Sophie Pennington

Sophie Pennington specialises in health law, acting predominantly for medical practitioners through their medical defence organisations and private hospitals.

Sophie assists doctors with civil claims, disciplinary matters, coronial inquests, employment disputes and some criminal matters. She assists hospitals with similar dispute and also advises on policy issues.

Sophie is passionate about health law, and believes it is imperative to find a balance between acknowledging the tremendous work done by health professionals in Australia with the need to ensure patient safety.

Prior to returning to private practice, Sophie was the Head of Medical Defence and Service for Australia’s largest medical defence organisation.

Experience

Sophie’s experience includes advising:

  • Australia’s largest medical defence organisation by overseeing and managing the multi million dollar portfolio of claims for Victoria, Tasmania and ACT and managing the respective teams;
  • A medical practitioner in an investigation by the Medical Board of Australia regarding the provision of end of life care, a controversial issue prior to the introduction of the voluntary assisted dying legislation;
  • A team of hospital practitioners on their defence against a claim for failure to diagnose pyoderma gangrenosum in a plaintiff where causation was a live issue;
  • Various medical practitioners in their defence of claims of boundary transgressions; and
  • A medical practitioner involved in Medical Board investigation and coronial inquest into the death of patient undergoing late term termination.

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