About Shine
We passionately support those who have had enough, dare to speak out, deserve to be heard and demand justice. As one of Australia’s largest litigation law firms, we are here to help you get the justice you deserve. It’s what we do, and we work hard to understand your story. And while each case is different, our approach remains reliably the same – hardworking, straight-talking, and always prepared.
At Shine Lawyers, we put you first. We’ve been standing up for the rights of everyday Australians for over 45 years.
We are passionate about improving the lives of others and we aren’t afraid to take risks.
Our team are driven by our three core values:
We always stand up for the little guy
We stay ahead of the pack
We dare to be different
We see you; we hear you and our team of legal experts are here to support and empower you to make a stand against injustice and right wrong.
Why choose Shine
Our expertise and approach is why we’re ahead of the pack. We’ll stand with you and guide you through the process every step of the way in your pursuit for justice.
We are here for you
We care. We listen to truly understand your situation and provide you tailored advice.
Your dedicated team of legal experts are on your side and with you every step of the way.
We regularly check-in when it suits you to discuss critical milestones, explain a legal document or just see how you are.
Your privacy is of great importance to us, so your case and personal details will be kept confidential and secure at all times.
We are honest
We are upfront about your case so you know where you stand.
We keep you informed so you know what’s next.
There won’t be any surprises about fees.
We take action
We progress your case as quickly as possible whilst securing the best result.
We value and promptly act on the feedback you provide about our service.
We do everything in our power to right your wrong so you receive the justice you deserve.
Community and partnerships
We are proud to support our clients and the communities we work and live in across Australia and New Zealand, to ensure everyone – regardless of their background and circumstances – has access to the justice they deserve.
Our history
It all started in 1976 in Toowoomba, Queensland. A country lawyer named Kerry Shine dared to be different and stand up for the little guy. From our humble beginnings to becoming one of the first law firms in the world to be publicly listed, we have a rich history to share.
1976
K.G Shine & Co. Established by Kerry Shine in Toowoomba, Queensland.
1981
Stephen Roche joins K.G. Shine & Dean as an Articled Law Clerk.
1988
Stephen Roche joins Kerry Shine in the partnership known as 'Shine Roche'.
Simon Morrison begins as a young Articled Law Clerk with Shine Roche.
1990
Shine Roche merges with Murdoch Philips & McVeigh to become Shine Murdoch.
1994
The Brisbane office opens with Simon Morrison leading the expansion into first capital city location.
1995
The firm becomes known as Shine Roche McGowan and develops a strategic focus to specialise in Personal Injuries Litigation.
1999
Shine Lawyers launches their first Class Action against McDonalds.
2004
The firm enters the Victorian market with a joint venture start-up practice called 'Workforce Legal' in Melbourne.
2006
Kerry Shine becomes the Attorney-General of Queensland.
Shine Roche McGowan rebrands to become Shine Lawyers.
2008
Shine expands into Western Australia by opening an office in Perth.
Shine commences a strategic alignment with Erin Brockovich.
2010
Shine expands into New South Wales opening an office in North Sydney.
Shine establishes the Shine a Light Foundation.
2011
Shine diversifies into new areas of law including; superannuation, first-party insurance, travel and transport law and commercial litigation.
2013
Shine Lawyers lists on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and becomes one of the first law firms, globally, to be publicly listed.
2014
Shine acquires 'Stephen Browne Personal Injury Lawyers' in Western Australia.
2015
Shine opens their first office in New Zealand with the acquisition of Andrew Hooker Lawyers in Auckland.
Shine acquires Bradley Bayly Legal in Western Australia.
2020
Shareholders approve renaming Shine Corporate to Shine Justice Ltd, a simple but significant step to reflect our strong commitment to justice and to our purpose, culture and values.
Shine’s 54 branches across Australia and New Zealand continue to produce outstanding client outcomes during the tumultuous challenges of Covid-19.
2021
Shine opens offices in South Australia, Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
Shine Lawyers celebrates its 45th birthday.
Shine’s Co-Founder, Stephen Roche publishes ‘The Right Side of Wrong,’ about Shine’s origins and the clients who shaped Shine.
2022
Shine launches its ‘Restitution’ podcast, inspired by Stephen Roche’s book ‘The Right Side of Wrong’.
For the first time, Shine has more than 1000 team members.
2023
Shine establishes an entity in the USA with a view to litigate future class actions and international mass torts.
Shine celebrates the tenth anniversary of listing on the ASX.
Shine welcomes new team members from a successful recruitment program in the United Kingdom.
Shine successfully integrates its Case Tracker app, allowing Queensland clients to access information about their workers’ compensation, public liability and motor vehicle accident claims as they progress.
2024
Through Shine’s class actions work, we secure an historic apology on behalf of the state of Western Australia, to Aboriginal men, women and children for unpaid wages between 1936 and 1972.
Shine’s class action work secures an historic apology from the federal government to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory for unpaid wages between 1933 and 1971.
Shine A Light Foundation celebrates ten years of community grants to our charity partners, including The Good Box, Eat Up, Indigenous Literary Foundation, Red Rose Foundation, the Pyjama Foundation, mindDog Australia, Dolly’s Dream, SecondBite, Hear For You and Starlight Children’s Foundation.
2025
Shine is recognised by Legal500 as a leading firm for class actions.
Cases that shaped Australian Law
Toowoomba Preparatory School & Anglican Archdiocese of Brisbane
At a time when child abuse was rarely spoken of this case lifted the lid on institutional abuse, forcing the government to launch the Royal Commission and question child safety regulations. This case ultimately led to a record-breaking judgment, a book, a movie, the resignation of the Australian Governor-General and major reform in the area of child protection.
