Bruce Thomas Lawyers provides specialised insurance legal services from its offices in Brisbane and Sydney, to insurers, employers, self insurers and statutory corporations throughout all regions of Queensland and New South Wales.

The firm has been designed to be different in its provision of legal services – to remove the usual inefficiencies which impede the delivery of quality services and value.  We do not have excessive delegation, time costing, inaccessible partners or inefficient administrative processes.  Our goals are guided by the simple question – what will get the best result for our client?

Established in 2002 by Bruce Thomas, Bruce Thomas Lawyers aimed to provide an alternative from the traditional law firm, with the inherent inefficiencies and costly methods, so commonly experienced by clients.

Through creating an environment for talented professionals to develop and shine, through creating an unquestionable culture of communication, efficiency and client focus, BTL has in a short time period, become established as the leading firm in the field of insurance law in Australia.

The values of the firm are focused on providing our people with the best possible environment to excel and providing unquestionable value to our clients.

With the belief that traditional law firm methods of time based billing promotes high costs and inefficiency and that unnecessary organizational layers hinders communication and performance. BTL operates with a fixed fee billing system, allowing greater transparency and ultimately undisputable value.

Our commitment to communication and partnership results in a more empowered team and clients that know they can speak to a managing lawyer without wading through layers of beaurocracy.

We have been involved in numerous important cases including:

• Pugin v WorkCover Queensland – claimant’s claim struck out, compliance issues
• Karanfilov v Inghams Enterprises – claim struck out, WCRA abolishes claim for loss of consortium
• Castillon v P&O Ports Ltd No 1 – , no estoppel against insurer from notice of assessment
• Castillon v P&O Ports Ltd No 2 – limitation extension application struck out as abuse of process
• Beverley v Hill-Douglas – Plaintiff’s action dismissed – no duty to warn of obvious risk
• Wilkinson v Stevensam and Ors – claimant not entitled to proceed with claim, complex entitlement issues
• Canavan v Steffens and others – PIPA does not prevent employer seeking contribution from third party
• White v Calstores Pty Ltd – Plaintiff’s action dismissed, employer not liable for criminal assault by third party
• Cranston v Consolidated Meat Group Pty Ltd – action dismissed, employer not liable for assault by employee
• Davis v JanJolly Pty Ltd – Plaintiff’s action dismissed, proven that no injury sustained despite unsafe work practices
• Handover v Teys Bros (Beenleigh) Pty Ltd – Plaintiff not entitled to pursue claim for statutory non-compliance
• WorkCover Queensland v Amaca Pty Ltd – Landmark High court case on insurer’s right of recovery (asbestos)

Bruce Thomas Lawyers achieved the Quality Standard ISO9001, a futher testament to the services offered.

Since the firm was created it has grown with the addition of carefully selected professionals in areas of law consistent with the firm’s specialisation and coherent with the firm’s culture.

Team Profiles