Lauren Burke

Profile

Lauren is a senior junior with a busy trial practice. Primarily unled and often opposed to silk. Lauren runs trials in the Supreme and County Courts including damages trials, recovery trials, and OMs unled for defendants. Lauren practises in personal injury including workers compensation, public liability, recoveries, medical negligence, coronial inquests, and transport accidents. Recent trials include: 

Damages trials

• Damien Bell v Mirvac Real Estate Pty Ltd [2025] VSC, unled opposed to three silks in damages trial;
• VWA v CPB Contractors Pty Ltd & Anor [2025] VSC, unled opposed to two silks in VWA recovery trial;
• TAC v Banyule City Council & Anor [2026] VSC, unled running recovery trial opposed to silk;
• Evrenkaya v The Tank It Group Pty Ltd & Ors [2026] VCC, jury trial;
• Petrlic v Mayfield Childcare Centre [2026] VCC, won jury trial;
• Nesim v Spotless Facility Services Pty Ltd [2025] VSC, jury trial;
• Causevic v G8 Education Ltd [2025] VCC, Workcover jury trial;
• Camilleri v Norstar Recycling Pty Ltd [2025] VCC, Workcover jury trial;
• Mifsud v Westar Prestige Paint & Panel Pty Ltd [2024] VCC, Workcover jury trial;
• VWA v AAPC Properties Pty Ltd [2023] VCC, unled for the VWA in recovery case;
• Repici v Rentokil Initial Pty Ltd [2022] VCC 365, successful for the VWA against self-represented litigant;
• Stevens v DP World [2021] VCC 2154, successful for the VWA in complex bullying damages trial (both heads);
• Xu v Diver Foods Pty Ltd [2021] VCC 824, successful for the plaintiff (awarded $700,000) in WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
• Muller v Klosed Pty Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 360, multi-defendant WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
• Gambian v Spotless Services & Anor [2020] VCC 1407, WorkCover damages trial (both heads), appeared for the second defendant and case resolved against client during trial;
• Correa v He & Ors [2021] VCC 679, public liability personal injury trial;
• McLeod v Mainfreight Distribution Pty Ltd [2020] VCC 2012, WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
• Lloyd v Heathscope Limited [2020] VCC 2032, WorkCover damages trial (both heads);
• Many recovery proceedings on behalf of the VWA unled;

Appellate work and judicial review

• Stevens v DP World Melbourne Ltd [2022] VSCA 285, appeal of bullying damages' case;
• Museums Victoria v Susnjara [2021] VSCA 166, construction of ss134AB(21);
• Allycia Kierce v Djerriwarrh Health Services [2024] VCC, judicial review
• Akbari v VWA & Ors [2022] VSC 84, judicial review of medical panel opinion in serious injury application;
• Yum v Owczarek & Ors [2022] VSC 262, judicial review of medical panel opinion regarding surgery;

Recent successful OMs for defendants unled

• Rusic v Acecrete Victoria Pty Ltd [2025] VCC 442 successful for defendant unled and serious injury application dismissed;
• Fudyma v Hanson Australia (Holdings) Pty Ltd  [2024] VCC 825, successful for defendant unled and plaintiff's two both head serious injury applications dismissed;
• Delaney v VWA [2024] VCC 797, successful for defendant unled and plaintiff's both heads serious injury application dismissed, judgment confirmed on appeal;

Originating motions and applications 

• Sittrop v State of Victoria (ruling no 3) [2025] VCC 667, obtained permanent stay for the defendant;
• Sittrop v State of Victoria [2024] VCC (ruling no 1 and ruling no 2), two successful strike out applications;
• Nikitas Tyrikos v TAC [2024] VCC 1711, successful for TAC;
• Sharif v VWA [2024] VCC 1662;
• Clements v VWA [2024] VCC, unled for VWA in serious injury application;
• Allen v VWA [2024] VCC, unled for VWA in summary judgment application;