Exposing a national crisis: toxic dust diseases
What if you knew that installing a new kitchen bench had cost a life? Having run some of Australia’s first dust claims on behalf of stonemasons, our toxic exposure, silica and dust disease team have helped reshape Australian legislation around toxic dust exposure. Righting wrong they tirelessly helped clients receive the compensation they deserve.
Johnson & Johnson Mesh Class Action
It was meant to be a medical miracle – a single piece of mesh and a “quick surgery” could fix urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse. The “life-changing mesh” turned out to be anything but a miracle, leaving thousands of women in excruciating and debilitating pain. We formed the largest class action in Australian history, holding the pharmaceutical giants who tried to silence thousands of women to account.
Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids Ride
It was a tragic afternoon in 2016 that many Australians will never forget – four people were violently killed on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld. After a long inquest, the case seemed over and everyone ready to move on... But what about the Dreamworld staff and first responders to the accident? How were they coping after what they’d witnessed? Try telling anyone at Shine that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or psychological injury is a myth or a weakness.
PFAS Contamination Class Action
‘Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances’(PFAS) is a chemical found in firefighting foam used by Australian defence forces on their air bases. But for farmers in the small country town of Oakey, it contaminated and devalued thousands of acres of their land. We launched a class action against the Department of Defence which were responsible for one of the biggest and most expensive environmental disasters Australia has ever seen.
Living Pell - A father bringing evil to justice for his son
George Pell – a man once feared and revered in equal measure- spent his final years fighting allegations he’d sexually abused two choir boys. This is the story of a father’s fight for justice against one of the most powerful members of the catholic church’s global organisation.
Northern Territory Stolen Generation Class Action
In April 2021, our Class Action team launched a landmark claim against the Commonwealth on behalf of survivors of the Northern Territory Stolen Generations. We reached a $50 million settlement for more than 1700 family members and deceased estates. Nothing will ever repair the broken families, but this historic settlement was an important step in the healing process.
Clients who shaped Shine Lawyers
Paul Draper & Peter
A horrific accident involving a meat mincer and a man’s arm occurred at the KR Castlemaine meat factory. We represented not only the man who lost his arm, but the man who was forced to witness the incident. A monumental case that gave a voice to everyday Australians suffering Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD) at a time when mental health wasn’t front and centre.
McDonalds Mix & Match Class Action
We pulled up our socks to take on one of Australia’s biggest fast-food giants for our first ever class action. Although we didn’t achieve the result we worked hard for, our team displayed resilience, fearlessness and perseverance that has become the backbone of our DNA today.
Kenneth Charlesworth
Ken was a client who had a long-lasting impact on our dust disease legal expert, Roger Singh. A digger in WWII and diagnosed with asbestos cancer, his claim was particularly complex. But the team left no stone unturned to uncover the story, gather the evidence and ensure Ken received the compensation he deserved.
Zorko Zabic
Standing up to giants – A mesothelioma victim who set a new legal precedent Zorko was a Yugoslavian immigrant working in torturous conditions with a material that would eventually kill him. His fight for justice after a mesothelioma diagnosis took a mining giant to the High Court of Australia, cemented Shine's reputation as the pre-eminent force in dust diseases litigation.
Chrys Barker
Critically injured in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, Chrys suffered a severe brain injury, confining him to a wheelchair and in need of 24-hour care. When the insurer recommended Chrys live out his life in an aged care facility, our Brain Injury team were determined to bring him home, securing his future in what is believed to be the biggest single personal injury settlement amount in Queensland.
Neil Tarlinton
After sustaining a severe back injury at work, 41-year-old Neil was struggling mentally and emotionally; he was close to giving up. With his mental health deteriorating, he tried to take his own life. What began as a workers' compensation claim, soon saw our legal experts from multiple service areas, join forces to prove the “impossible” and get Neil back on his feet.
Ashleigh Simraj
At just 23, Ashleigh took her last breath after a gruelling battle with skin cancer. Two doctors failed to provide her with thorough medical testing and by the time a third doctor diagnosed her melanoma it was too late. Our Medical Negligence team not only brought justice but raised national skin cancer awareness and helped make Ashleigh’s dream come true – marrying the love of her life.
Deborah McKenner
Deborah McKenner’s childhood ended the year she turned 14. Untreated Vietnam War trauma led to Deborah’s father tragically taking his life, and her mother’s. Eight days later, Deborah and her three siblings moved into orphanages and never again spent a birthday or Christmas together. Deborah believes her parents’ deaths were preventable, had there been appropriate mental health support as her father transitioned from serving his country into civillian life. Supported by Shine Lawyers’ Chief Legal Officer Lisa Flynn, Deborah bravely told her story to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
Annie and Birdie
Alleged medical negligence during Annie’s antenatal care and labour led to Birdie suffering Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) at birth. Birdie’s HIE caused dystonic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and consequential global development delay. Our Medical Negligence team were honoured to represent Annie and Birdie and secure record-breaking financial damages for Birdie’s lifelong care.
Karl Brand
A car accident at a busy Brisbane roundabout caused serious injuries that were catastrophic to Karl Brand’s way of life. Every daily activity at work and home has been impacted by significant, debilitating pain. Our Motor Vehicle Accident team helped Karl secure a financial settlement, to move forward into a new chapter in his life.
With 42 offices and over 1000+ team members located across Australia supporting our community, we're here to help.
Restitution Podcast
Hear the power of restitution as we delve into the captivating stories of our courageous clients who were ready to right wrong.
Shine Book: The Right Side of Wrong
Uncovering the harrowing stories of Shine's real heroes - our clients, from co-founder Stephen Roche.
Shine Justice
Shining the light on injustice to make the world a better place, one client at a time.
Celebrating 45 years of standing up for everyday people’s rights.
