How did you start down this career path?

Like most new lawyers, I started out in a general practice, where I more or less went straight into litigation. This suited me as I soon discovered that I had no real desire to work back of house, much preferring to have direct contact with clients. I also wasn’t really interested in representing corporations — my instinct has always been to help the little guy. I was therefore fortunate that I was able to gain some early experience in civil litigation and personal injury, and this shaped my future career direction.

I was also a long-time volunteer with St John Ambulance, and so was able to use my medical training in my practice to better understand the injuries suffered by my clients and what had occurred to them in cases of medical negligence. In essence, my work and hobby came together and helped me decide to specialise in personal injury litigation.

What inspires you in your role/industry? Why?

Being a personal injury lawyer means that I often meet people who are at very low points in their lives. What drives me is the conviction that everyone deserves the best possible quality of life, despite the injuries that they have suffered. When that quality of life has been taken away, through negligence or an injury that was not their fault, I want to ensure they receive proper compensation so that they are able to enjoy the level and quality of care and assistance that they both require and deserve.

From a more personal point of view, I am inspired that clients are so often willing to place their trust in me. Pursuing a personal injury matter can be a long, complicated process. It can also be quite personally invasive at times. This means that clients have to have patience, confidence and trust in their lawyer, and so when clients are willing to place a matter in my hands, I am motivated to do whatever I can to obtain the best possible outcome on their behalf.

What's your approach to customer service that separates you from the rest?

At DBH Lawyers, we are very client centered. This starts from the time that a new client contacts the firm. The first person to look at their case will be a Partner. The aim of this is to give them confidence that their matter is being accorded respect and care. Following on for this, a Partner will always have overall supervision of a file, even if a Partner is not personally running the matter.

From a business perspective, this commitment to Partners being a first point of contact for new clients also serves to enhance our overall operating efficiency. It has meant that we take on fewer matters that don’t progress, or for which we as a firm do not have the capacity. In turn, we are then better positioned to direct time and resources to claims which we are more likely to be successful.

How do you innovate and stay ahead of industry trends?

We pride ourselves on being a very forward-thinking partnership, and are aware of the need to innovate in order to ensure we are providing the best possible legal services to our clients. To this end, we have introduced new technologies and ideas as they appear and develop.

DBH Lawyers has embraced technological innovation in order to provide cost effective, accessible legal services to our clients. We utilise artificial intelligence (AI) in our personal injury practice to read reports and prepare summaries of records, helping us to progress matters more quickly.

Our website features a chat bot we can engage with clients and enquiries more quickly and efficiently, and we embrace social media to provide easily-accessible points of contact for the community.

What is the toughest challenge you've faced in your role? How did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges I face in my role as an Equity Partner and Leader of the Large Litigation Team is the need to prioritise so that I am able to deal with both new and existing matters at the same time, particularly when matters are close to conclusion by settlement or trial.

I also have to balance managing my own case load with providing support for the other solicitors in my team. This includes managing their work on the large and complex personal injury cases that the team runs, but also ensuring that they are efficiently progressing their own files as well.

Having twenty-five years’ experience as a personal injury lawyer has helped me significantly in this regard. Being able to anticipate what a Court is likely to do and when means I am better able to prioritise tasks and effectively manage both my workload and that of my team.

The latter is important as I value the teaching and mentoring part of my role; however, it can be a challenge to run complex personal injury cases while providing training and support to younger solicitors in the early stages of their careers.

Making the time to have open discussions with members of the team, in addition to assessing their performance regularly, are key to managing this challenge, as well as providing junior solicitors with the support they need to progress their careers to the next level.

What are some of your goals for the next 5 years?

All of the Partners at DBH Lawyers are in alignment in terms of the firm’s goal — this is to be recognised as the leading personal injury law firm in South Australia. Within this corporate goal, my personal professional aim is to be regarded as a leading practitioner in the compulsory third party, medical negligence and birth injury space both inside and outside of SA.

At the same time, what is important for me as a Partner is for the community to have a positive view of what we achieve for everyday people. Key to this are the relationships we establish with clients — it is always my goal for my clients to believe that my concern for their problems and willing to fight for them is genuine.

However, it is just as important for me to be regarded as a straight talker, and to be open about the risks inherent in any personal injury claim. It takes a lot of commitment on a client’s part to pursue a personal injury claim, and so I will only encourage them to do so when there is a reasonable prospect of success, and when the benefit outweighs the risk that they are taking.

About DBH Lawyers

Founded in 1970, DBH Lawyers in Adelaide has become a leader in Illness & Injury Law, Family Law, Wills & Estates, and Business & Employment Law.

DBH Lawyers takes a client-centric approach to law and works closely with clients to achieve the best possible outcomes. Known for our expertise and care, DBH Lawyers is dedicated to supporting South Australians and providing compassionate, expert legal services.

The way we work is always underpinned by our values. We work side-by-side with our clients, always striving for the best outcome and a way forward. The team at DBH Lawyers are at the forefront of legal advice and knowledge and will be with you every step of the way.