Nicole is a highly experienced lawyer with over 25 years of experience in assisting clients manage and resolving issues. Nicole predominantly practices in the areas of employment law and industrial relations, acting for both employers and employees.
You can reach Nicole by:
Nicole is a Principal of Dunn + Cockle.
Nicole thrives on practising law; she is a deep thinker and a skilled problem solver. She considers all aspects of a situation including the potential consequences of a decision. Her analytical skills are enormously beneficial to her clients; she not only considers the issue at hand but also has regard for the potential consequences of a proposed course of action. Nicole has, for many years represented clients involved in complex litigation, inquiries, and other forms of dispute resolution.
Nicole is admitted in New South Wales (1998), the Northern Territory in (2003) and Queensland (2012). She holds a Masters of Employment and Labour Relations from Melbourne University.
Nicole regularly travels to Darwin to meet with clients and the firm has an office there.
Outside of work Nicole loves spending time with her family, travelling and cooking and will sometimes bring her cooking experiments into the office for everyone to enjoy (or not, on occasion).
Nicole is someone you want as your legal advisor.
Shaun is a personal injury and employment lawyer with over 25 years of practice. Shaun’s experience as a lawyer comes from practicing in Australia, the United Kingdom and the Cayman Islands and is passionate about obtaining the best results for his clients.
You can reach Shaun by:
Having travelled extensively abroad and in Australia for a number of years, Shaun finally settled on Law as a career. Shaun studied whilst working for respected Newcastle Law Firm in Newcastle.
Shaun was admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of NSW in 2000.
In 2004, Shaun took his family and career to the United Kingdom. He was admitted to practice as a Solicitor in England/Wales in 2005 working in London with top tier law firm, Field Fisher Waterhouse, as a Senior Associate.
In 2010, Shaun again moved the family and career to the Cayman Islands where he worked for one of the most respected international offshore Law Firms, Appleby Global.
Shaun was admitted as an Attorney/Barrister in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands in May 2010 practicing as an Attorney/Senior Associate.
As an Attorney in the Cayman Islands, Shaun was appointed to the Labour Tribunal as Chairman in 2011 and concurrently, as a member of the newly created Gender Discrimination Tribunal from 2012 having been involved in the Tribunal’s formation.
In 2014, Shaun and the expanding family returned to Newcastle where he worked for a large full-service law firm based in Sydney with offices in Newcastle, ACT, Tasmania and Melbourne. Shaun worked in the Newcastle office as a Senior Associate.
Shaun was recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2018 as a Leading Work Injury Compensation Lawyer (Plaintiff) – New South Wales, 2018.
In January 2022, Shaun continued his evolving career by opening his own firm, Shaun Cockle Legal, specialising in Personal Injury Claims, Employment Law and Will & Estates.
Shaun was again recognised by Doyles Guide in the category of Leading Institutional Abuse Compensation Lawyers (Plaintiff) – New South Wales, 2025.
In 2025, Shaun Cockle Legal and Nicole Dunn Lawyers merged to form Dunn+Cockle Lawyers as a way of better serving clients throughout NSW and Australia.
Shaun has spent over two and half decades acting for individuals in all aspects of Personal Injury, Employment and Wills & Estates with top law firms in Australia and abroad.
“I have always believed that one of my strengths is listening. Listening is a gift as a lawyer. Listening allows me to understand my clients more fully, particularly when every person and every case is different.”
