Skip to main content
Michelle Dixon20200415

Michelle Dixon

Chairperson

Michelle is a partner of Maddocks, an Australian law firm with offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. She was the firm’s CEO between 2014 and 2020.

Michelle is a member of a number of advisory and fiduciary boards including In-Life Independent Living Limited, The Nature Conservancy, Women and Leadership Australia and Global Sisters Limited.

A strong advocate for women in leadership, Michelle’s contribution to the profession was recognised by being awarded both the Victorian Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership and Executive of the year at the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards in 2016, and in 2019 being named as NSW Women Lawyers’ Change Champion of the Year.

Danny Barlow

Danny Barlow

Committee Member

Danny has practiced as a solicitor in Victoria since being admitted to practice in 1996. He is currently a director of Dawes & Vary Riordan, a large regional law firm with multiple offices in various regional towns including Shepparton, Kyabram, Rochester and Tatura.

Danny practices primarily in agribusiness, commercial litigation and employment law. In addition to his legal practice, Danny is a former executive member of the Law Institute of Victoria, including serving as President in 2009. He has also served as a director of the Law Council of Australia. He remains a member of the Ethics Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria.

In addition to an honours degree in law from the University of Melbourne, Danny holds a Bachelor of Science from Charles Sturt University for which he was awarded the University Medal.

Danny was first appointed to the Committee in 2018.

Adrian Finanzio

Adrian Finanzio SC

Committee Member

Adrian signed the Victorian Bar Roll in 1998, was appointed Silk in 2012 and is a leading Victorian barrister practising in the areas of planning and environment, local government, and major projects. He brings to LPLC a broad range of skills arising from the various committees on which he serves, including Barristers Chambers Limited, the Bar Readers Course Committee (as Vice Chair) and the Victorian Planning and Environment Law Association (as Vice President) and as a past member of the Victorian Bar Council.

Nicole Rich20200415

Nicole Rich

Committee Member

Nicole is the Executive Director, Regulatory Services and Director, Consumer Affairs at the Victorian Department of Justice & Community Safety, and was formerly the Executive Director Family, Youth and Children’s Law and for the Gippsland region at Victoria Legal Aid.

Experienced as a consumer advocate and in the development of legal research and policy, including as a former Director Policy and Campaigns at the Consumer Action Law Centre, Nicole has also worked as a lawyer across private practice and within the community legal sector. She was admitted to practice in 2001. Nicole has also served on a number of public interest boards and committees including as Chairperson of CHOICE (2013–2017).

Fiona Schutt

Fiona Schutt

Committee Member

Fiona is the Executive General Manager, Corporate Services at Melbourne Water.

With qualifications in accountancy and business administration and a focus on policy, strategy and influence, Fiona’s career has included senior positions across both the public and private sectors.

Fiona has many years of experience in organisational governance and has held board positions at Bendigo Kangan Institute, Mambourin Disability Services, National Institute of Circus Arts and Thornbury Women’s Community House.

As a leader, Fiona is passionate about achieving exponential value through high performance cultures and believes that when value identification, creation and optimisation is understood and driven by all employees, the greatest results are achieved.

Terracall Lucy Colour

Lucy Terracall

Committee Member

Lucy Terracall is a partner at Clayton Utz and over a career spanning more than 15 years, has provided advice on insurance matters to some of Australia’s largest financial institutions, ASX listed companies, multinational corporations, Commonwealth and State Government agencies.

A regular advisor on major infrastructure projects, Lucy has worked on insurance and risk issues for some of the largest and most complex Victorian-based projects over the past decade. Lucy also routinely acts for policyholders in coverage disputes.

Lucy is affiliated with several professional organisations including Women in Insurance, the Law Society of Victoria, Australian Insurance Law Association and the Victorian Women Lawyers Association.

Mark Valena head shot

Mark Valena

Committee Member

Mark has held several leadership roles in the insurance and health sectors, serving as director, CEO and executive.

For 13 years Mark served as CEO of GMHBA Limited, a top 10 health insurer and regional health care provider. Major features of his leadership focussed on revitalising the organisation’s purpose, strategy, scale and culture.

In addition to his role on the Committee, Mark is now the chair of a general insurer, and a non-executive director of three other entities including a disability services organisation, a medical professional indemnity organisation and a health insurer.

Mark brings a wealth of experience in insurance, including in professional indemnity. He has a deep understanding of strategy development, capital and financial management, reinsurance, and risk management.

Mark’s appointment to the Committee commenced in January 2022.

Justin Toohey 2x

Justin Toohey

Chief Executive Officer

Justin was appointed as Chief Executive Officer from 1 January 2018. He was Deputy CEO at LPLC from 2005 with primary responsibility as Head of Claims. Prior to joining LPLC, Justin’s career spanned five years in a senior executive position with the Institute of Architects’ professional indemnity scheme and 15 years in private legal practice including time as a partner with Tress Cocks & Maddox specialising in professional indemnity litigation acting as a panel solicitor to LPLC.

Paul Quayle

Paul Quayle

Chief Operations Officer

Paul was appointed as Chief Operations Officer from 31 January 2022. Prior to joining LPLC Paul’s leadership career spanned the healthcare, transport, technology and education sectors, including five years as COO of a private healthcare company in New Zealand. Paul has a passion for sustainable, people-centric business, and is a strong advocate for the use of technology and data in achieving business goals.

