Our history
The practice, the causes, and the law.
Three threads run through Carter Capner Law’s history: a practice that has carried many names, a record of speaking up on civil justice, and the laws that changed around both.
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Thread 1 · The practice
Every name on the door
Partners joined, practices merged and the name on the door changed. Every name, oldest first.
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1944
Richardson Carter & Co
Arthur “Ted” Carter and William Richardson establish the practice in Brisbane.
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1953
Carter, Capner & Stewart
Formed by bringing together Richardson, Carter & Co; McGregor, Capner & Stewart; and James Crawford & Williamson.
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1956
Carter Capner & Co
Ted Carter and Fred Capner establish Carter Capner & Co.
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1970
Ted Carter
Ted Carter practises as a sole practitioner.
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1978
Ted Carter & James Carter
James Carter joins Ted Carter in the practice.
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1981
Ted Carter, James Carter & Peter Carter
Peter Carter joins the practice.
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1984
Ted Carter, Peter Carter & Paul Carter
Paul Carter joins the practice.
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1987
Carter Capner Solicitors
The practice returns to the Carter Capner name.
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1995
Peter Carter
Peter Carter takes over the leadership of the practice.
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1998
Carter Capner Lawyers
The practice becomes Carter Capner Lawyers.
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2002
Peter Carter & Ian Brown
Peter Carter and Ian Brown lead the practice.
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2005
Carter Capner
The practice becomes Carter Capner.
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2008
Carter Capner Law
Part of the practice is sold to Slater & Gordon. Peter Carter keeps Carter Capner Law.
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2014
Carter Capner Law
Carter Capner Law becomes an incorporated legal practice.
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Today
Carter Capner Law
Led by Peter Carter, Legal Practice Director, with offices at Brisbane CBD, Woolloongabba and Browns Plains.
Our people
Two turning points
An independent Carter Capner Law
Part of the practice is sold to Slater & Gordon. Peter Carter keeps Carter Capner Law, which continues as its own practice.
An incorporated legal practice
Carter Capner Law becomes an incorporated legal practice under the Legal Profession Act 2007 (Qld), with Peter Carter as Legal Practice Director.
Thread 2 · The causes
Campaigns, by theme
Most of this record is Peter Carter’s: as a practising lawyer, and in the senior roles he has held in civil justice reform. It is listed as the roles held and campaigns run, by theme.
Peter CarterLegal Practice Director
- Australian Lawyers AllianceFoundation National Councillor, inaugural Queensland President and a National President
- Civil Justice Foundation of AustraliaDirector
- Queensland Law SocietyServed on its Accreditation Board and Competition & Consumer Law committee
- Aviation Law Association of Australia and New ZealandNational Councillor and Queensland Chair
Injured workersWorkers’ compensation, thresholds and common law rights. 1992–1996
- 1992 Freedom of informationCalled for Freedom of Information access to workers’ compensation and the other statutory bodies that decide injury compensation. QLD
- 1995 Queensland Workers’ Rights CoalitionCo-founded the Coalition. QLD
- 1995–96 Injury thresholdsLed the campaign against proposed injury thresholds for workers’ compensation, and wrote its leaflet and submissions. QLD
- 1996 “Under the Axe”Led the APLA and Coalition campaign to keep common law damages for workplace injuries. Queensland’s “money or the box” choice came out of that debate. QLD
- 1996 The Kennedy CommissionCo-wrote APLA’s submission and appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into workers’ compensation, then wrote the Coalition’s critique of its recommendations. QLD
- 1996–97 The WorkCover Queensland BillCampaigned against the Bill’s injury thresholds for common law claims and its changes to journey claims, and lobbied the cross-bench. QLD
Injury law and insuranceCTP, civil liability, costs and the insurance industry. 1994–2026
- 1994 Motor accident claimsCampaigned against the CTP changes in the Motor Accident Insurance Act. QLD
- 1996 Medicare and compensationCampaigned on how Medicare benefits are recovered from injury compensation. CTH
- 2002 Insurance Reform CampaignFounded the campaign during the national insurance crisis. CTH
- 2002 New limits on injury claimsCampaigned against the limits in the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act and the Civil Liability Acts, and against the Ipp Review’s recommendations. QLD · CTH
- 2007 Insurance industry reviewCalled for a commission of review into Australia’s insurance industry. CTH
- 2008 Insurer profitsCalled for an inquiry into the insurance industry’s profits. CTH
- 2010 Civil liability reformCampaigned for reform of Queensland’s civil liability laws, and observed the Coalition’s campaign on WorkCover amendments. QLD
- 2022 Costs for injured peopleCalled for reform so wrongdoers pay the legal costs of the people they injure.
