How to Find Expert Opinion Work

Upcoming Webinars:

There are no upcoming webinars in this series. More may be scheduled at a future date.

Recordings & Resources Available:

The recording is not available to view. The webinars were recorded by ACLM only for the purpose of creating a written pamphlet summarising the webinar. 

ACLM members only: Click here to access the brochure - Expert Opinion Work – A Brief Guide

Webinar #1:  23 MaY 2022

PANEL DISCUSSION:  BUILDING AN INDEPENDENT REFERRAL BASE

 - Is there anything you should know before starting to do expert opinion work?

 - How can you begin to build an independent referral base?

 - How can you get the word out to lawyers about your skills and availability?

 - What challenges might you face, and how can you overcome them?

 - How can you strengthen and promote your skills as an expert opinion provider to build a strong referral base?

MODERATOR

Brad Wright – Barrister, FACLM

Prior to becoming a Barrister, Brad graduated and began practicing as a health practitioner in 1982.  Brad was called to the Queensland Bar in March 2011 where he began private practice at Inns of Court and became a member and Director of Bennett Chambers Group in Brisbane. Brad is both a report writer and requester of reports.

PANEL SPEAKERS

Dr Khaldoon Alsaee – Psychiatry and Pain Medicine

Dr Alsaee is a Specialist Pain Medicine Physician & Psychiatrist at Cortical Health on the Sunshine Coast. He has a special interest in managing injured workers and motor vehicle accident claimants that have psychiatric and/or chronic pain complaints. He continues to dedicate time in providing expert opinion in the form of Medico-Legal assessments through Cortical MedicoLegal for various firms around Queensland, with locations on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, and Townsville.

Dr Mary Frost – Psychiatrist

Dr Frost has been a Psychiatrist for almost 30 years, and is currently in private practice in Darwin. She specialises in medico-legal assessments and Independent Medical Examinations. Knowing when to not accept referrals living and working in a small remote community, has been an important part of that practice.

Dr David Slattery – Orthopaedic Surgeon

Dr Slattery is a hip and knee orthopaedic surgeon from Melbourne who also has dual qualifications in law.  Clinically he has extensive experience in all manner of hip and knee surgery from children to adults, and he also has a keen medicolegal interest.  He initially began independently performing medicolegal reports 5 years ago, and since then he has become a Director of Azure Medicolegal, a prominent Melbourne Medicolegal firm which specialises in providing clinically relevant Medicolegal reports.  David also has a wealth of experience training junior and inexperienced medicolegal consultants and assists them with building their medicolegal practice.

Webinar #2:  6 June 2022

PANEL DISCUSSIONS: 

WORKING FOR LARGER ORGANISATIONS

- How can you begin providing reports for a larger organisation?

 - What do larger organisations look for in an expert?

 - How are reports commissioned?

 - What challenges or pitfalls should you be aware of and how can you overcome these?

 - Can you provide expert opinions both independently as well as for a larger organisation?


REPORTING FOR FORENSIC, CORONER OR POLICE PURPOSES

 - What sort of expert opinions are required for forensic, coronial and police settings, and who can provide these?

MODERATOR

Marnie Manning - Lawyer

Marnie is a lawyer, researcher and academic. She is an ACLM Affiliate member and Council Member. Marnie is a PhD Candidate in Law at Monash University and completed part of her research as a Recognised Student at the University of Oxford.

PANEL SPEAKERS - WORKING FOR LARGER ORGANISATIONS

Dr Mark Woodrow – Emergency Medicine

Dr Mark Woodrow is an Emergency Physician at The Wesley Hospital. He is the emergency representative on the Wesley hospital medical advisory committee, and chairs the Wesley hospital Quality Assurance Committee. For the past five years Mark has worked part time as a claims manager and senior medical advisor with Avant, and commissions reports. He is also the treasurer of the Medico-Legal Society of Queensland.

Dr Michelle Rice - Dental Surgeon, FACLM

Dr Rice is a dual-qualified dental surgeon and lawyer. She sees patients in private practice, where she also provides consultancy and expert witness services on medico-legal matters. A large percentage of her opinion work is from private referrals, principally law firms and Government Solicitors. She is also the NSW consultant for MLCOA and is regularly called upon to provide expert opinion on dental matters both in NSW and interstate. Michelle is also a SIRA Authorised Health Practitioner and Medico-legal Evidence Provider for CTP and motor accident injury matters, and an accredited Permanent Impairment Assessor for Comcare.

Dr Dion Suyapto – Consultant Occupational Physician, FACLM

Dr Suyapto sees patients with complex occupational injuries and completes medico-legal assessment and reports. He is an accredited permanent impairment assessor in South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria. Dion is an ACLM Fellow, Council member and Education Committee member.

PANEL SPEAKERS - REPORTING FOR FORENSIC, CORONER OR POLICE PURPOSES

Dr Adam Griffin – Senior Forensic Physician & Director QLD CFMU, FACLM

Dr Adam Griffin is a Senior Forensic Physician and Queensland’s Director of Clinical Forensic Medicine. Queensland’s Clinical Forensic Medicine Unit provides a 24/7 state-wide service, specialising in coronial investigation, custodial medicine, sexual assault examination, education and training, traffic medicine and forensic and clinical toxicology. Dr Griffin is a founding Fellow of the Faculty of Clinical Forensic Medicine in the RCPA. A Fellow of the Australasian College of Legal Medicine (ACLM) since 2012, Dr Griffin has been President of the ACLM since 2019.

Dr Julian Dodemaide – Forensic Psychiatrist

Dr Julian Dodemaide earned his Fellowship with the Royal Australian and NZ College of Psychiatrists in 2016, and a Certificate of Advanced Training in Forensic Psychiatry in 2017. He is an accredited member of the RANZCP Faculties of Forensic Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, and Adult Psychiatry, and is an Associate Member of the ACLM. He is also a Medical Member of the Queensland Mental Health Review Tribunal, providing independent review of involuntary management of psychiatric patients. 

Dr Dodemaide has experience working in a variety of settings, including with the High Security Inpatient Service and Prison Mental Health Service at The Park Centre for Mental Health, and general adult psychiatry with the Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital and Ramsay Clinic New Farm. He has experience in assessment and rehabilitation of complex patients, the use of forensic risk assessment tools, medico-legal assessments, and providing expert evidence in court. He divides his energies between general psychiatric practice, performing criminal forensic psychiatric assessments, mental health tribunals, and raising a young family. He will commence study on a Bachelor of Laws later in 2022, as he eventually intends to obtain a full Fellowship with the ACLM.