Advertising feature
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cameron Tout was admitted to practice in 2007 while working with a small firm in Footscray on various areas of litigation, including personal injury, general and commercial litigation, superannuation claims, compulsory acquisitions and criminal defence cases.
In 2008 the firm was acquired by Slater and Gordon, where Cameron then continued to work for the following 10 years. During that time he specialised in personal injury claims in a number of offices, including a five-year period running an office in Warrnambool. Cameron became an accredited specialist in personal injury law with the Law Institute of Victoria in 2013.
“This year I sought out a new challenge and was presented an opportunity to come to Shine Lawyers to manage the Ballarat branch of the firm, to supervise some young lawyers in the Melbourne branch and to run a number of important social justice claims,” he says.
This advertising feature is sponsored by Shine Lawyers Ballarat. Click here for more information.
An average workday for Cameron is spent meeting new people who need assistance to navigate the various personal injury compensation schemes and progressing claims for existing clients. This involves gathering evidence to support clients’ claims, liaising with barristers and medical experts, negotiating with lawyers who act on behalf of WorkSafe, the TAC and public liability insurers, and preparing cases for court hearings.
Cameron says working in law requires a dedication to detailed analysis of evidence, whether that be evidence surrounding how an injury occurred, evidence as to the injuries suffered by clients and their ongoing consequences, or evidence about the financial impact of their injuries.
“Working for people who have suffered injuries also requires an ability to empathise and understand the way a client’s life has changed due to their injury, and to fight to obtain the best possible result for them,” he says.
“I work with a wonderful team of lawyers, law clerks, paralegals and administrative staff in our Shine Lawyers’ Ballarat office,” Cameron says. “As a team we all play important roles in representing people who need assistance due to their injuries. Outside of our team we work with barristers, doctors and court staff to progress clients’ claims through the various stages that claims must proceed through.”
Cameron says helping someone who hasn’t had to deal with a compensation claim before is enormously rewarding.
“My social justice cases, which are test cases on issues of public interest, are of great interest to me and really test my ability to apply what I know to new and unique scenarios.”