PERTH: Expert defendant litigator Toby Whyte has joined insurance law specialists HBA Legal, bringing with her two decades of personal injury expertise.
Whyte has become HBA’s first Special Counsel, after spending over two years with Moray & Agnew as Senior Associate and prior to that a combined 8 years as a lawyer with Jarman McKenna and K N Allan. She has more than 15 years’ experience providing legal services to the Insurance Commission of Western Australia.
HBA’s Managing Director Brett Ablong said Whyte will work across the firm’s Medical Malpractice and Health Law service led by Dr Andrew Lu OAM, as well as Ruth Slater’s Motor Injury Insurance practice. He said this would include a variety of personal injury matters, such as medical treatment liability and motor injury cases, for some of HBA’s key clients.
“Toby is well respected as one of Perth’s best defendant personal injury litigators, particularly when it comes to motor vehicle claims, so having Toby on our team is a big win for us,” Ablong said. “As we grow our health industry portfolio under Dr Lu, Toby will also assist in the resolution of vocational and disciplinary matters involving health practitioners and at inquests involving doctors and hospitals.
“She is renowned for providing timely, proactive claims management advice to her clients based on the principles of early intervention, accurate advice and effective risk management.
“In Toby, we have gained wisdom of experience thanks to her handling of matters involving complex issues of medical causation as well as her ability in giving advice on liability and quantum for dependency claims that arise from more serious accidents,” he said.
Whyte said joining HBA was immediately a very attractive proposition: ““HBA is known for being incredibly innovative in how it services its clients, particularly in relation to its creative yet pragmatic approach to problem solving. She added: “HBA’s approach means that each client’s individual needs can be met by a bespoke fee structure, which takes into account the unique challenges each client faces. HBA works in a collaborative partnership with its clients which, I believe, is the way of the future.
“The legal profession is undergoing great change right now and HBA is at the forefront of that and, now, so am I – that is really exciting personally and professionally.”
Whyte’s employment move is the latest in a string of top appointments for HBA Legal. Just two months ago, HBA welcomed industry leader and pre-eminent WA medical negligence and professional indemnity lawyer, Dr Andrew Lu OAM, to spearhead its Perth based Medical Malpractice and Health Law service. Toby Whyte graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1998 with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts and was admitted to legal practice in 1999. She is a member of the Australian Law Insurance Association, the Law Society of Western Australia and the Western Australian Society of Jewish Jurists.
About HBA Legal
The HBA Group consists of HBA Legal, Pillion and Paratus. HBA Legal was established in 2011 with a mission to challenge the old model of law and bring smart, efficient, commercially savvy solutions to clients. Directors, Nathan Hepple and Brett Ablong, have since gone on to create the HBA Group. HBA lawyers provide the legal advice that makes Paratus unique as a claims management business. Pillion helps HBA Legal and Paratus keep their admin costs down, to support their competitive fees and commercial resilience. This model affords HBA Legal employees opportunities for growth and learning that no other law firm in Australia can offer.
Media contact:
Sarah Tempest 0402 946 603 sarah.tempest@hbalegal.com