David Poulton
Consultant, Melbourne
My legal expertise focuses on insurance, personal injuries claims, corporate risk, administrative law and media litigation, and I have represented private, government, insurance, and corporate clients, and government and non-government schools, in various insurance, risk, and liability matters.

I have a particular interest in claims involving the education sector, including workers compensation, and public and product liability claims. In developing my practice in this area over several decades, I have managed numerous personal injury and other tortious claims in the education sector and other sectors, including hundreds of claims over the past thirty years relating to institutional abuse.

Career Highlights

  • Acting as client service partner for the Victorian Department of Education since 1994 serving their negligence and litigation team on a wide variety of claims including historical abuse matters.
  • A major workers compensation insurer and regulator – acting for this client since 2001 including serving as a client service partner on the insurer’s personal injury claims panel from 2005-2022, managing a team of approximately 20 lawyers and handling a substantial portfolio of claims.
  • Government and media clients – advised on matters concerning media law, including providing prepublication advice and representation in defamation and contempt litigation.
  • Various private educational institutions advised on a wide range of insurance and risk litigation and risk management advice.
  • Various sporting bodies – acted in disciplinary matters on behalf of these organisations.
  • State and Commonwealth governments – advised in relation to risk management and litigation issues.