Susan Anderson

Susan Anderson
Called to the bar in 2002

Susan Anderson commenced practice at the Queensland Bar in 2003. Her principal areas of practice are personal injury and civil litigation, with a particular focus on psychiatric injury claims and institutional abuse.

Experience/Recent cases

Susan acts for plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury and workers’ compensation matters. She has extensive experience in claims involving workplace psychiatric injury — including bullying, harassment, and overwork — and has conducted a substantial number of civil claims on behalf of people who suffered abuse in childhood. She has appeared for clients at compulsory conferences, mediations, trials, and appeals before the District Court, Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, and the High Court of Australia.

Susan holds a Master of Philosophy in International Law from the University of Queensland (2014) and a Juris Doctor from the University of Queensland (Dean’s Honour Roll; Editor, University of Queensland Law Journal). She served as Associate to the Honourable Justice McPherson of the Court of Appeal from 2001 to 2002. She coaches on the Bar Practice Course and has served on the Queensland Bar Association Professional Ethics Committee, General Litigation and Professional Conduct Committee.

Cases

Wilson v Workers' Compensation Regulator [2026]QIRC 024
Eyles v Sydney Skydivers Pty Ltd [2026]QCA 53
Jorgensen v Superior Pak Pty Ltd [2025]QDC 204
Murphy v Madill [2025]QSC 103
Willmot v Queensland [2024]HCA 42
Townsend v Workers' Compensation Regulator [2022]QIRC 105

Workplace psychiatric injury

Read judgement

AGFAB Engineering Pty Ltd v Aqseptence Group Pty Ltd [2021]VSC

Contract Dispute

Mason v State of Queensland [2021]QDC

Assault at work by supervisor

Ackers v Cairns Regional Council [2021]QSC 342

Psychiatric Injury, overwork and duties of the employer

Read judgement

Isles v State of Queensland [2021]QCAT 135

Discrimination claim against the Qld Police

Read judgement

QFES v Barton Ventures [2021]QMC

Prosecution for breaches of the QFES Act

Robertson v State of Queensland & Anor [2021]QCA 92

Workplace bullying

QFES v Smith [2021]QMC

Sentence for breaches of the QFES Act

Lo v Huang [2020]QCA 97

Trust and Property

Read judgement

Goli v Thompson & Anor [2019]QMC

8 day trial to successfully defend charge of Payroll Tax Avoidance

Colwell v Top Cut Foods Pty Ltd [2018]QDC 119

Assault at work by co-worker

Read judgement

ATO v Craven [2017]QMC

Trial with defence with reasonable steps for failure to file tax  returns

Appointments

Chair, Ann Street Presbyterian Church Trust
Chair, Peirson Memorial Trust
Convenor, Code and Legal Reference Committee PCQ

Education

2017
Appellate Advocacy Course, Australian Bar Association
2014
University of Queensland, MPhil International Law
2013
Advanced Trial Advocacy Course, Australian Bar Association
2009
Trial Advocacy Course, Australian Bar Association
2001
University of Queensland, Juris Doctor
1989
George Washington University, BA International Affairs

Memberships

Queensland Bar Association
Queensland Bar Associaiton Professional Ethics Committee
Professional Conduct Committee - Junior Sub-committee