Richardson & Lyons

What Richardson & Lyons does

Richardson & Lyons is a privately held boutique law firm headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, founded in 1991. The firm specialises in personal injury claims (workers' compensation, motor vehicle accidents, public liability, total and permanent disability/superannuation insurance, silicosis and dust-related disease, psychological injury, and brain injury) and employment law matters (dismissals, harassment, discrimination), acting exclusively for employees on the employment side. It operates from four Queensland offices (Brisbane CBD, Gold Coast Robina, Ipswich, and Logan) and offers intake by telephone, Microsoft Teams, or in person, including after-hours appointments.

The firm runs a "No Win, No Fee" conditional fee arrangement as its primary commercial model for personal injury matters: clients pay nothing upfront, the firm funds all case disbursements, and fees are only recovered from successful claims, subject to Queensland's 50/50 Rule. Employment law services use fixed fees or discounted hourly rates, particularly through the Open Door Project, which is positioned as an accessibility initiative for clients who would otherwise face barriers to representation. The firm markets itself through SEO-led content, a blog/insights section, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and a referral network that includes medical providers and community legal centres; team members also volunteer at Caxton Legal Centre.

Richardson & Lyons is led by Principal Lawyer Emma Davidson (personal injury since 2009) and Legal Counsel Eloise Dalton (employment law, back-to-back Community Legal Centre Lawyer of the Year 2024 and 2025). The senior bench includes Special Counsel Beth De Laurence and Associate Vicki Warren, supported by a Lawyer, a Paralegal, and two Legal Assistants. The firm publicly claims a 35-year track record with no client having paid adverse costs to an insurer since founding, and its revenue, ownership structure, and financial performance are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Richardson & Lyons

Legal name

Richardson & Lyons

Website

https://richardsonandlyons.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Richardson & Lyons is a Brisbane-based boutique personal injury and employment law firm serving Queensland claimants across four offices, operating primarily on a No Win No Fee model with fixed-fee employment services via its Open Door Project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Injury & Employment Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAAAM

Personal Injury & Insurance Defense

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

SECONDARYBPAHAAAD

Employment & Labor Law

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

Keywords

• Personal injury law
• Workers compensation claims
• Employment law services
• Motor vehicle accident claims
• Public liability claims

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Personal Injury - No Win No Fee (Conditional Fee): The firm handles all personal injury claims on a 'No Win - No Fee' conditional fee arrangement. Clients pay nothing upfront. The firm pays all outlays required for the claim, including if the case is unsuccessful. The firm only receives payment if the client recovers damages. This is the primary revenue model for injury claims.
2. Employment Law - Fixed Fee/Hourly Rate: Employment matters use flexible fee structures including fixed fees or discounted hourly rates, particularly through the Open Door Project initiative which provides fairly priced employment law advice for people who might otherwise face barriers to quality representation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Richardson & Lyons is a Brisbane-based boutique law firm providing plaintiff-side personal injury and employment law services to individuals in Queensland, Australia. The firm represents injured workers, motor vehicle accident victims, and employees in claims spanning workers' compensation, motor vehicle accidents, public liability, total and permanent disability (TPD) and superannuation claims, silicosis, psychological injury, brain injury, and employment disputes. Personal injury matters are typically offered on a "no win, no fee" basis, with free initial consultations.

Product overview

Richardson & Lyons is a boutique personal injury and employment law firm based in Brisbane, Queensland. The firm offers a unified suite of legal services centred on personal injury claims (workers' compensation, motor vehicle accidents, public liability, TPD/superannuation insurance, silicosis, psychological injuries, brain injuries) and employment law matters (workplace disputes, harassment, discrimination). Services are delivered through their core legal practice areas, supplemented by the Open Door Project for accessible employment law advice. The firm operates on a no win, no fee basis for personal injury matters, providing free initial consultations across all service lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Open Door Project: An initiative by Richardson & Lyons to make quality employment law services more accessible to people who might otherwise face significant barriers to obtaining representation, offering flexible fee structures including fixed fees or discounted hourly rates.

Products and services

• Workers' Compensation Claims Legal representation for workers who have sustained injuries in the course of employment in Queensland, pursuing entitlements under the state's workers' compensation scheme. Offered on a no win no fee basis.
• Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Legal representation for individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents in Queensland, pursuing compensation through the compulsory third party (CTP) insurance scheme. Offered on a no win no fee basis.
• Public Liability Claims Legal representation for individuals injured in public places or as a result of negligence by occupiers or other parties, pursuing public liability compensation. Offered on a no win no fee basis.
• Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) and Superannuation Claims Legal representation for individuals unable to work due to injury or illness, pursuing total and permanent disability (TPD) benefits and other entitlements from superannuation funds. Offered on a no win no fee basis.
• Silicosis Claims

Quantifiable outcome

• No client has ever had to pay costs to an insurer since 1991

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Slater and Gordon: National plaintiff law firm with substantial personal injury, motor vehicle accident, and employment law practices. Listed-status alternative to boutique operators, but operates on the same conditional fee model for PI claims and competes for the same client base in Queensland.
• LHD Lawyers: National personal injury law firm with strong Queensland presence offering workcover, CTP, public liability, and TPD claims on a no win, no fee basis. Direct competitor targeting the same individual claimant segments with similar conditional fee economics.
• Shine Lawyers: One of Australia's largest personal injury law firms with a Queensland presence. Operates on similar no win, no fee conditional fee arrangements for PI claims and offers employment law services, directly competing for the same client segments in Brisbane and South-East Queensland.
• Henry Carus + Associates: Boutique plaintiff law firm with a strong employment, sexual harassment, and discrimination practice. Particularly comparable to Richardson & Lyons's employee-side employment law and Open Door Project positioning.
• Maurice Blackburn: Major Australian plaintiff law firm with a leading personal injury practice (workcover, motor vehicle accidents, TPD) and employment law capabilities. Direct competitor for the same plaintiff-side clientele across Queensland offices, particularly in complex and class-action-adjacent matters.
• Turner Freeman Lawyers: Mid-sized Australian personal injury and employment law firm with offices across multiple states. Similar plaintiff-side focus on workcover, CTP, public liability, and employment disputes, providing a comparable boutique-to-mid-market alternative for Queensland claimants.
• Trilby Misso Lawyers: Queensland-focused personal injury law firm specialising in workcover, motor vehicle accident, and public liability claims. Closely comparable in geographic focus, service mix, and boutique positioning within the Brisbane and South-East Queensland market.
• Alliance Compensation & Litigation Lawyers: Brisbane-based personal injury and compensation law firm handling workcover, CTP, and public liability claims. Directly comparable boutique plaintiff firm competing for the same Queensland claimant market on similar no win, no fee terms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RichardsonandLyons
• Instagraminstagram.com/richardsonandlyons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/richardson-&-lyons

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Richardson & Lyons