Marie-Clare, Partner at Wotton & Kearney has extensive experience in health, medical negligence and personal injury litigation. She has practised in Australia and the United Kingdom in senior in-house roles and is a former clinical nurse specialist in intensive care.

Marie-Clare’s areas of expertise include medical negligence proceedings, coronial inquests, disciplinary and regulatory matters, including AHPRA and National Board Investigations, impaired practitioner hearings, medicare audits and reviews, privacy complaints and hospital inquiries and investigations

Marie-Clare understands of the complexities of health care delivery in hospitals and private practice. As General Counsel of a large hospital Trust in the United Kingdom, she was responsible for the delivery of legal services to 6000 staff and the hospital executive. This included court advocacy, investigation of serious incidents and sitting on the hospital’s ethics committee.

In Australia, Marie-Clare represents individual practitioners and health entities, bringing a unique understanding and empathy, having previously practised as a nurse.

Marie-Clare is passionate about mental health and wellbeing for clients, employees and the community. In 2018 she was appointed to the Board of The Banksia Project and in 2020 the Board of Waves of Wellness. Both are charities which focus on mental wellness. Through W&K, Marie-Clare and her team support vulnerable individuals via the firm’s large pro bono practice. The health team’s nominated charity is Lou’s Place, a women’s drop-in refuge centre. The Health team regularly volunteers and proudly donates time spent on matters to the centre pro bono.

Marie-Clare has lectured at The University of Oxford, UK, The University of Sydney and The University of Technology, Sydney and has recently begun hosting W&K’s Health Law podcast.