I was born in Perth in 1954. After completing school I studied philosophy and theology for 5 years. Not surprisingly, this did not lead to a ‘career’. Instead I embarked on adventures both in Australia and overseas. I lived overseas for 5 years in India, England, France and Canada and was able to live and work with ex- prisoners, the homeless and the disabled and with people from many different cultures and languages.

By the late 1980’s I was ready to ‘settle down,’ (as my mother would say). So I returned to Australia, and began the study of law at Monash in 1990 and joined the Bar in 1995.
In the first 5 years at the Bar like the majority of junior barristers I appeared in most jurisdictions; Magistrates Court (criminal and civil), VOCAT, County Court criminal appeals, Family Court, Interlocutory matters in the Supreme, County and Federal Courts.

In the first few years at the Bar I also did some teaching of Contract law, Company law, Property Law and Introduction to Law at both Holmesglen TAFE and RMIT. I also spent many years as a volunteer at community legal services at Western Suburbs (Newport) Fitzroy and Northcote.

However, my main brief at the Bar and the mainstay of my practice for about 8 years was as ‘counsel assisting’ at the Legal Profession Tribunal and then at the Legal Practice List at VCAT in civil disputes between clients and their legal practitioners. This role required a familiarity with most areas of the law and an ability to work with both practitioners and complainants. It also gave me my first taste of and experience in mediation.

I remain active as a barrister but my focus now is on mediation.

QUALIFICATION and MEMBERSHIPS

Accredited as a mediator with the Victorian Bar, 2003.
Accredited as a mediator under the ‘Australian National Mediator
Standards,’ 2008.
Accredited as a ‘Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner’, Feb 2009.
Member of the Panel of Mediators at the Small Business
Commissioner.
Member of the Panel of Mediators at the Office of Mediation Advisor.

I am a member of the Victorian Bar, the Law Institute of Victoria, LEADR, and the Australian Family Mediation Association.

I am married and have two young boys.

My life before the law enabled me to live in foreign cultures, to speak a foreign language and to share with people living a vastly different life to my own. My experience as a barrister has taught me the skills of analysis, negotiation and managing conflict. I have found these experiences invaluable in the practice of mediation.