Dr Warwick Neville

Mediator

BIOGRAPHY

Dr Neville was a Judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia (now the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia) for more than 17 years.  He sat across all jurisdictions of the Court from Fair Work Applications, bankruptcy, consumer complaints, discrimination and family law, to name only some areas.  In a number of these areas, he undertook “judicial mediation” with a view to assisting the parties to resolve their contest more efficiently and cost-effectively.

When in practice in Sydney, Dr Neville was a commercial litigation solicitor with the oldest firm in Australia (Norton Smith & Co).  His practice included banking disputes, insolvency (acting for liquidators against auditors and bankers), maritime law (e.g. marine insurance, salvage claims, oil spill claims and economic loss actions) etc.

Dr Neville has run constitutional matters in the High Court of Australia (with the late David Jackson QC) and economic loss claims in the NSW Supreme Court and the Privy Council with Murray Gleeson QC.

In addition to his extensive experience in practice and elsewhere, including his long time on the Bench, together with two doctorates (one from the University of St Thomas, Rome; the other from ANU), he is an accredited mediator through the London School of Mediation.

He has published articles in the Adelaide Law Review (on locus standi), Sydney Law Review (on purpose trusts), Linacre Quarterly (London: on sterilisation of children with intellectual disabilities), Medical Journal of Australia (on High Court judgment in Harriton v Stephens (2006) 226 CLR 52 on wrongful life claims [and the earlier wrongful birth claim in Cattanach v Melchior (2003) 215 CLR 1]) and separately on generic medicines, biosecurity and patents.  Most recently he has published an article regarding conflict of duties relating to the integrity and structure of Commonwealth Courts.

Having been constitutionally retired from the Court in 2024, Dr Neville is an Acting Presidential, and sessional Senior, Member of ACAT.  He is available only as a mediator (i.e he does not accept briefs in anything other than mediation), across commercial, human rights/discrimination, employment, institutional abuse, family law and other areas as may be.

To find out Dr Neville’s availability and charges, you can contact him directly or the Clerk of Key Chambers.