Our Team

Mark has practised in most areas of general civil litigation during his legal career, spanning over 30 years. He provides advice and representation to large self-insured public corporations in a multitude of jurisdictions, covering all manner of workplace issues including workers compensation, unfair dismissal, equal opportunity and bullying and harassment claims.

Mark has acted as file principal in numerous motor vehicle, general personal injury and statutory recovery litigation matters involving the seriously injured. His experience in this area over a lengthy period of time has placed him in an excellent position to appreciate claims which require thorough investigation and involving complex economic loss issues.

With his experience as the former National Manager of a leading Australian law firm’s Quality and Business Management System, Mark brings a lateral approach to the solving of legal issues affecting his clients. That experience also ensures that Mark maintains a strong client focus and is always looking to assist clients in improving their own workplace practices.

Mark has consulted to various large statutory and public corporations in relation to claims management issues, and has been integral to many special projects undertaken in this regard, often involving the establishment of new policies and procedures to help integrate statutory changes into a claims management framework, as well as advice on the application of statutory changes to everyday claims.

Mark has spoken at many industry events, from national conferences to small industry focussed associations, on areas of special interest. He has helped develop and conduct training sessions for many clients, both internally and externally.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Litigation, including workers compensation, statutory recovery claims, public liability, general and compulsory third party insurance
• Employment relations, particularly equal opportunity and unfair dismissal claims
• Work health and safety
• Consulting on claims management issues
• Doyle’s Guide 2018 and 2019 – Leading Workers Compensation Lawyer

MEMBERSHIPS

• Law Society of South Australia
• Australian Insurance Law Association
• Self Insurers of South Australia (SISA) Associate Member (firm)
• Australasian Legal Practice Management Association
• Both Sides of the Fence annual workers compensation seminar organising committee

SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE

• WorkCover Corporation of South Australia (now ReturnToWorkSA) – the pursuing of a number of test cases on their behalf in relation to unique legal and technical aspects arising from the implementation of new legislation, acting as a principle advisor in the area of statutory recovery of compensation payments, consulting to the organisation on claims management and statutory issues, assisting in the creation of alternative dispute resolution processes between statutory corporations, and the creation of documentation recording cost agreements for litigation funding.
• Wesfarmers Group TeamCover SA – advice in relation to workers compensation issues including legal representation, training courses, review of documentation and procedures for injury management, and advice on issues regarding the purchasing of businesses and the claims costs and levy ramifications.
• Bridgestone Australia Limited – assisting and advising on issues arising from large workplace redundancy programs, involving a significant volume of claims finalisation.
• Self Insurers of South Australia – the provision of ongoing workplace training on issues relating to workers compensation and work health and safety.
• Nominal Defendant Scheme – the defence of claims as a result of motor vehicle accidents, involving catastrophic injuries and the application of developing areas in the law of damages.
• TransAdelaide Rehabilitation and Redeployment Unit – consulting with an in-house team and other external providers undertaking a long term project designed to assist in implementing workplace and career change involving long term injured employees.
• Employers Mutual Limited SA – conducting in-house appraisal of their decision making process, and providing feedback for training purposes, and undertaking quality assurance of key decisions made in implementing new statutory provisions.
• Gallagher Bassett Services Pty Ltd – co-joining with them in the presentation of client information updates throughout country South Australia.
• Business SA – overseeing the provision of editorial services to their key client publications.

Tracey was admitted to the Supreme Court of South Australia in 1983. Following a period as an Associate to a Judge of the Supreme Court, Tracey commenced practice in 1986, initially with Aldermans which subsequently became Piper Alderman, a national law firm. Tracey left Piper Alderman to establish KJK Legal with several colleagues from that firm in October 2011.

After more than 30 years in practice, Tracey has developed an extensive practice in workers compensation, work health and safety, and insurance litigation. Tracey acts for both registered and self-insured employers, and her clients include a number of “blue chip” companies.

Tracey has acted as a consultant to a number of clients in providing in-house advice on particular files and/or issues. More recently, she has assisted clients in updating policies procedures as a result of the introduction of the Return To Work Act 2014.

