Berrill & Watson

What Berrill & Watson does

Berrill & Watson is a specialist plaintiff superannuation and insurance law firm headquartered in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, with a second office in Brisbane. It acts exclusively for individuals against large insurers and super funds, handling Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) claims, income protection claims, death and terminal illness claims, general insurance disputes, financial advice disputes, and Business Interruption Insurance (BII) class actions. The firm is led by principals John Berrill (practising in the field since 1993) and Paul Watson, alongside directors Tom Cobban and Patrick Williamson-Hill, supported by senior associates, lawyers, paralegals, a consumer advocate (Norm McMurray), and operational staff across the two offices.

The firm's revenue model is built on outcome-based legal fees with no-win/no-fee terms: fixed fees are calculated at the outset of each matter based on the work required, are proportional to the benefit received, and are never charged if the claim is unsuccessful. It also offers a free initial interview and free cover check. The firm states that its fees are sometimes more than 50% lower than competitors, which is a central part of its value proposition for vulnerable claimants. The team of 16-20 includes five principals/directors, two lawyers, senior associates, a consumer advocate, practice management, pre-claims, and paralegal staff, and handles matters across Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, and the Northern Territory.

Client acquisition is driven by content marketing (SuperTalk Blog, educational videos), a 'Lawyers on the Road' outreach program, and a referral network anchored in disability support groups, financial counsellors, Legal Aid, and social workers. Principal John Berrill and consumer advocate Norm McMurray hold board positions at organisations such as the Consumer Action Law Centre, Chronic Illness Alliance, Grampians Disability Advocacy, FCVic, and the Travel Compensation Fund, which both generate referrals and signal regulatory and consumer-credibility standing. Documented client outcomes include over $880,000 in TPD and income protection benefits recovered for a client with Multiple Sclerosis and $325,000 for a claimant following six years of advocacy.

Name

Berrill & Watson

Legal name

Berrill & Watson

Website

https://berrillwatson.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Berrill & Watson is an Australian plaintiff superannuation and insurance law firm that represents individuals against large insurers in TPD, income protection, death and terminal illness, and general insurance disputes, operating on a no-win/no-fee basis from offices in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plaintiff Insurance Law

NAICS

Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Claims Advocacy & Loss Recovery Services (FSAEADAH)

Keywords

• Plaintiff insurance law
• TPD claims services
• Income protection claims
• Superannuation dispute resolution
• Insurance claim advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Moonee Ponds

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal fees for TPD and disability insurance claims: The firm charges fixed fees calculated based on the amount of work required for each claim. Fees are fixed at the beginning of each matter, providing clients with certainty. The firm operates on a 'no win, no fee' basis, meaning no fees are charged if the claim is unsuccessful. Fees are calculated based on the amount of work to be done and are proportional to the benefit received. The firm states it charges much less than competitors, in some cases more than 50% less.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Berrill & Watson is a plaintiff superannuation and insurance law firm that acts for everyday individuals against large insurance companies and super funds. The firm specialises in lodging and disputing Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) claims, income protection claims, death and terminal illness claims, general insurance disputes, financial advice disputes, and business interruption insurance class actions. The firm operates on a no-win/no-fee basis with fixed fees set at the beginning of each matter.

Product overview

Berrill & Watson is a plaintiff superannuation and insurance law firm offering legal services to individuals seeking to claim disability insurance benefits. The firm operates as a single-service practice centered on TPD Claims and Income Protection Claims as the primary service offerings, supplemented by Death & Terminal Illness Claims, General Insurance disputes, Financial Advice Disputes, and Business Interruption Class Actions. Additional support resources include the Chronic Illness InfoHub for educational content and the SuperTalk Blog featuring case studies and industry guidance. The firm operates on a 'no win, no fee' basis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TPD Claims
• Income Protection Claims
• Death & Terminal Illness Claims
• Superannuation & Insurance
• General Insurance
• Financial Advice Disputes
• Business Interruption Insurance Class Actions

Quantifiable outcome

• Recovered over $880,000 in TPD and income protection benefits for a client with Multiple Sclerosis who hadn't worked since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Consumer Action Law CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Berrill serves as a board member of the Consumer Action Law Centre, a leading consumer advocacy organisation in Victoria. The firm works closely with this organisation on consumer rights matters.
• Chronic Illness AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Berrill is a board member of the Chronic Illness Alliance, an organisation supporting people with chronic illnesses who may be entitled to insurance benefits through superannuation.
• Travel Compensation FundminorOthersJohn Berrill serves as a board member of the Travel Compensation Fund.
• Superannuation Complaints Tribunal Advisory CouncilminorOthersJohn Berrill is a past member of the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal Advisory Council.
• Grampians Disability AdvocacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorm McMurray, the firm's consumer advocate, serves as chair of the board of Grampians Disability Advocacy, an advocacy organisation assisting people with disabilities in regional Victoria.
• FCVic (Financial & Consumers Rights Counsellor, now the peak body for financial counsellors in Victoria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorm McMurray was previously a board member of Financial & Consumers Rights Counsellor (now FCVic), the peak body for financial counsellors in Victoria — a key referral network for the firm.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hardings Compensation Lawyers: Australian plaintiff firm with a focus on insurance, superannuation, and disability claims. Comparable in claimant-side insurance and TPD dispute work, with similar customer demographics and no-win/no-fee structures.
• Gordon Legal: Melbourne-based plaintiff law firm with a recognised superannuation and insurance claims practice. Closely comparable in geography and service mix, sharing a similar plaintiff-side specialisation in TPD and insurance disputes.
• AJB Stevens Lawyers: Plaintiff superannuation and insurance law firm assisting individuals with TPD, income protection, and life insurance disputes. Comparable as a specialist claimant-side firm competing in the same niche and customer segment.
• McAuley Hawach Lawyers: Brisbane-based specialist TPD and superannuation insurance law firm. Closely comparable in claimant-side specialisation and Queensland footprint, operating in the same product and dispute categories.
• View Legal: Australian plaintiff superannuation and insurance law firm with a specialist TPD/IP claims practice. Comparable on niche claimant focus and service model, also marketing accessible fee structures to individuals with rejected claims.
• Bannister Law: Australian superannuation and insurance law firm representing claimants in TPD, income protection, and life insurance disputes. Closely comparable on niche focus and plaintiff-side claimant advocacy in the same product categories.
• Stewart Law: Australian plaintiff superannuation and insurance law firm specialising in TPD and income protection claims. Comparable as a specialist competitor targeting the same claimant population with similar service offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Maurice Blackburn: One of Australia's largest plaintiff law firms with national reach across personal injury, superannuation, and insurance disputes. Comparable as a plaintiff-side superannuation and insurance law practice, but with a much broader portfolio and a larger corporate profile.
• Shine Lawyers: Large Australian plaintiff law firm handling superannuation, insurance, and disability claims at national scale. Comparable on service offerings (TPD, income protection, total and permanent disability claims) but with a much larger headcount and broader practice mix.
• Slater and Gordon: Major listed Australian plaintiff law firm with a strong superannuation and insurance practice. Comparable in delivering plaintiff-side super/insurance services, but operates as a national multi-practice firm with significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/berrillwatson
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berrillwatson

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berrill & Watson