For over a decade, Virginia has practiced as a property damage litigation lawyer, primarily in relation to disputes involving motor vehicles including heavy motor vehicles, construction vehicles, plant and equipment. Virginia is regularly sought out by her clients for advice on complex indemnity and policy interpretation issues as well as counter-fraud.

Virginia has extensive experience across all Australian jurisdictions in the areas of liability, quantum, credit hire, “recovery agent” claims, fraud and indemnity and the Australian Consumer Law. This experience and knowledge flows into the team of lawyers she oversees, all of whom share Virginia’s drive to recover funds quickly and efficiently for their clients where there is a recovery, or to maximise savings where there is a settlement.

With longstanding client relationships, Virginia is passionate about working and partnering with her clients to achieve their desired strategic and financial outcomes.

What do you consider important that is often missed?

The bigger picture. I see litigation lawyers and claims consultants who are so focused on a particular claim that they miss how it ties into the wider scheme of things for both the client and industry. While every claim needs to be treated on its own merits, I can’t ignore that there are hundreds, or hundreds of thousands, of other claims which may be impacted in some way by that one claim. Whilst running a matter, I regularly take the time to sit back and take the blinkers off to consider any wider implications for my client or the industry. It’s not just about the law.

What is the most rewarding part of handling an insurance claim?

Insurance is about people. People insure things that are valuable to them, such as their health, life, property or income. In my role I have the privilege of obtaining instructions from sophisticated litigants (the insurer), while simultaneously supporting someone else (whether individual or corporate) through what may have been an unpleasant event at best, to their absolute lowest point at worst. What a ‘good outcome’ looks like for our insured clients varies greatly, but for me there is no experience more rewarding than being able to convey good news to an insured, whichever form that good outcome may take.