim for costs payable personally, intervention at appellate level before a specially constituted Court, an application for recusal for actual/apprehended bias, and possible criminal charges arising from the barrister’s involvement on a pro bono basis for a high profile politician before a Commission of Inquiry.

› Successfully defending a leading Queen’s Counsel in relation to a disciplinary complaint and investigation arising from counsel’s role before a major national Royal Commission.

› Successfully defending to trial a Perth barrister facing a number of disciplinary charges including allegations of fraud, with the Tribunal determining that the barrister was entitled to succeed on all grounds.

› Acting for a ‘senior’ junior family law barrister in concurrent defence of a civil claim (wrongly instituted in the Family Court), and a disciplinary investigation including allegations of overcharging, deficient costs disclosure, uplift fees and breach of fiduciary duties.  After a five year investigation, succeeded in having the civil claim struck out with indemnity costs, and the complaint wholly dismissed.

› Reviewing and finalising the proposed submissions of an individual to whom the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program issued a notice of proposed adverse findings.

› Attending with counsel at a coronial inquiry to represent the interests of a thoracic physician whom it was suggested had misdiagnosed an infectious disease upon the patient’s return from Papua New Guinea.

› Acting on behalf of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon facing disciplinary action in respect of a spinal manipulation performed on a patient, including appearing with Queen’s Counsel before the Dental Board at hearing.

› Successfully defending an insurance broker against a professional negligence claim from an insured denied cover on the basis of fraud, which denial (and allegation of fraud) was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court of Queensland.

› Acting for a firm of engineers alleged to have negligently installed the air conditioning system in a major suburban shopping centre.

› Obtaining judgment at trial (including orders for costs) in favour of a firm of mortgage brokers alleged to have made misrepresentations or acted negligently by having forwarded to the financier a client’s fraudulent application for finance.

› Conducting wholly successful defences of a number of applications against barristers in Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and the Federal and Family Courts for orders for costs payable personally.

Nola is also the immediate past Chair of the Queensland Law Society Ethics Committee. She is often requested to speak to professional bodies and has been cited by leading law publications on issues surrounding allegations of professional negligence.