Medico-Legal Advisers and Claims Managers

Dr Sara Bird

Dr Bird's background is in general practice, having worked as a GP in Sydney for over 10 years. Since 1998 she has worked with medical defence organisations as a claims manager and medico-legal adviser. She has a particular interest in clinical risk management and writes a monthly risk management article for GPs in Australian Family Physician. Dr Bird is also the author of the Medicolegal Handbook for General Practice which was published in 2006.

Her role as Team Leader Advisory Services and Medico-Legal Claims Manager at MDA National involves assisting Members and their staff with medico-legal enquiries, complaints, investigations as well as medical negligence claims, both litigated and unlitigated.

Ms Julie Brooke-Cowden

Ms Brooke-Cowden graduated from Macquarie University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws. She obtained her Specialist Accreditation in Personal Injury (Defendant) Litigation in 2000 and her Master of Laws from the University of Sydney in 2005.

With more than 12 years of experience in the area of Defendant personal injury litigation in both small and large law firms, Ms Brooke-Cowden has represented clients in District and Supreme Court matters and at conciliations, mediations and arbitrations.

Ms Brooke-Cowden is a member of the Concord Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee. She joined MDA National in November 2005.

Ms Catherine Carroll

Ms Carroll graduated from the University of Western Australia with an LLB in 1992. She practiced for a number of years in Perth and Sydney in defendant insurance litigation and professional indemnity litigation, with a particular emphasis on medical negligence claims.

Ms Carroll joined MDA National in 2001 and has provided Claims management and medico-legal advisory services on an extensive range of matters since then.

Dr Jane Deacon

Dr Jane Deacon graduated from the University of Western Australia in the 1980s. She has been engaged in general practice since then, both as a practice owner, and more recently as a part-time associate. She has been finance director and later vice chair of the Osborne Division of General Practice. Dr Deacon has had an ongoing interest in medical education both for medical students and general practice registrars.

Dr Deacon joined MDA National in September 2006. She provides in-house medical opinion for the non-medical claims managers, and also assists Members with medico- legal advice on an extensive range of matters.

Mr Chad Edwards-Smith

In addition to his legal qualifications [LLB (UWA)], Mr Edwards-Smith also holds a Bachelors Degree in Nursing and specialist qualifications in Psychiatric Nursing. He spent most of his nursing career working in the sub-specialty of Forensic Psychiatry.

Since commencing his legal career, Mr Edwards-Smith's work has been focused on the area of Medico-Legal litigation. He commenced his legal career in a predominantly plaintiff based law firm, before moving to the field of 'medical defence'. Mr Edwards-Smith has acted for Doctors and Dentists in a range of areas, including civil proceedings, disciplinary proceedings (Medical & Dental Board) and Coronial inquiries.

Mr Edwards-Smith joined MDA National in 2006.

Ms Carolyn Hamilton

Ms Hamilton, a solicitor, graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1980. She is also a Registered Nurse and has studied Sports Medicine at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre. Ms Hamilton joined MDA National in 2001, having previously worked as a solicitor for the Legal Aid Commission and in private practice at Messrs Hammond Fitzgerald & King. She has also lectured in law to nurses at Curtin University.

Dr Helen Havryk

Dr Havryk joined MDA National in February 2007. She spent a number of years in clinical medicine prior to completing her legal studies. She has worked as a lawyer at Blake Dawson Waldron solely in medical litigation for 5 years and as a claims manager dealing mainly with litigated matters, for a medical defence organisation.

Dr Havryk's role as a Medico-Legal Claims Manager at MDA National encompasses assisting Members and their staff with general medico-legal enquiries, Medical Board and Health Care Complaints Commission complaints, Medicare investigations as well as personal injury claims, both litigated and unlitigated.

Ms Deborah Jackson

Ms Jackson has a diverse background in the health industry. She was a Registered Nurse in Intensive Care, Accident and Emergency and a graduate in Psychiatric Nursing.

She has extensive experience in medical negligence litigation in all jurisdictions acting for doctors, physiotherapists and other allied healthcare professionals in civil and coronial hearings.

Ms Jackson has also represented nursing homes, private and public hospitals in civil and coronial hearings, as well as drafting policies for many private Healthcare Institutions. She joined MDA National in 2003.

In addition to providing medico-legal advice, assistance with Medical Board ,Medicare Investigations, Coronial Inquiries and claims management to all MDA National Members, Ms Jackson regularly speaks at seminars and conferences to doctors of various disciplines advising them of developments in medical negligence in their respective state and area of practice.

Ms Philippa Nash

Ms Nash started her career in the medical field as an Occupational Therapist, working in a wide variety of roles both in Australia and the US.

After studying law at UWA, Ms Nash commenced work with Parker & Parker in their insurance litigation section. Although her main practice was personal injury claim defence (Professional Indemnity, Workers Comp and Public Liability) she also handled a couple of large personal injury claims for plaintiffs. Ms Nash worked for Freehill Hollingdale and Page, Srdarov Richards Burton and Phillips Fox before joining MDA National in October 2002.

Ms Cassandra Paterson

Ms Paterson graduated from the University of Western Australia with a BA/LLB (Hons) in 1993. She commenced articles at the Crown Solicitor's Office and worked there for three years, primarily in litigation. In late 1996 she joined Parker & Parker (later Freehills) in the Insurance Litigation section. Her work developed to primarily professional indemnity insurance, with about 40-50% of her work load being medical negligence cases and the remainder concerning the professional negligence of accountants, engineers, architects and other professionals. Ms Paterson also defended some public liability cases during this time.

In early 2001 she was seconded to work on the Bell Litigation, the largest corporate recovery action in Australian history, for which Freehills was running the defence on behalf of a syndicate of Australian and overseas banks.

Ms Paterson joined MDA National in September 2004.