Your Legal Rights Are My Business
I believe in the Right to Counsel for all.
I am committed to excellence and have been successfully representing my clients since 1991.
Which-ever your legal needs or questions may be, come to me for comprehensive advice and effective representation.
Protecting your rights is what SOUL LEGAL does best.
Kevin Wong is a Director of Soul Legal and has practised personal injury law in Western Australia since 1991, for over 34 years without interruption. He handles claims from minor workplace injuries through to catastrophic disability matters, and he has argued cases at every level of the Australian court system, including the High Court.
Two of those cases didn’t just win for his clients. They changed the law for everyone who came after them.
Most personal injury lawyers in Perth will tell you they’re experienced. Kevin’s track record is in the public court record, and it’s searchable.
Education: University of Western Australia (UWA) Law School.
Career timeline: Kevin started working in personal injury law as an undergraduate, with the firm later known as D’Angelo and Partners. He continued with the same firm after graduating in 1991 and joined Friedman Lurie Singh in 1999. He became a partner there in 2002. That firm subsequently acquired D’Angelo and Partners to form Friedman Lurie Singh and D’Angelo. In 2018, Kevin and Rebecca Sorgiovanni left to establish Soul Legal.
Professional recognition:
Firm overview: Soul Legal is based at Level 2, 22 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000, with a second office at 17 Baskerville Crescent, Baldivis WA 6171. Kevin and co-director Rebecca Sorgiovanni (28+ years’ experience, practising since 1997) lead a team with over 60 years of combined experience in compensation law.
NO WIN – NO FEE*
Your First Consultation Is Free
CALL TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
This is the part most lawyer profiles skip: specific, verifiable proof that the person you’re hiring has actually moved the needle in their field. Kevin has two.
Before this case reached the High Court of Australia, widows who filed dependency claims after losing a spouse to negligence had their compensation reduced by a “remarriage discount.” A judge would estimate the likelihood that the widow would remarry, then cut her payout by that percentage.
Kevin Wong was the instructing solicitor on the case that abolished that discount nationwide. The High Court ruled in 2002 that assessing a widow’s “marriageability” and penalising her for it was not a legitimate basis for reducing compensation.
What this means in practice: if you’re pursuing a dependency claim in Australia today, the full value of your loss is assessed on its merits, not reduced by speculation about your personal life. That protection exists because of this case.
Western Australia’s mining and resources sector relies on fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers. Before this Federal Court decision, there was a grey area around whether FIFO workers were covered by workers compensation during the travel and accommodation portions of their roster – the parts between leaving home and actually stepping onto the worksite.
Kevin was counsel at first instance and co-counsel on appeal. The Full Federal Court’s decision established that FIFO workers are covered during the course of their employment, including transit. If you’re a FIFO worker in WA who’s been injured during travel to or from site, or in employer-provided accommodation, this case is the reason your claim has legal footing.
These aren’t marketing lines. Both decisions are published and searchable in the Australian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) database. Any lawyer or researcher can verify them.
75+ Years Combined Experience
Soul Legal’s Directors Kevin, Rebecca and team bring 75+ years of combined experience in compensation law
Proven Track Record
Soul Legal has a proven track record of hundreds of successful claims totalling millions in compensation awards
Perth’s Trusted Law Firm
Soul Legal are the specialists in personal injury compensation. We are here to help our clients win and receive the compensation they deserve
Most law firm websites tell you to “contact us for a consultation.” Here’s what actually happens at each stage, so you know what you’re walking into before you pick up the phone.
Stage 1 – Free Case Assessment (Within 24 Hours)
You call or submit the online form. Before your first meeting, you’ll receive a secure upload link to submit relevant documents – medical records, incident reports, photos, insurance correspondence. Kevin or a senior lawyer reviews these before you sit down, so the first consultation isn’t spent on paperwork you could have handled in advance.
At the consultation itself, Soul Legal gathers the remaining facts, assesses whether your claim has merit, and gives you a straight answer. If the claim isn’t worth pursuing, they’ll tell you, no charge.
Stage 2 – Retainer and Cost Disclosure
If the claim has merit and you decide to proceed, Soul Legal walks through their No Win No Fee retainer agreement with written cost estimates. You’ll know before you sign what the fee structure looks like if the claim succeeds, and what disbursements (third-party costs like medical reports) may arise along the way.
Stage 3 – Evidence Collection and Medical Stabilisation
This is usually the longest phase. Soul Legal gathers medical evidence, employer records, incident reports, and witness statements. For serious injuries, your legal team waits until your treating doctors can give a clear prognosis before quantifying the claim, because settling too early, before the full extent of your injuries is known, almost always means leaving money on the table.
