Jacinta Smith
Special Counsel, Sydney
I am an insurance and litigation lawyer with a speciality in health law. I have extensive experience in complex medical malpractice litigation, coronial inquests and special commissions of inquiry acting on behalf of government agencies, individual medical practitioners, private hospitals, visiting medical officers, local health districts as well as acting for multiple government agencies.

I have over 10 years' experience as a litigation lawyer, with a particular focus on health liability claims. During this time I have acted in the defence of complex medical malpractice claims, including acquired brain injury and wrongful birth cases, as well as coronial inquests and special commissions of inquiry.

I am known for my litigation and strategy skills as well as assisting clients to navigate complex and sensitive litigation and inquiries, as well as managing high profile matters.

Career highlights

  • Representing the interests of NSW Health, Ambulance NSW and Western Sydney Local Health District in the Music Festivals Inquest which investigated the death of 6 young people who died during or just after attending music festivals in NSW between December 2017 and January 2019.
  • Representing the interests of NSW Health, Northern Sydney Local Health District and NSW Ambulance in the 'Opiates Inquest', a comprehensive inquest examining Fentanyl misuse in NSW.
  • Acting for South Western Sydney Local Health District and successfully defending an alleged failure by Wollongong Hospital to timely diagnose and treat a dehisced wound, resulting in a permanent stoma: Hawkins v South Western Sydney Local Health District [2020] NSWDC 308.