Special Counsel
Simon Perrein
Simon has over two decades of expertise practising in both Australia and the United Kingdom, on both sides of the table (experience across both plaintiff and defendant landscapes).
He has broad experience across public liability, product liability, aviation and breach of contract claims, workers’ compensation, recoveries, as well as abuse, medical negligence and motor accident disputes. Today, Simon primarily practices across the areas of public liability and professional indemnity with a specific focus on financial planners and building surveyor disputes.
Thanks to Simon’s wisdom of experience, he brings to each matter an in-depth understanding of the insurance industry and the associated commercial issues surrounding it. In addition, he is well versed at dealing with large volumes of claims concurrently and is no stranger to the Supreme Court, District Court, tribunals or commissions.
Simon’s dual qualifications, experience and knowledge of the procedures and laws in various jurisdictions allow him to have a unique understanding of the various issues within individual cases. He is considered an expert at dealing with the legal, commercial and practical issues faced by clients.
Simon’s clients stem from various industries including financial, real estate, construction, aviation and motor, as well as from the French insurance industry.
His track record extends to hundreds of claims including many precedent setting cases such as the Court of Appeal decision of Renown Corporation Pty Ltd v SEMF Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 233, which is seen as a breakthrough case regarding the assessment of damages in commercial disputes.
Simon has also worked with HWL Ebsworth Lawyers in Sydney, as well as Pierre Thomas & Partners, Clyde & Co and Penningtons Solicitors in the UK. While in England, Simon focused on cross border litigation.
He attained his law degree in France in 1998. He was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales in 2004 and admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2007.
Examples of cases Simon is typically involved with:
- Advising on indemnity and liability exposure of Australian Financial Services Licensees (AFSL) and acting for AFSLs in AFCA and the Courts following on from the rogue conduct of their authorised representatives.
- Advising on indemnity and liability exposure of Australian Victorian and New South Wales building surveyors, following on from claims made against them for defective workmanship.
- Advising on indemnity and liability exposure of New South Wales estate agents following on from claims made against them for negligent services provided.
- Advising on indemnity and public liability exposure of hotels and other accommodation providers in Australia and throughout the Pacific islands jurisdictions with specific expertise in French speaking jurisdictions. By way of illustration, Simon successfully defended a claim made in the Court of Appeal of Papeete, French Polynesia against a hotel following on from an incident where the plaintiff fell from a hammock on the hotel grounds. He also has successfully defended claims made in Fiji and Indonesia following incidents at hotels.
Why clients like him
Simon's areas of expertise
Catastrophic Injury Claims
Catastrophic injury claims involve the severely injured, such as quadriplegics, paraplegics and those with severe brain injuries. These types of claims require…
Compulsory Third Party
HBA provides CTP legal defence to licensed insurers and scheme agents in Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. We combine…
Coverage Disputes & Investigations
Disputes over insurance coverage require careful, technically informed legal strategies. Our coverage disputes and indemnity expertise assists insurers and self-insured entities with…
Directors & Officers Liability
We act in claims arising from alleged mismanagement, breach of duty, or governance failures; ASIC, ACCC and other regulatory investigations; shareholder disputes…
Employment Practices Liability
For small to medium enterprises and private companies, we advise on claims involving unfair dismissal, bullying, harassment, discrimination.
Financial Lines
Our national Financial Lines team is highly respected by insurers, brokers, corporate clients, executives, and professionals. We act in matters involving financial…
General Liability
While public liability, product liability, and property damage represent major segments of the general liability landscape, many other claims fall into specialised,…
Health Law & Medical Malpractice
HBA's Health Law team collectively has decades of experience advising organisations within the health industry, across all principal lines of insurable risk.…
Motor Vehicle
We act for various insurers in the defence and management of motor vehicle claims across Australia, including personal injury (CTP) and property…
Product Liability & Recall
A serious safety issue with a children’s toy; faulty building products; food contamination issues… whatever the specifics of your product liability issue,…
Professional Indemnity
When it comes to professional indemnity matters, our team has complete appreciation that these claims are almost always complex and sensitive. HBA…
Property Damage Liability
HBA’s experience includes both large loss and small property damage claims. Insurers, self-insureds and corporations have come to rely on HBA for…
Public Liability
HBA Legal has unparalleled experience right across the casualty arena, in all States and Territories across Australia. Our track record extends to…