For serious injuries, this stabilisation period alone can take 12 months or longer. If you need ongoing surgery or the prognosis is uncertain, it may take longer still. That wait isn’t inaction, it’s the difference between a settlement that accounts for your actual future and one that doesn’t.
Stage 4 – Settlement Negotiation
Once the evidence is assembled and damages quantified, Soul Legal attempts to settle the claim without court or WorkCover proceedings. In many cases, this is achievable.
Kevin has earned a professional reputation among defendant lawyers in Perth’s personal injury bar for pursuing his clients’ entitlements to trial when no reasonable offer is made. That willingness to litigate isn’t a marketing line; it’s the thing that gives settlement negotiations actual leverage. An insurer who knows the lawyer on the other side won’t fold for a low offer, behaves differently from one who knows they will.
Stage 5 – Litigation (If Required)
If the insurer won’t settle at a fair figure, Kevin has the courtroom experience to take the matter to a hearing. He has appeared in the District Court of Western Australia, the Supreme Court of Western Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and the High Court of Australia.
Soul Legal is Perth’s Leading Personal Injury Compensation Law Firm
No Win, No Fee – What That Actually Covers
“No Win, No Fee” is one of the most common claims in legal advertising and one of the least well-explained. Here’s what it means at Soul Legal, in plain terms.
What’s covered: You pay no legal fees unless your case settles successfully or you receive a favourable judgment. If the claim fails, you owe nothing in legal fees.
What you may still pay: Third-party disbursements – costs like medical reports, specialist assessments, and expert witness fees. These are paid to doctors and experts, not to Soul Legal. In meritorious claims where you can’t afford disbursements, Soul Legal is on the Legal Aid Panel, and Legal Aid will typically cover these costs.
What happens on a successful claim: The defendant usually pays the majority of legal fees. If there’s a gap between what the defendant pays and Soul Legal’s actual fees, that gap is deducted from your settlement proceeds at the end of the case. You’ll see these estimates in writing before you sign the retainer.
The asterisk (every firm has one): If you bring an action and the defendant successfully defends it, they may be entitled to claim their costs against you. Soul Legal discusses this risk with you before proceedings are filed.
This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a fee structure, and you’re entitled to understand it before you commit. If anything is unclear after reading this, ask at the free consultation – that’s what it’s for.
NO WIN – NO FEE*
Your First Consultation Is Free
CALL TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
How long does a personal injury claim take in Western Australia?
It depends on the severity. Claims where injuries stabilise quickly and liability is clear can settle in 12-18 months. For serious injuries requiring ongoing treatment or surgery, the stabilisation period alone can be 12 months or more. If the matter proceeds to court, add the court’s listing time on top. Soul Legal gives you a realistic timeline estimate at the first consultation based on your specific circumstances.
Can I claim if the accident was partly my fault?
In most cases, yes. Western Australia applies a contributory negligence framework, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault, but you don’t lose the right to claim unless you were entirely responsible. For example, if you were 20% at fault for a car accident, your compensation would typically be reduced by 20%, not eliminated. Kevin assesses the fault question during the free consultation.
Do I have to go to court?
Most claims settle without a court hearing. Soul Legal attempts to negotiate a fair settlement before filing proceedings. If the insurer refuses a reasonable offer, Kevin has the courtroom experience to take the matter to trial, and has done so at every level of the WA and federal court system, up to and including the High Court. You won’t be pressured to accept a low offer to avoid court.
What if I can’t get to your office?
Soul Legal has offices in Perth CBD (22 St Georges Terrace) and Baldivis (17 Baskerville Crescent). If you can’t travel due to your injuries, you’re in the hospital, housebound, or recovering from surgery, a qualified lawyer will come to you. The firm also handles initial consultations by phone and video conference where appropriate.
What’s the difference between workers compensation and a common law claim?
Workers compensation is a statutory scheme: you receive set entitlements (income replacement, medical costs, permanent impairment compensation) regardless of who was at fault. A common law claim is fault-based: you sue the negligent party (usually your employer or another party) for additional damages, including pain and suffering and future loss of earning capacity. In many cases, you can pursue both. Kevin advises on which path, or combination, applies to your situation at the initial consultation.
I was injured months ago and didn’t report it. Is it too late?
Possibly not, but the delay makes it harder. Insurers routinely argue that late reporting means the injury isn’t as serious as claimed, or that the delay itself shows you weren’t really hurt. The limitation period in WA is generally three years, but the practical damage from delayed reporting starts much earlier. If you’re in this position, get legal advice now rather than waiting further. Soul Legal’s assessment is free, and Kevin will tell you honestly whether the delay has compromised your claim.
*At Soul Legal we only charge fees in personal injury claims if you are successful settling your claim or have a successful judgment (excluding disbursements). A Defendant may be able to claim costs against you if successful in defending an action brought by you
