Jillian Barrett

In this time, Jillian has gained valuable experience working on behalf of a wide range of people, fighting for fair on their behalf. She is a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) expert, which launched in Queensland on 1 July 2016 and compensates the most seriously injured Queenslanders.

“Ever since I was a child I’ve wanted to be a lawyer and fight against injustice. I’m fortunate to now be living that dream. Practising in this area of the law is incredibly rewarding as it allows me to make a real difference in the lives of ordinary people,” says Jillian.

Jillian studied at Queensland University of Technology where she obtained a double degree in Law and Journalism. She is admitted to practice law in Queensland and the High Court of Australia.

Jillian oversees a number of our Queensland offices and regularly visits these suburban and regional locations. Having grown up in a small beach town on the far north coast of New South Wales, Jillian is passionate about ensuring everyone, particularly those not in a capital city, have access to the best legal representation possible.

Jillian is a compassionate and empathic lawyer who is driven by a desire to fight for the rights of injured people who come up against well-resourced insurance companies. She finds the opportunity to help Queenslanders who need it most to be one of the most rewarding aspects of her work. She is inspired by the firm’s determination to ensure the law should serve everyone, not just those who can afford it and is committed to ensuring that her and her teams achieve outcomes that make a genuine difference in peoples’ lives.

“I’m really driven by my desire to use my skills and experience to help people when they are most vulnerable and are therefore most in need of help.”

What Jillian’s clients say:

“My deepest thankyou to Jillian and all the staff that helped through my injury insurance claim. It was a long hard process after suffering traumatic brain injury and all the unexpected things that go along with it.

Jillian and her staff were always there for advice and support and went into every detail to obtain a very fair outcome with my situation. I could not have got better lawyers to take care of this for me.

I highly recommend Maurice Blackburn. They have all the knowledge and all the right people to achieve the best outcomes. And they are very real and down to earth people that are happy to talk and let you understand what and why things are happening the way they are. After an injury, times can be very tough, and you need the best people by your side and these people are the best people.”

Jillian wins cases that seem unwinnable, and fights for every last cent. Some of these notable cases include:

• A motorcyclist that sustained a significant brain injury after driving into a wooden sleeper that was on the road
• A teenager that was burnt at a house party after an accelerant was thrown on the bonfire

It not just excellent legal outcomes that Jillian is known for. She has also been recognised by her peers in the Doyle’s Guide as a recommended Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Lawyer in 2020. Jillian was also a finalist for the Queensland Law Society Agnes McWhinney Award in 2022.

In addition to her work with clients, Jillian actively supports women’s rights through her membership of Maurice Blackburn’s Women’s Network.

Jillian is the former author of the LexisNexis publication Practical Guidance to Personal Injury in Queensland – Preparation of the Claim, and co-authors a weekly column for News.com.au. She can also regularly be seen on Maurice Blackburn’s TikTok providing information in an easy-to-understand manner. 

Memberships, awards & accreditations

• Queensland Law Society | Personal Injury Accredited Specialist
• Queensland Law Society | Member
• Australian Lawyers Alliance | Member
• Australian Lawyers for Human Rights | Member
• Women Lawyers Association of Queensland | Committee member (Special Projects Chair)
• Doyle's Guide Recommended Lawyer | Motor Vehicle claims – Queensland (2020)
• Queensland Law Society Agnes McWhinney Award | Finalist (2022)
• Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Mentor of the Year | Finalist (2024)
• Lawyers Weekly Personal Injury Partner of the Year | Finalist (2025)