Scientific Meeting: Expert Conclaves & Concurrent Evidence

Wednesday, 29 April 2026 Level 33, 201 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000

The expert conclave and concurrent evidence process raises questions that go to the heart of expert witness practice, from the code of conduct and procedural challenges in joint conferences, to whether the mandated process is delivering its intended benefits. How do legal and clinical obligations intersect, and where do they pull in different directions?

Join us for a discussion that goes to the heart of these questions with three speakers who bring exceptional depth of experience across medicine, the bar, and the management of expert evidence.

Guest Speakers

Dr Seamus Dalton Rehabilitation Physician & Sports and Exercise Medicine Specialist. Dr Dalton holds dual specialist qualifications in Rehabilitation Medicine and Sports and Exercise Medicine, with additional research fellowships in Rheumatology and Orthopaedics. Having maintained an active clinical practice for over 40 years, he is a long-standing advocate for the principle that clinical expertise—not medicolegal volume—is the essential foundation of a credible expert report.

Vanessa Thomas SC Senior Counsel Appointed silk in 2024, Vanessa appears regularly in the NSW Supreme, Federal, and ACT Supreme Courts. With extensive experience in medical negligence, professional negligence, and coronial matters, her practice includes complex class actions and novel tort claims. She brings to the bar a 20-year career as a solicitor, including tenure as a partner at Mallesons in Hong Kong.

Richard Cheney SC Senior Counsel Appointed silk in 2011, Richard practises at the NSW Bar in construction, infrastructure disputes, and professional negligence. He is frequently appointed to facilitate joint expert conferences—a role informed by his earlier career as a site engineer. This technical background uniquely shapes how he engages with experts across disciplines to reach clear, independent conclusions.

Event Details

Following the presentations and Q&A, please join us for drinks and canapés, kindly sponsored by Makinson d'Apice Lawyers.

• 5:30-6pm – Arrival drinks

• 6:00-7:15pm – Scientific Meeting & Q&A begins

• 7:15-9:00pm – Networking with drinks and canapés

Venue Makinson d'Apice Lawyers

Level 33, 201 Elizabeth Street

Sydney NSW 2000

We look forward to welcoming you to an evening of rigorous discussion and good company.