- 2026 Cyclist protectionCalled for stronger laws to protect cyclists on Queensland roads. QLD
Air travel and overseas injuriesAirline liability, recreational flying and Australians hurt abroad. 2003–2023
- 2003 The Montréal ConventionCampaigned for Australia to adopt the Convention for international air travel. CTH
- 2008 Ratify the Montréal ConventionCalled for Australia to ratify the Convention without delay. It came into force for Australia on 24 January 2009. CTH
- 2015–17 Injured overseasCampaigned for Australians injured overseas to be able to sue under Australian law, in an Australian court. CTH
- 2022–23 Recreational flyingCampaigned to remove the ‘dangerous recreational activity’ exemption from liability for light aircraft and helicopter flights.
- 2023 People on the groundCampaigned for compulsory aircraft accident insurance to cover good Samaritans on the ground. CTH
The profession and the right to knowFounding bodies, ethical standards and access to information. 1994–2008
- 1994 APLA in QueenslandFounded the Queensland branch of the Australian Plaintiff Lawyers Association (APLA), now the Australian Lawyers Alliance. Elected its foundation Queensland President and a foundation National Councillor. QLD
- 1996 APLA’s first national conferenceChaired the inaugural national annual conference. CTH
- 1997 A code of conductWrote APLA’s code of conduct for its members, and co-chaired its second annual conference. CTH
- 1998 Civil Justice FoundationCo-founded the Foundation. CTH
- 1998–99 National President of APLALed APLA nationally. CTH
- 1999 Tort Reform InstituteCo-founded the Institute. CTH
- 2005 The public’s right to knowCampaigned against restrictions on information about personal injury compensation in Queensland. QLD
- 2008 Access to informationCampaigned against restrictions on public access to information about injury compensation in Queensland. QLD
Families, consumers and propertyWrongful death, property agents and motor dealers. 2009–2018
- 2009–14 Property agents and motor dealersCampaigned for reform of the Property Agents and Motor Dealers Act. QLD
- 2012 “Bust”Peter Carter’s book on Queensland’s post-GFC property collapse, as it played out in the courtroom. QLD
- 2018–21 Wrongful death damagesCampaigned for reform of the damages available to families after a wrongful death.
Thread 3 · The law
Then, and what it means now
Queensland and Commonwealth laws that shaped compensation claims, and what each one means if you make a claim today. General information only; your own situation is worth a conversation.
| Year | The law, then | What it means for a claim now | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | Workers’ Compensation Act 1916The foundation of Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme until 1990. | Replaced in 1990. Today’s scheme runs under the 2003 Act. | QLD |
| 1936 | Compulsory third party insuranceQueensland makes insurance against injuring others on the road compulsory for motor vehicles. | CTP insurance is still paid with every Queensland vehicle registration. | QLD |
| 1974 | Limitation of Actions Act 1974Sets the general time limits, including three years for most personal injury claims. | The three-year limit still applies to most injury claims, and some claims have earlier notice deadlines. | QLD |
| 1990 | Workers’ Compensation Act 1990Replaces the 1916 Act, with increased benefits and a focus on rehabilitation. | Replaced in 1996, then by the 2003 Act. | QLD |
| 1994 | Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994Restructures CTP claims and creates the Motor Accident Insurance Commission. | Still governs CTP claims, starting with the notice of accident claim. | QLD |
| 1995 | Health and Other Services (Compensation) Act 1995Medicare benefits paid because of an injury are repaid from the compensation. | A settlement can still need to repay Medicare benefits paid for the injury. | CTH |
| 1996 | WorkCover Queensland Act 1996Follows the Kennedy Commission of Inquiry, and rewrites workers’ compensation law. | Replaced by the 2003 Act. | QLD |
| 2002 | The Ipp ReviewA national review of the law of negligence, commissioned during the insurance crisis. | Its recommendations shaped the civil liability laws that apply across Australia. | CTH |
| 2002 | Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002The steps most injury claims must take before court. | Most public liability and medical negligence claims follow its pre-court steps. | QLD |
| 2003 | Civil Liability Act 2003How negligence is decided and how damages are assessed. | Decides how damages are assessed, including the scale for general damages. | QLD |
| 2003 | Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003Replaces the 1996 Act: WorkCover benefits, and common law claims against employers. | Today’s workers’ compensation law: statutory benefits, and common law claims against employers. | QLD |
| 2007 | Legal Profession Act 2007Includes the 50/50 rule on fees in personal injury claims, and incorporated legal practices. | Our professional fees can’t be more than half of what you receive, after refunds and outlays. | QLD |
| 2009 | Montréal Convention in forceFrom 24 January 2009, it sets airline liability when a passenger is injured on an international flight. | Claims for injuries on international flights are made under it. | CTH |
| 2013 | A threshold for workers’ common law claimsWorkers need more than 5% permanent impairment to sue their employer. | Replaced in 2015. | QLD |
| 2014 | Property Occupations Act 2014Replaces the Property Agents and Motor Dealers Act from 1 December 2014. | Now the law on property agents’ conduct in Queensland. | QLD |
| 2015 | The threshold is removedFrom 31 January 2015, the 5% threshold no longer applies. | For injuries from 31 January 2015, no 5% threshold applies. | QLD |
| 2022 | Claim farming bannedQueensland bans claim farming in personal injury claims. | Paying, or being paid, to refer an injury claim is an offence. | QLD |
| 2024 | Workers’ compensation amendmentsChanges that follow the 2023 review of Queensland’s scheme. | Part of the scheme that applies to work injury claims today. | QLD |
1916Workers’ Compensation Act 1916
ThenThe foundation of Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme until 1990.
