Get to know Suzanne Sharwood: Two decades of personal injury practice
Suzanne Sharwood is a Special Counsel at Maliganis Edwards Johnson, bringing over two decades of dedicated service to personal injury law since beginning her career in 2000.
She is approachable, supportive, and genuinely caring, qualities her clients are quick to point out as important contributors to a great experience working with Suzanne.
“I’ll admit I’m a people person,” says Suzanne.
“I love to hear my clients’ stories and help them get out of a tough spot. The best part of my job is when a case is complete, and I can give my client that sense of relief.”
Suzanne has built her reputation working on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants throughout her impressive career, establishing herself as a well-respected and skilled personal injury lawyer across several local and national law firms. In particular, Suzanne is a workers’ compensation specialist with extensive experience dealing with workplace injuries.
After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University, Suzanne dove into the demanding world of personal injury law, where she quickly found her calling in helping clients navigate complex legal processes during some of their most challenging times.
Her expertise extends beyond the courtroom. For many years, Suzanne served as a committee member of the ACT Branch of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) and has contributed articles to both the ALA’s Precedent magazine and the ACT Bar Association’s Bar Bulletin, sharing her knowledge with the broader legal community. She is also a member of the ACT Law Society’s Civil Litigation Committee which keeps her abreast of developments in her field.
Suzanne is a true Canberran, having moved to the capital in Year 1 of primary school when her Defence family relocated. She’s been here ever since, making Canberra her home for decades. A proud Northsider, she met her Southsider husband at the iconic PJ O’Reilly’s in the City, building a love story that bridges the great north-south divide.
“I’ve found my tribe at MEJ,” Suzanne reflects.
“I can go to anyone for help, from Partner Kirsten Leitch to my colleagues, Special Counsel Svetlana Todoroski and solicitor Kirsty Kwan. Everyone is included and we regularly go out for lunches together as a team.”
When Suzanne isn’t advocating for her clients, she’s likely on the sidelines watching one of her six children play sports, a role that keeps her incredibly busy given her brood of five boys and one girl, aged between 12 to 22.
“They require LOTS of food,” she laughs.
In her rare spare moments, Suzanne enjoys the simple pleasures in life. She’s adamant that Big W trumps Kmart for shopping, loves catching up with friends for a meal or a glass of riesling and declares that her ideal day would involve winery visits and shopping with friends.
Like many Canberrans, Suzanne declares autumn her favourite time of year in the capital.
“When it’s not too hot and not too cold, and no swooping magpies.”
While she’d love to have pets, allergies keep the household animal-free, though with six children, there’s certainly no shortage of energy and activity in the Sharwood home.
Want to work with Suzanne and the personal injury team? Don’t delay. Contact MEJ for a FREE consultation here.