Tracey has expertise in general insurance, particularly public liability claims and recovery claims for self-insured corporate entities. She also has considerable expertise in asbestos and silicosis claims and has been listed in Doyle’s Guide for Recommended Leading Dust Disease Liability Lawyers and Leading Workers Compensation Lawyers.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Workers compensation
• Insurance litigation
• Work health and safety
• Dust disease litigation

MEMBERSHIPS

• Australian Insurance Law Association
• Director/Deputy Chairperson of Maxima Group Ltd
• Australian Institute of Company Directors

SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE

• Assisting clients in reviewing claims as a result of the implementation of legislative amendments.
• Advising self-insured employers on claims management issues.
• Advising registered employers on claims and employment issues.
• Defending asbestos litigation.
• Doyle’s Guide – Leading Lawyer in Workers Compensation and Recommended Lawyer in Workplace Health and Safety and Dust Disease litigation.

Neville specialises in employment law, industrial relations, workers compensation, work health and safety, compliance and enforcement heavy vehicle law matters, and insurance law.  He has over 26 years of extensive experience providing advice and assistance to employers in both litigious and non-litigious matters.

His clients range from multi-national corporations to small local businesses.

He has particular expertise in advising and representing employers of all sizes in all aspects of employment and workers compensation law, from contracts and agreements, through to terminations, where often the combination of injury, performance issues, and potential discrimination claims can pose dilemmas for clients.

As a member of the South Australian Road Transport Association Board, he has first-hand knowledge of the issues confronting the heavy vehicle industry and has represented hundreds of companies, operators and drivers in court when faced with prosecution, assisted in the resolution of charges laid or investigations conducted, as well as providing specialised advice to transport operators in all areas of his expertise.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Industrial relations
• Employment law – dismissals, contracts, underpayment claims
• Workers compensation
• Work health and safety
• Dispute resolution
• Discrimination law, bullying and harassment claims
• Compliance and enforcement heavy vehicle law
• Insurance law
• Fraud investigations

MEMBERSHIPS

• Law Society of South Australia
• Self Insurers of South Australia (SISA) Associate Member
• Australian Insurance Law Association
• South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) Board member

SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE

• Advice and representation on all workers compensation matters and disputes for self-insured and registered employers.
• Recovery actions under the Return To Work Act.
• Advice and representation regarding counselling and dismissal of employees in receipt of workers compensation.
• ReturnToWorkSA Premium Review advice.
• Representation and advice in the pursuit of fraud prosecutions.
• Preparation and review of contracts of employment and independent contractor arrangements.
• Advice and representation in the resolution of industrial disputes.
• Advice prior to termination of employment, unfair dismissal and general protections claims.
• Advice on claims of discrimination and defence of disputes.
• Defence of employment related litigation in federal and state courts and tribunals.
• Advice to vendors and purchasers about employment issues on the sale of business.
• Protection of confidential information.
• Drafting and enforcement of post employment restraints of trade.
• Advice on work health and safety issues, policies and incidents, and representation during investigations and in prosecutions.
• Dealing with SafeWork SA, SA Police and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
• Representation in criminal courts and general advice regarding compliance matters for the heavy vehicle industry.
• Expertise in drafting of medical contracts and advice to medical practices and doctors.
• Debt recovery.
• General civil law matters.
• Contractual disputes.
• Doyle’s Guide – 2021 Recommended Workplace Health and Safety Lawyer.
• Doyle’s Guide – 2021 Recommended Leading Workers Compensation Lawyer.
• Doyle’s Guide – 2020 Leading Workplace Health and Safety Lawyer.
• Doyle’s Guide – 2019 Recommended Leading Workers Compensation Lawyer.

As an expert in workers compensation issues, Chrissy has extensive experience advising on how the Return to Work Act 2014 (SA), and its predecessor the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986 (SA), apply to injured worker claims in South Australia.  With nearly 20 years’ experience, having practised on ‘both sides of the fence’, Chrissy has specialised in workers compensation law since being admitted into practice in 2003.

