Biography

David acts for individuals, small and large businesses, government agencies and community organisations. He appears regularly as an advocate in industrial and discrimination tribunals, the Federal Circuit Court and Magistrates Court, and as a solicitor in Federal and State courts, coronial inquests and Crime and Corruption Commission hearings.

David advises on Commonwealth and State industrial law, employment contract law, discrimination, workplace health and safety, restraints of trade, defamation, health practitioner investigations, community sector corporate governance and electoral law. He appears as an advocate in Fair Work Commission proceedings, health and safety prosecutions and discrimination matters at first instance and on appeal.

David’s practice spans a broad range of contested and advisory employment matters across multiple jurisdictions and client types. His advocacy experience extends to complex appellate matters and high-stakes regulatory proceedings.

David is an Accredited Specialist in Workplace Relations Law, and his scope of practice across employment, discrimination, WHS, electoral law and health practitioner regulation is unusually broad

Credentials

Academic qualifications:

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (University of Sydney)
• Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (Australian National University)
• University Medal (Australian National University)
• Blackburn Medal for Research (Australian National University)

Memberships:

• QLS Specialist Accreditation Committee
• Australian Labour Law Association
• Industrial Relations Society of Queensland
  

David's experience

Director and officer WHS duties

Provided strategic advice to boards and senior executives on their director/officer duties under WHS legislation, including training and awareness programs for directors regarding their potential personal liability and corporate exposure.

Regulatory investigations and WHS enforcement

Acted for clients (principals, contractors, consultants) in regulatory investigations, pre-prosecution inquiries, incident response and WHS enforcement matters, advising on regulator engagement, evidence preservation and prosecutorial risk.

Contractual risk allocation for safety obligations

Advised on hazard/control identification, risk transfer and contractual allocation of safety obligations (for example subcontractor engagements, plant/equipment hire and third-party attachments) and the interplay with employment/industrial relations risk.