Join us for a coffee chat with senior associate Alfred Jackson and private client partner Scott Hay-Bartlem, both from our private client team.

They discuss Alfred's path to Cooper Grace Ward and his promotion to senior associate on 1 July 2026. Alfred shares why he enjoys being a first point of call for business clients, particularly on M&A, transactions and the related structuring and tax work. He also explains what is worrying his clients at the moment, from warranties and indemnities to force majeure in shipping contracts. Scott and Alfred also chat about Alfred's weekends, from early-morning rounds of golf to a deck renovation that is taking longer than planned.

Join us for a coffee chat with special counsel Jess Byrne from our insurance team and private client partner Scott Hay-Bartlem.

They discuss Jess's ten-year journey at Cooper Grace Ward, from starting in the firm's law clerk program in 2016 to her promotion to special counsel in the insurance team on 1 July 2026. Jess shares what she enjoys about working in the workers’ compensation and CTP space, including the variety of clients and the advocacy work she does at settlement meetings and mediations. She also gives a glimpse into her weekends, from playing hockey for a local Brisbane club to catching up with friends and family.

Welcome to Inside the Claim with CGW, Cooper Grace Ward's workers' compensation podcast that offers a behind-the-scenes look at recent trial cases and expert insights from the lawyers who ran them.

In this episode, Jess Byrne and Damien Jarrett, both special counsel at Cooper Grace Ward, discuss the Supreme Court case of Hunter v Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd. Damien acted for the employer, Alliance Airlines. Ms Hunter, a cabin crew member, injured her back while applying force to free a jammed galley cart from its stowage bay. She had adopted an 'off-centre' pulling position rather than standing squarely in front of it.

Jess and Damien unpack how the case shifted from broader allegations about cart maintenance and staffing into a training case over three years of pleadings. They discuss the impact of limited past issues or injuries in the same setting, and the extent of the training the court required. They also explore the quantum arguments, including how the court treated Ms Hunter's decision to pursue her own business rather than return to work after having a child, and at what point that pursuit became unreasonable.

Tune in to hear Damien's reflections on what the matter taught him about defending manual handling claims.

Welcome to Inside the Claim with CGW, Cooper GraceWard's workers' compensation podcast that offers a behind-the-scenes look at recent trial cases and expert insights from those who ran them.

In this episode, special counsel Damien Jarrett is joined by insurance claims adviser Catherine Dugdell to discuss Hoyes vWellways Australia Limited, a Queensland District Court claim brought by a residential care worker who suffered a psychiatric injury after a young person in her care threatened her with a razor blade before pushing her against a wall and threatening her with a lit lighter.

Damien and Catherine unpack the measures Wellways had inplace to manage the risk of injury, and examine the plaintiff's arguments that a second support worker should have been rostered on or that her care should have been relinquished earlier. They also discuss the modest quantum award, and impact of the pre-existing psychiatric condition that Ms Hoyes had not disclosed to her employer.

Join us for a coffee chat with special counsel Mark Cowan from our property, planning and environment team, and private client partner Scott Hay-Bartlem.

They discuss Mark's journey to Cooper Grace Ward after nearly 20 years in the industry, including time in-house and at top-tier firms, and what drew him to the firm's close-knit team culture. Mark also shares a glimpse into life at home with his wife and two young sons, and reflects on how planning and environment law has evolved into an ever-changing space touching urban development, renewables, infrastructure, agriculture and mining, along with the ongoing challenge of delivering infrastructure efficiently amid frequent shifts in government policy.

In this episode of SMSFs with CGW, partners Scott Hay-Bartlem and Clinton Jackson are joined by senior associate Keeghan Silcock to unpack the new rules banning SMSFs from using borrowings to acquire real estate that is not 'business real property'. They explain why this is not simply a ban on residential property, and cover the transitional rules, contract requirements and refinancing limits that apply from 10 August 2026.

In this episode, Vanessa Thompson from our property, planning and environment team joins private client partner Scott Hay-Bartlem to discuss her journey to Cooper Grace Ward and her experience at the firm.

They also reflect on how planning and environment law has evolved over the years, and touch on Vanessa’s life outside work with two kids and two corgis.

Welcome to Inside the Claim with CGW, Cooper Grace Ward's workers' compensation podcast that offers a behind-the scenes look at recent trial cases and expert insights from the lawyers who ran them.

In this episode, special counsel Damien Jarrett, Jess Byrne and Chris Murphy discuss Filippe v CCIG Investments Pty Ltd, a Magistrates Court claim arising from a workplace incident at Daydream Island Resort involving an executive housekeeper who injured her shoulder pulling a hotel room door shut against a gust of wind.

Jess and Chris unpack the inconsistencies in the plaintiff's evidence, including an unrelated shoulder injury from a 'Dirty Dancing' style lift five months earlier, and how those inconsistencies shaped the magistrate's findings on foreseeability and whether the forces involved were sufficient to cause the injury. They also cover the debate over door chocks and why the final award fell well short of the amount claimed.

Tune in for a candid look at how factual inconsistencies and expert evidence combine to defend a workplace injury claim through to trial.