Abuse Lawyer – Plaintiff Personal Injury | 2+ Years PAE

About the Firm

Our client is one of Victoria’s longest-established plaintiff personal injury law firms, with more than 50 years’ experience representing injured people.

The firm has developed a significant institutional abuse practice, acting for survivors of historical and more recent physical and sexual abuse across Victoria and nationally.

The team represents survivors in claims involving schools, religious organisations, state care facilities, children’s homes and other institutions. The practice handles a substantial volume of complex civil abuse claims and has achieved significant outcomes for clients through negotiated settlements and litigation.

This is a specialist practice offering lawyers the opportunity to develop genuine expertise in an important and evolving area of plaintiff litigation.

The Role

Due to continued growth, the firm is looking to appoint a Plaintiff Abuse Lawyer with at least 2 years’ PAE to join its Melbourne team.

Working closely with experienced senior practitioners, you will take responsibility for progressing a portfolio of institutional abuse claims while receiving support on more complex matters and strategic issues.

The work is predominantly civil compensation litigation arising from historical institutional abuse and will involve both negotiated claims and litigated matters.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing and progressing plaintiff institutional abuse claims;
  

• Taking detailed instructions from survivors regarding historical abuse and its ongoing impact;
  

• Assessing potential claims and identifying relevant institutions and defendants;
  

• Investigating the circumstances surrounding historical abuse and institutional responsibility;
  

• Obtaining and reviewing historical institutional, education, government, medical and other relevant records;
  

• Preparing chronologies and analysing evidence relevant to liability and damages;
  

• Obtaining medical and psychological evidence concerning the impact of abuse;
  

• Briefing medico-legal experts, counsel and other specialists;
  

• Preparing correspondence, pleadings, affidavits, witness statements and other litigation documents;
  

• Advising clients regarding damages, settlement strategy and the progression of their claim;
  

• Preparing matters for settlement conferences, mediations and court proceedings;
  

• Conducting negotiations with defendant solicitors and insurers;
  

• Working with counsel on complex liability and evidentiary issues;
  

• Managing discovery, subpoenas and other interlocutory aspects of litigated matters;
  

• Progressing proceedings in the County and Supreme Courts of Victoria where required; and
  

• Maintaining close and sensitive communication with clients throughout the life of their matter.
  

As your experience develops, you will have increasing autonomy over your files and greater involvement in complex and significant abuse litigation.

About You

Ideally, you will have:

• At least 2 years’ post-admission experience;
  

• Experience within plaintiff personal injury, abuse law, public liability or another relevant litigation practice;
  

• Exposure to civil litigation and the management of plaintiff claims;
  

• An understanding of the Wrongs Act and Victorian common law damages claims;
  

• Strong written legal and evidentiary analysis skills;
  

• Experience preparing matters for settlement or litigation;
  

• Confidence dealing with counsel, experts and opposing solicitors;
  

• Strong file management and organisational skills; and
  

• The ability to manage matters with an appropriate level of autonomy.
  

Previous institutional abuse experience would be highly regarded but is not essential where you have a solid plaintiff personal injury or civil litigation background and a genuine interest in developing expertise in this area.

Just as importantly, you will need the maturity and judgement to work with clients who may be discussing highly traumatic experiences. The ability to build trust, communicate sensitively and progress matters without losing sight of the legal and evidentiary issues is important to success in this practice.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

The firm offers:

• The opportunity to join a substantial and highly experienced institutional abuse practice;
  

• Exposure to complex and significant plaintiff litigation;
  

• Genuine file carriage and increasing autonomy;
  

• Direct mentoring from experienced senior abuse and personal injury practitioners;
  

• Exposure to claims involving a wide range of institutions and defendants;
  

• Experience across both negotiated settlements and court proceedings;
  

• The opportunity to develop specialist expertise in a growing area of plaintiff law;
  

• Strong administrative and paralegal support;
  

• Ongoing professional development and career progression; and
  

• The stability and resources of a large, established plaintiff personal injury practice.
  

This opportunity would particularly suit a plaintiff lawyer who wants to move beyond more conventional compensation work and develop expertise in complex, evidence-driven litigation where the work has a significant impact on the lives of the clients they represent.