Her invaluable experience understanding the different perspectives of all the key parties involved in this challenging field, and her ability to develop relationships with all stakeholders in the litigation process, help her efficiently manage and resolve disputes.

Chrissy has provided representation for ReturnToWorkSA and its agents Employers Mutual Limited and Gallagher Bassett for most of her career.  She has also acted for several self-insured and self-managed employers, as well as the Crown.  She has advised clients on their strategies for handling workers compensation claims and represented them in disputes in the South Australian Employment Tribunal, including proceedings in the Full Court of the Supreme Court of South Australia and the South Australian Court of Appeal.

She has acted on a series of significant scheme matters under the Return to Work Act 2014 (SA) and is no stranger to providing detailed and forensic advice, tailored to achieving the optimum results for her clients.

Despite Chrissy’s passion for workers compensation matters, she has appeared in the Magistrates Court and District Court jurisdiction, having also practiced in CTP, public liability, medical negligence, and superannuation law.

In addition to legal representation, Chrissy has provided training to ReturnToWorkSA and its agents on topics relating to the Return to Work Act 2014 and very much enjoys mentoring and developing young practitioners.

Chrissy is fluent in Greek.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Workers compensation
• Work health and safety
• Public liability
• Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance law
• Superannuation
• Medical negligence

MEMBERSHIPS

• Law Society of South Australia
• Self Insurers of South Australia (SISA) Associate Member (firm)
• Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA)

Suzana brings with her a wealth of experience from being on the “other side of the fence”.  Since being admitted to practice in February 2017, she has practiced in numerous areas of law including workers compensation, CTP, public liability, medical negligence, traffic, and basic criminal law.  She has experience in appearing in the District Court and Magistrates Court jurisdiction as well as the South Australian Employment Tribunal.

Over the years, Suzana has devoted a lot of her spare time to volunteer work.  During her years at university, she was instrumental in setting up the Elizabeth Magistrates Court Outreach Service and co-created a project for primary school students with low literacy levels which aimed to engage them with literacy and numeracy.  In more recent times, she has mentored law students, provided them with placement opportunities and guest lectured at university.

In 2018 Suzana was a finalist of the South Australian Law Society’s Young Lawyers of the Year Award.  She was a nominee in the 7 News Young Achiever Awards in 2019 and 2020.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Suzana was recognised as a leader in legal innovation by providing interstate mentoring in the TFL Connect virtual mentoring program.

Suzana is multilingual and is fluent in English, Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Workers compensation
• Work health and safety
• Public liability
• Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance law
• Medical negligence

MEMBERSHIPS

• Law Society of South Australia
• Self Insurers of South Australia (SISA) Associate Member (firm)
• Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA)

Matilda, or Tilly as she is commonly known in-house, commenced working at KJK Legal as a law clerk in January 2022 and transitioned to the position of solicitor upon being admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia in April 2022.

Since joining the firm Matilda has had the opportunity to assist all three directors across a variety of practice areas such as workers compensation, dust diseases, national heavy vehicle law, debt recovery, and more.  She also helps support Neville conduct our industrial relations advice service.

Matilda graduated from the University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management).  As a result of her studies and her previous volunteer work, Matilda has developed a keen interest in supporting employers navigate all things industrial relations and human resources.

Since joining the firm Matilda has also become an important member of our Business SA work, Health and Safety Publication editorial team, and preparing monthly articles about legislative changes in the area.  Matilda has also successfully supported Neville to present on a number of human resources and industrial relations topics at our internal client seminar and private external seminar sessions.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Industrial relations
• Employment law – dismissal, contracts, underpayment claims
• Workers compensation
• Work health and safety
• Compliance and enforcement heavy vehicle law
• Human resource management
• Debt recovery
• Dust disease litigation

MEMBERSHIPS

• Law Society of South Australia
• Self Insurers of South Australia (SISA) Associate Member (firm)
• Australian Insurance Law Association
• Women Lawyers Association of South Australia