What it means nowReplaced in 1990. Today’s scheme runs under the 2003 Act.
QLD1936Compulsory third party insurance
ThenQueensland makes insurance against injuring others on the road compulsory for motor vehicles.
What it means nowCTP insurance is still paid with every Queensland vehicle registration.
QLD1974Limitation of Actions Act 1974
ThenSets the general time limits, including three years for most personal injury claims.
What it means nowThe three-year limit still applies to most injury claims, and some claims have earlier notice deadlines.
QLD1990Workers’ Compensation Act 1990
ThenReplaces the 1916 Act, with increased benefits and a focus on rehabilitation.
What it means nowReplaced in 1996, then by the 2003 Act.
QLD1994Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994
ThenRestructures CTP claims and creates the Motor Accident Insurance Commission.
What it means nowStill governs CTP claims, starting with the notice of accident claim.
QLD1995Health and Other Services (Compensation) Act 1995
ThenMedicare benefits paid because of an injury are repaid from the compensation.
What it means nowA settlement can still need to repay Medicare benefits paid for the injury.
CTH1996WorkCover Queensland Act 1996
ThenFollows the Kennedy Commission of Inquiry, and rewrites workers’ compensation law.
What it means nowReplaced by the 2003 Act.
QLD2002The Ipp Review
ThenA national review of the law of negligence, commissioned during the insurance crisis.
What it means nowIts recommendations shaped the civil liability laws that apply across Australia.
CTH2002Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002
ThenThe steps most injury claims must take before court.
What it means nowMost public liability and medical negligence claims follow its pre-court steps.
QLD2003Civil Liability Act 2003
ThenHow negligence is decided and how damages are assessed.
What it means nowDecides how damages are assessed, including the scale for general damages.
QLD2003Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003
ThenReplaces the 1996 Act: WorkCover benefits, and common law claims against employers.
What it means nowToday’s workers’ compensation law: statutory benefits, and common law claims against employers.
QLD2007Legal Profession Act 2007
ThenIncludes the 50/50 rule on fees in personal injury claims, and incorporated legal practices.
What it means nowOur professional fees can’t be more than half of what you receive, after refunds and outlays.
QLD2009Montréal Convention in force
ThenFrom 24 January 2009, it sets airline liability when a passenger is injured on an international flight.
What it means nowClaims for injuries on international flights are made under it.
CTH2013A threshold for workers’ common law claims
ThenWorkers need more than 5% permanent impairment to sue their employer.
What it means nowReplaced in 2015.
QLD2014Property Occupations Act 2014
ThenReplaces the Property Agents and Motor Dealers Act from 1 December 2014.
What it means nowNow the law on property agents’ conduct in Queensland.
QLD2015The threshold is removed
ThenFrom 31 January 2015, the 5% threshold no longer applies.
What it means nowFor injuries from 31 January 2015, no 5% threshold applies.
QLD2022Claim farming banned
ThenQueensland bans claim farming in personal injury claims.
What it means nowPaying, or being paid, to refer an injury claim is an offence.
QLD2024Workers’ compensation amendments
ThenChanges that follow the 2023 review of Queensland’s scheme.
What it means nowPart of the scheme that applies to work injury claims today.
QLDThese laws set strict time limits. Some notices are due within months of an injury, so ask early.
Today
What this history means for your claim
The rules in your claim have a history
Time limits, pre-court steps and thresholds came out of the reforms on this page. Knowing why they exist helps us work within them for you.
Costs set out before we start
No win, no fee* on the injury claims we accept, the 50/50 rule on our fees, and a written costs agreement before any work begins.
A lawyer runs every claim
Peter Carter leads the practice, and a lawyer runs every claim, with paralegals and support staff working alongside.
No win, no fee*. *Outlays may still be payable.
FAQ
Questions about our history
Short answers. Your own situation is worth a conversation.
Is Carter Capner Law part of Slater & Gordon?
No. Part of the practice was sold to Slater & Gordon in 2008. Peter Carter kept Carter Capner Law, which continues as its own practice.
Who runs Carter Capner Law today?
Peter Carter is the Legal Practice Director. Carter Capner Law is an incorporated legal practice, and a lawyer runs every claim, with paralegals and support staff alongside.
Do you still act for injured workers?
Yes. Work injury claims, including WorkCover benefits and common law claims against employers, are a large part of what we do.
Where can I read the firm’s public comment?
Our media statements page collects Peter Carter’s comment on legal reform, aviation safety and insurance.
Talk to us about your claim
A no-obligation first consultation. A lawyer reads every enquiry, and we will be in touch within 1–3 business days.
No win, no fee*. *Outlays may still be payable.