Biography • Life Sciences - Product Liability

Amanda has extensive experience in advising life sciences companies on complex product liability litigation, regulatory issues, product stewardship and compliance, gained during a 20-year career practising in Australia and the UK. She is currently a global co-chair and sector leader for life sciences in the Asia-Pacific at DLA Piper, and chair of the NSW Branch Committee for AusBiotech.

Amanda specialises in the defence of product liability claims and group and class actions; advising on product risk, insurance and safety issues; and pharmaceutical regulation. Before joining DLA Piper, she spent eight years as a partner in Clayton Utz's product liability group where she jointly headed the national pharmaceutical and medical devices team. Amanda also practised at Lovells (now Hogan Lovells) in London for more than a decade, where she became a partner in 2000.

She has handled a wide range of complex, high-profile and sensitive litigious and regulatory matters for Australian, UK, US and other international corporate clients and insurers. This has involved working across multiple jurisdictions, in legal teams developing international defence strategies, and working with expert medical and scientific witnesses for global class action litigation.

She is experienced in product recall and safety issues, coronial inquests, clinical trials, and risk and reputational management for corporate clients and their insurers. Amanda advises pharmaceutical and medical technology clients on all aspects of the product life cycle including pricing/PBS reimbursement; compliance with regulatory legislation and industry Codes; Medicines Australia Code of Conduct and MTAA complaints and appeals; advertising and labelling of drugs; Administrative Appeal Tribunal appeals; registration of drugs; liaison with regulatory and industry bodies; and health and safety issues arising post registration.

Amanda has advised Australian and international life sciences clients on anti-bribery and anti-corruption (ABAC) legislation affecting Australia, Asia, the UK and the US. She has developed corporate compliance programmes in relation to ABAC legislation; the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct; Therapeutics Goods legislation and regulations; and consumer protection legislation. Amanda is published and she speaks widely on biopharmaceutical issues, product liability, pharmaceutical regulation, anti-bribery and compliance issues.

Her expertise has been repeatedly recognised by global directories including PLC's Which Lawyer? Life Sciences (the law and leading lawyers worldwide) for product liability and regulatory areas, 2005 to 2012; the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Product Liability Lawyers from 2007 to 2011; the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Litigation and Product Liability Lawyers, 2012; the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law, 2012; The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, 2012 and 2013; The International Who's Who of Product Liability Defence Lawyers, 2011 and 2012; and Who's Who of Australian Women from 2006 to 2012.

Biography • Product Liability Defence

Amanda has extensive experience in advising companies on complex product liability litigation, regulatory issues, product stewardship and compliance, gained during a 20 year career practising in Australia and the UK. She is currently a global co-chair and sector leader for life sciences in Australia and the Asia-Pacific at DLA Piper.

Amanda specialises in the defence of product liability claims and group and class actions; advising on product risk, insurance and safety issues; and pharmaceutical regulation. She joined DLA Piper in June 2011 after eight years as a partner in Clayton Utz's product liability group where she jointly headed the national pharmaceutical and medical devices practice team. Amanda also practised at Lovells (now Hogan Lovells) in London for more than a decade, where she became a partner in their product liability group in 2000.

She has handled a wide range of complex, high-profile and sensitive litigious and regulatory matters for Australian, UK, US and other international corporate clients and insurers. This has involved working with in-house counsel and external lawyers across multiple jurisdictions, in legal teams developing international defence strategies, and working with expert medical and scientific witnesses for global product liability litigation.

Amanda has advised manufacturers, other companies in the supply chain and their insurers on product liability claims, regulatory compliance and risk management across a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices and technology; household consumer products; transport and motor vehicles; telecommunications; and food and beverages.

She is experienced in product recall and safety issues, coronial inquests, clinical trials, and risk and reputational management for corporate clients and their insurers. Amanda advises pharmaceutical and medical technology clients on all aspects of the product life cycle including pricing and PBS reimbursement; compliance with regulatory legislation and industry Codes; Medicines Australia Code of Conduct and MTAA complaints and appeals; advertising and labelling of drugs; Administrative Appeal Tribunal appeals; registration of drugs; liaison with regulatory and industry bodies; and health and safety issues arising post registration.

Amanda has expertise in advising Australian and international corporate clients on anti-bribery and anti-corruption (ABAC) legislation affecting Australia, Asia, the UK and the US. She has developed corporate compliance programmes in relation to ABAC legislation; the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct; Therapeutics Goods legislation and regulations; and consumer protection legislation.

Amanda is published and she speaks widely on biopharmaceutical issues, product liability, pharmaceutical regulation, anti-bribery and compliance issues. Her expertise has been repeatedly recognised by various global directories including PLC's Which Lawyer? Life Sciences (the law and leading lawyers worldwide) for product liability and regulatory areas, 2005 to 2012; the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Product Liability Lawyers from 2007 to 2011; the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Litigation and Product Liability Lawyers, 2012; the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law, 2012; The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, 2012 and 2013; The International Who's Who of Product Liability Defence Lawyers, 2011 and 2012; The International Who's Who of Life Sciences Lawyers 2013; and Who's Who of Australian Women from 2006 to 2012.

Amanda graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts and in 1988 with a Bachelor of Laws (with honours by dissertation in international law). Between those degrees, she completed her general nursing training and, in the 1980s, worked as a registered nurse in both paediatric and adult hospitals.

Advising life sciences companies on product liability, regulatory, and product risk issues has enabled Amanda to combine her knowledge of and interest in health and pharmaceutical issues with the law. Amanda is a member of the Defense Research Institute (US); the Australian Product Liability Association; the Australian British Chamber of Commerce; and the City of London Solicitors' Company.