Martin Dohnt

Martin Dohnt

Chief Financial Officer

Martin joined the Committee as Chief Financial Officer in January 2014.

Martin manages the accounting, finance and payroll functions.

Bernie Mallia

Bernadette Mallia

Corporate Services Manager

After working in the property/leasing department of several city law firms, Bernadette joined the Committee in 1988. In addition to supervising the annual renewal of insurance and overseeing the maintenance of the LPLC database, Bernadette is the reference point for insured practitioners, LPLC service providers and other stakeholders.

Jodie potts 2x

Jodie Potts

Head of Claims

Prior to joining LPLC in January 2018 Jodie was a partner in the professional indemnity team of Moray & Agnew, Melbourne, having joined that firm in 2006 from Herbert Geer & Rundle. Jodie is an experienced insurance litigator who has worked for Australian and international insurers across a range of businesses (professional indemnity, directors’ and officers’ liability, management liability, financial lines, employment practices liability and construction risks). Jodie has strong property and commercial dispute resolution experience.

Cameron Forster

Cameron Forster

Claims Solicitor

Cameron is a claims solicitor who, prior to joining LPLC, had 14 years working in insurance litigation (primarily professional indemnity) at both Connery & Partners and Moray & Agnew, followed by a further 10 years in a suburban law firm with a focus on civil and commercial litigation.

Bronwyn Hine 2 00160129x C305 E

Bronwyn Hine

Claims Solicitor

In the 10 years prior to joining LPLC, Bronwyn worked in private practice in Victoria and South Australia as a professional indemnity solicitor. She joined the Committee in 2006 from the Melbourne office of specialist insurance firm Moray & Agnew. Bronwyn also spent 5 years at a Law Claims panel firm in South Australia.

Rebecca Kelton

Rebecca Kelton

Claims and Risk Solicitor

Rebecca joined LPLC in 2020 following 15 years in private practice at two large national law firms as a commercial disputes and insurance specialist. Rebecca has extensive experience in managing complex professional indemnity claims and advising corporate insureds on risk management issues and their insurance programs.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee

Claims Solicitor

Prior to joining LPLC in June 2019, Ryan practised professional indemnity insurance litigation for 19 years with HWL Ebsworth, Moray & Agnew and Sparke Helmore. Ryan also practised commercial litigation in Singapore for around 5 years before coming to Australia. He was the State Editor of the Australian Insurance Law Bulletin for a number of years.

John Mc Girr

John McGirr

Claims Solicitor

Prior to joining LPLC in October 2022, John worked in private practice for 10 years, practicing in the areas of commercial litigation and professional indemnity litigation, including as a Panel Solicitor for LPLC since he was admitted to practice. John brings to LPLC broad and extensive litigation, personal injury, and dispute resolution experience.

Alix Osborn

Alix Osborn

Claims Solicitor

Prior to joining LPLC in January 2020, Alix worked in private practice for 16 years, practicing in the areas of commercial litigation and insurance and professional indemnity litigation, including as a Panel Solicitor for LPLC. Alix brings to LPLC broad and extensive litigation and dispute resolution experience.

Kirin Mathews

Kirin Mathews

Head of Practice Risk Services

Kirin has more than 20 years of experience in private legal practice and joined LPLC in October 2022 after more than 7 years with Lander & Rogers as their Legal Risk Manager. Prior to that she was employed at DLA Piper for over 10 years, having previously worked at Maurice Blackburn.

Kirin’s experience has been developed across both large and small firms located in country Victoria as well as within the Melbourne CBD.

She is passionate about fostering a proactive culture of risk management within firms and empowering practitioners to take action and stay vigilant about emerging risks.

Stephen Bubb Photo 1 1024x1024 00160094x C305 E

Stephen Bubb

Risk Manager

Stephen joined the Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee as a Risk Manager in January 2016 after 18 months at the Law Institute of Victoria and over 30 years in private practice. He has 20 years of practical experience as a legal practice manager and a focus on practice management issues.

Fabian Horton Headshot

Fabian Horton

Risk Manager

Dr Fabian Horton is a risk manager with over 20 years of experience spanning both litigious and transactional practice areas. Fabian graduated with his Bachelor of Laws in 2001 and his Master of Laws with honours in 2006. He was awarded his PhD in law and technology in 2021.

Fabian commenced his legal career at Gadens, followed by the Australian Government Solicitor and the Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII). In 2006, Fabian transitioned into regional practice, which included a role as principal solicitor of a rural Community Legal Centre and the establishment of his own firm where he originally practiced general law before focusing on privacy, cyber law, and legal risk management. Fabian has also held various academic positions at the College of Law, Victoria University, and the Australian Catholic University.

He has served on various boards and committees and is currently the Director and Chair of the Australasian Cyber Law Institute, Chair of the Law Council of Australia's Future's Committee and an executive member of the Technology and Innovation Committee at the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV). In these roles Fabian has been instrumental in investigating and promoting a wide range of emerging legal issues and trends within the legal profession.

Fabian lives with his family in rural Victoria where they enjoy working with their horses, playing sport, and attending the local farmer's markets.

TOP