Lauren has a busy trial practice (both led and unled) in the County and Supreme Courts including damages trials, VWA recovery trials unled, and OMs unled for defendants. Lauren practises in personal injury including workers compensation, public liability, recoveries, medical negligence, coronial inquests, and transport accidents. Recent trials include:
Recent successful OMs for defendants unled
- Fudyma v Hanson Australia (Holdings) Pty Ltd [2024] VCC 825, successful for defendant unled and plaintiff's two both head serious injury applications dismissed;
- Delaney v VWA [2024] VCC 797, successful for defendant unled and plaintiff's both heads serious injury application dismissed;
Damages trials
- Mifsud v Westar Prestige Paint & Panel Pty Ltd [2024] VCC, workcover jury trial;
- VWA v AAPC Properties Pty Ltd [2023] VCC, unled for the VWA in recovery case;
- Repici v Rentokil Initial Pty Ltd [2022] VCC 365, successful for the VWA against self-represented litigant;
- Stevens v DP World [2021] VCC 2154, successful for the VWA in complex bullying damages trial (both heads);
- Xu v Diver Foods Pty Ltd [2021] VCC 824, successful for the plaintiff (awarded $700,000) in WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
- Muller v Klosed Pty Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 360, multi-defendant WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
- Gambian v Spotless Services & Anor [2020] VCC 1407, WorkCover damages trial (both heads), appeared for the second defendant and case resolved against client during trial;
- Correa v He & Ors [2021] VCC 679, public liability personal injury trial;
- McLeod v Mainfreight Distribution Pty Ltd [2020] VCC 2012, WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
- Lloyd v Heathscope Limited [2020] VCC 2032, WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
- Many recovery proceedings on behalf of the VWA unled;
Appellate work and judicial review
- Stevens v DP World Melbourne Ltd [2022] VSCA 285, appeal of bullying damages' case;
- Museums Victoria v Susnjara [2021] VSCA 166, construction of ss134AB(21);
- Allycia Kierce v Djerriwarrh Health Services [2024] VCC, judicial review
- Akbari v VWA & Ors [2022] VSC 84, judicial review of medical panel opinion in serious injury application;
- Yum v Owczarek & Ors [2022] VSC 262, judicial review of medical panel opinion regarding surgery;
Originating motions and applications
- Clements v VWA [2024] VCC, unled for VWA in serious injury application;
- Fudyma v Hanson [2024] VCC, unled for self-insurer in both heads application;
- Delaney v VWA [2024] VCC, unled for VWA in both heads application;
- Allen v VWA [2024] VCC, unled for VWA in summary judgment application;
- Sittrop v State of Victoria [2024] VCC 448, successful strike out application;
- Kierce v Djerriwarrh Health Services [2023] VCC 2395, successful for the defendant (unled);
- Camilleri v VWA [2023] VCC 2332, successful for the defendant;
- Soraya v TAC [2023] VCC, successful for the defendant;
- Ozcan v Coles Supermarkets [2023] VCC, for the defendant;
- Monterosso v TAC [2022] VCC 35, acted for the TAC and the serious injury application was dismissed;
- Nunn v VWA [2021] VCC 803, acted for the VWA and the serious injury application was dismissed;
- Gill v VWA [2022] VCC 808, serious injury application;
- Hagose v TAC [2021] VCC, serious injury application;
- Ghorbani v M & T Reeves Pty Ltd [2022] VCC 20, successful subpoena objections (unled);
- Vujacic v City of Port Phillip [2021] VCC 1687, discovery application (unled);
- Paiman v Victorian WorkCover Authority [2020] VCC, both heads serious injury application (unled);
- Gange v The State of Queensland [2020] VSC 726, application to transfer police tort matter (unled);
- Payne v Australian Pacific Airports (Melbourne) Pty Ltd [2020] VCC 1485, security for costs application in a personal injury case (unled);
- Susnjara v Museums Victoria [2020] VCC 1128, construction of ss134AB(21);
- Raydan v VWA [2020] VCC, serious injury application;
- Aslan v TAC [2020] VCC 388, serious injury application;
Complex statutory benefits trials
- Salafia v Barkers Burke, whether plaintiff a 'worker' (unled);
- Simm v Insurance Australia Group Services Pty Ltd, reasonable management action case for the defendant (unled);
- Vaitsis v Austain Fasteners Pty Ltd, reasonable management action case for the defendant (unled);
- Attanayake v Simplot Australia Pty Ltd, sexual assault and harassment case for the plaintiff (unled);
- Porritt v Employment Innovations Pty Ltd & Anor, for the plaintiff in multi-defendant case (unled);
Lauren is a strong negotiator, and acts in mediations and settlement conferences.
Lauren regularly acts for the VWA and self-insurers.
Lauren read with Dugald McWilliams and her senior mentor was the Honourable Justice James Gorton.