Special Counsel – Workers Compensation & Work Injury Damages

Parramatta | Hybrid | Genuine Pathway to Partner

About the Firm

Our client is a specialist plaintiff personal injury law firm with a strong and growing presence in the NSW compensation market.

The practice acts exclusively for injured people and has particular strength across Workers Compensation and Work Injury Damages, together with motor accident, public liability and TPD claims.

The firm has built its practice around experienced lawyers having genuine ownership of their matters, supported by dedicated paralegal and administrative resources and contemporary systems designed to reduce unnecessary administrative workload.

Importantly, the business is continuing to grow and is now looking to add an experienced senior practitioner who can become an important part of the future leadership of the practice.

For the right person, this is not intended to be a terminal Special Counsel position. There is a genuine opportunity to progress into Partnership as you establish yourself within the firm and contribute to the continued development of the practice.

About the Role

The firm is looking to appoint an experienced Special Counsel – Workers Compensation & Work Injury Damages to join its Parramatta team.

This is a senior file-carriage and practice-development role suited to a lawyer with strong technical expertise across NSW Workers Compensation and WID who is capable of operating with a high degree of autonomy.

You will manage your own portfolio of matters while also having the opportunity to contribute more broadly to the technical development and growth of the team.

Your practice will include:

- Managing complex NSW Workers Compensation matters from initial instructions through to resolution;

- Advising on weekly payments, treatment expenses and other statutory entitlements;

- Managing disputes arising from insurer decisions and work capacity decisions;

- Preparing and progressing permanent impairment claims;

- Advising on and conducting Work Injury Damages claims;

- Assessing employer negligence and common law prospects;

- Obtaining and analysing medical, employment, liability and economic loss evidence;





- Preparing and conducting matters before the Personal Injury Commission;

- Preparing IRO funding applications where required;

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

- Preparing submissions, pleadings, statements and other evidentiary material;

- Conducting conferences, conciliations and settlement negotiations;

- Preparing and progressing litigated WID matters;

- Advising clients on liability, damages and settlement strategy;

- Managing complex and high-value matters through to resolution; and

- Providing technical guidance and mentoring to less experienced lawyers where appropriate.

You will be trusted to run your practice without unnecessary oversight while retaining access to senior support on complex strategic issues.

The Path to Partnership

A significant attraction of this opportunity is the genuine pathway beyond Special Counsel.

The firm is looking for someone who can become an important senior member of the practice and, for the right person, progress to Partner.

The pathway will suit a lawyer who can demonstrate:

- Strong technical expertise across Workers Compensation and WID;

- Consistently strong client outcomes;

- The ability to manage a profitable and well-run practice;

- Leadership and mentoring capability;

- Strong professional judgement;

- The ability to contribute to the development of the broader team; and

- An interest in helping grow the practice over the longer term.

You do not necessarily need to arrive with a large portable client base. The emphasis is on finding a strong senior practitioner who has the capability and ambition to become part of the future leadership of the firm.

For someone who has reached Special Counsel level elsewhere but can see limited opportunity above them, this represents a genuine chance to build toward Partnership rather than wait indefinitely for a position to become available.

About You





You will be an experienced NSW plaintiff personal injury lawyer with substantial Workers Compensation and Work Injury Damages experience.

Ideally, you will have:

- Significant post-admission experience in NSW plaintiff Workers Compensation;

- Strong experience conducting Work Injury Damages claims;

- Deep knowledge of the NSW statutory compensation framework;

- Experience across permanent impairment, statutory disputes and common law damages;

- Strong Personal Injury Commission experience;

- The ability to manage complex matters with a high degree of autonomy;

- Strong drafting, negotiation and litigation skills;

- Confidence dealing directly with clients, insurers, counsel and medico-legal experts;

- Experience mentoring or providing technical guidance to junior practitioners; and

- The ambition to play a meaningful role in the longer-term growth and leadership of a plaintiff practice.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This opportunity combines genuine seniority with a working structure that is different from many traditional plaintiff practices.

The firm offers:

- A genuine pathway from Special Counsel to Partner for the right person;

- A senior position with real influence over the future direction of the practice;

- Genuine carriage of complex Workers Compensation and WID matters;

- A capped active file load;

- Dedicated paralegal and legal secretary support;

- No traditional billable-hour target;

- A strong focus on outcomes and file progression;

- Three days per week working from home for full-time employees;

- Full-time or four-day arrangements;

- Established working hours without an expectation of regular evening or weekend work;

- Modern practice-management systems and AI-assisted legal tools;

- CPD and ongoing technical development;

- Transparent performance incentives; and

- A highly competitive remuneration package reflective of the seniority of the appointment.

This is a particularly strong opportunity for a senior NSW plaintiff lawyer who has already established themselves technically and is now looking for the next genuine step in their career — from senior practitioner to future Partner.

📌 Special Counsel - Workers Compensation & Work Injury Damages - Genuine Pathway to Partner (Parramatta)
🏢 Hooker And Heijden
📍 Parramatta