About Interface — Our Story and Team
Interface Med Legal has been providing independent occupational therapy medico-legal assessments across Australia since 1996.
Over more than three decades, we have completed more than 5,000 assessments across a broad range of jurisdictions and clinical presentations. We have provided evidence in courts and tribunals, worked within evolving legislative frameworks, and adapted alongside developments in occupational therapy and medico-legal practice.
What has remained constant is our commitment to clinical rigour, methodological transparency, and independence.
Our Story
Interface was founded by Dawn Piebenga, a qualified occupational therapist who began providing medico-legal assessments in the mid-1990s, at a time when occupational therapy medico-legal practice in Australia was still developing as a specialised field. From the beginning, Dawn's vision was clear: medico-legal occupational therapy assessments should be clinically rigorous, methodologically transparent, and genuinely independent. That principle continues to guide how Interface operates today. Our reports are informed by clinical evidence, professional expertise, and careful assessment. They are not influenced by who has requested the assessment or by commercial relationships with treatment providers or suppliers. The systems and processes developed over decades of practice continue to shape the standard applied to every assessment completed by the Interface team.Dawn Piebenga – Founder and Principal Occupational Therapist
Dawn holds current registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia through AHPRA and has more than 30 years of experience providing occupational therapy medico-legal assessments and expert witness services. Throughout her career, she has assessed a wide range of presentations, including:- Orthopaedic injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Psychological injury
- Medical negligence
- Dust disease
- Complex care needs matters
Our Panel
Interface's panel consists of senior occupational therapists selected for their clinical expertise and commitment to high-quality medico-legal assessment. Every panel member:- Holds current AHPRA registration
- Has a minimum of 10 years of clinical experience
- Possesses expertise relevant to the matters they assess
- Completes Interface's quality assurance and induction process
- Has all reports subject to mandatory peer review
Our Approach to Independence
Independence is central to how Interface operates. We do not provide treatment services and we have no financial relationships with equipment suppliers. As a result, we do not benefit from recommendations relating to treatment, rehabilitation, equipment, or support services. Interface accepts referrals from a range of parties involved in medico-legal matters. Regardless of who makes the referral, our role remains the same: to provide an independent occupational therapy opinion based on the available evidence and clinical findings. This commitment to independence is supported by the systems, policies, and quality assurance processes embedded within the organisation.Quality Assurance
Every Interface report undergoes peer review by a second senior occupational therapist before release. This is a structured quality assurance process designed to ensure that opinions are supported by appropriate clinical reasoning, evidence, and methodology. Peer reviewers have the authority to request amendments where required. Reports that do not meet the expected standard are revised before being finalised. We consider this process an essential part of producing reliable and defensible occupational therapy opinions.Our Location
Interface is headquartered in Bondi Junction, Sydney. From this base, we coordinate assessments throughout metropolitan, regional, rural, and remote Australia. Interface Med Legal Suite 601, 26–30 Spring Street Bondi Junction NSW 2022 Phone: 1300 852 072 Administration Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm AESTFrequently Asked Questions
Who founded Interface Med Legal?
Interface was founded by Dawn Piebenga, who continues to lead the practice as Principal Occupational Therapist. The principles on which the organisation was founded—clinical rigour, independence, and evidence-based practice—remain central to how Interface operates today.How long has Interface been providing medico-legal occupational therapy assessments?
Interface has been operating since 1996 and has more than 30 years of experience providing occupational therapy medico-legal assessments across Australia.How many assessments has Interface completed?
Interface has completed more than 5,000 occupational therapy medico-legal assessments across a broad range of jurisdictions and clinical presentations.Are all Interface assessors registered with AHPRA?
Yes. Every Interface occupational therapist holds current registration with AHPRA and is required to meet the professional and ethical standards of the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.What is Interface's approach to clinical independence?
Interface's independence is supported by structure as well as policy. We do not provide treatment services, we have no supplier relationships, and our assessors provide opinions based on clinical evidence and professional judgement.Does Interface provide treatment services?
No. Interface is an occupational therapy medico-legal assessment practice. We do not provide treatment, rehabilitation, or therapeutic services.What distinguishes Interface's approach?
Interface's approach is built on three core principles:- Evidence-based occupational therapy assessment
- Mandatory peer review of every report
- Structural independence
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