Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Compensating Victims of Terror

Dr Stephen Tully's article "Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Compensating Victims of Terror" published in the October 2015 edition of the Law Society Journal is now available online.

Proportionality and Purposive Constitutional Powers

Dr Stephen Tully's article "Proportionality and Purposive Constitutional Powers" published in the November 2015 edition of the Law Society Journal is now available online.

6 St James Hall's Philip Dowdy Appointed to the Federal Circuit Court

6 St James' Hall is delighted to note today's announcement by the Commonwealth Attorney-General Sen. the Hon. George Brandis of our long-standing member Mr Philip Dowdy to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, commencing in the Sydney registry on 7 December 2015.

The Court is an independent federal court under the Australian Constitution. It is a federal court of record and a court of law and equity.

Mr Dowdy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1973 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1975 from the University of Sydney. He was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1978. Mr Dowdy was an Articled Clerk for Clayton Utz from 1976 to 1978, prior to being called to the New South Wales bar in 1978. He has practiced at the Bar for over thirty years and his primary areas of practice are banking, equity and commercial law.

Congratulations Philip!

Dominique Hogan-Doran and Dr Christopher Ward appointed Senior Counsel

6 St James' Hall is delighted to announce that Dominique Hogan-Doran and Dr. Christopher Ward have both been appointed Senior Counsel this year. Congratulations to you both! 6 St James' Hall is now the only Barristers Chambers in Sydney with an equal number of female and male Senior Counsel.

Women Barristers Forum AGM – Michelle McMahon elected

On 4 June 2015, floor member Michelle McMahon, was elected co-Vice Chair of the Women Barristers Forum.

Congratulations Michelle!

A win for “Diesel” (and animal lovers) in NCAT

Our strata, property and animal law specialist, Amy Douglas-Baker, recently appeared in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for “Diesel” Thomas, a 4 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback. Ms Douglas-Baker was able to persuade the Tribunal that it was unreasonable to withhold permission for Diesel to live in a strata scheme on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. As a result of Ms Douglas-Baker’s advocacy, Diesel will be able to enjoy living in strata with his young family. Welcome home Diesel!

A copy of the decision is available online for download.

A summary of the decision is available here. 

ABA pays tribute to lawyers who defended Chan & Sukumaran

From the New South Wales Bar Association's InBrief:

Australian Bar Association President Fiona McLeod SC today endorsed the remarks of Victorian Bar President Jim Peters QC and New South Wales Bar Association President Jane Needham SC in paying tribute to the team of Indonesian and Australian lawyers who had worked so tirelessly, pro bono, over many years to prevent the execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Dr. Christopher Ward was amongst those honoured for their efforts.

Significant amendments to Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) - A Deconstruction

Our building specialist counsel, Michelle McMahon's recent paper to the Salvos Legal Series - Women in the Law on significant amendments to the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW), is now available online for download.

Where the rubber hits the road

For a person to claim the benefit of equitable estoppel, what must they have been induced by the defendant to believe? Robert Angyal SC explores this important topic in the April 2015 issue of The Australian Law Journal.

The paper is available to read here.

Administrative Law: Role of Decision Maker as Contradictor in Judicial Review

Michael Rennie's paper on The Hardiman Principle: The role of Decision Maker as Contradictor in Judicial Review, delivered to the NSW State Legal Conference on 27 March 2015, is now online available for download.

Maximising Your Effectiveness as an Advocate at Mediation

Robert Angyal SC is presenting a series of seminars for the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office entitled Maximising Your Effectiveness as an Advocate at Mediation. Angyal explains that being an effective advocate at a mediation encompasses seven distinct tasks.

See the slides for his presentation here.

Quantifying Damages for Economic Loss: Is This the Hardest Thing Commercial Litigators Do?

Robert Angyal SC presented a paper on 26 February 2015 in Parramatta for LegalWise Seminars, entitled Quantifying Damages for Economic Loss: Is this the Hardest Thing Commercial Litigators Do?. By reference to a recent decision of the NSW Court of Appeal, Angyal explains why assessing damages can be very difficult. His paper is now available online here.

Robert Angyal SC appointed to mining & petroleum disputes Arbitration Panel

The members of 6 St James' Hall Chambers congratulate our colleague Robert Angyal SC on his recent appointment by the NSW Minister for Resources and Energy to the Arbitration Panel constituted under the Mining Act 1992 and Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991 to conciliate and arbitrate disputes about access to land between landowners and holders of mineral or petroleum exploration licenses or assessment leases. 

Statutory warfare: when retail lease and liquor licensing laws collide

How can a relationship that comes into existence only by force of one statute be regarded as illegal by reference to another? Robert Angyal SC's recent paper,  "Statutory Warfare? What happens when retain lease legislation collides with liquor licensing laws", published in (2015) 89 Australian Law Journal 11 is now available online.