Full Profile
Nicolas has a broad range of insurance (professional indemnity, public and product liability and aviation), resource, commercial and construction litigation experience, specialising in defendant litigation. His expertise includes all aspects of health law, including disciplinary and civil matters, complex regulatory investigations, coronial inquiries, Royal Commissions and employment disputes.
His clients have included insurers, government organisations, hospitals (and associated medical practitioners), major international corporations as well as private organisations.
Nicolas has extensive litigation experience utilising a variety of dispute resolution mechanisms from informal/formal negotiation, conciliation and mediation to litigation in various courts and tribunals. He advises on all aspects of litigation, including the management of sensitive litigation with media interest. Nicolas has strong negotiation and advocacy skills, as well as expertise in drafting complex advices and pleadings.
Experience
- Aviation – acting for major international airlines in claims involving personal injuries.
- Aviation – acting for underwriters in claims for personal injuries arising from a helicopter crash at Black Reef in 1985.
- Insurance – acting for Comcover in liability claims, including claims involving self-represented litigants.
- Litigation – acting for the Electoral Commission of Queensland in Court of Disputed Returns proceedings.
- Marine – acting for the captain of a ship in which crew were lost in the Ashmore and Cartier Islands.
- Resources – acting for a gas supplier in a contract dispute with a refinery resulting in the termination of the contract.
- Professional Indemnity Insurance – advising and an international company providing transnational medical services on their insurance cover.
- Professional Indemnity Insurance – acting professionals including medical practitioners, architects, engineers and solicitors, inquiries and investigations, Coronial Inquiries, professional negligence actions and administrative law matters.
- Resources – acting a joint venture dispute concerning the Ensham Coal Mine in Supreme Court proceedings.
- Resources – acting for a multinational mining company in legal proceedings in the Pacific Islands concerning international tender rights and involving native title and mining law issues.
- Resources – acting for the insured on the insurance aspects of a claim concerning an LNG plant.
- Resources – acting in the prosecution of a senior mine manager of a mine.
- Product recall – acting for a multinational corporation in the discreet management of a failed construction fastener.
- Product recall – acting for a multinational corporation in the recall of automatic photograph processing booths.
- Class actions – acting for the supplier of eggs in a Federal Court class action arising from the consumption of tainted desserts.
