Nigel Bowen Chambers has 17 practising full-time barristers and 1 reader. The chambers was founded in 1991.
The Members of Nigel Bowen Chambers practise in all Courts and Tribunals and in most areas of law, although specialise particularly in Intellectual Property, Commercial Law and Equity, Defamation and Media Law, Construction Law, Environmental and Planning Law, and Public Law.
Nine members of Chambers are senior counsel. The other members range in seniority from new barristers to experienced senior juniors. We have a reader’s room and our readers usually stay with us for 6 months or a year, usually reading with a member of Chambers, and appearing frequently with other members.
Nigel Bowen Chambers was named in honour of Sir Nigel Bowen - an eminent Australian Barrister, Attorney-General and Judge.
Between 1936 and 1964 he practised as an advocate specializing in commercial equity and intellectual property matters, developing an Australia-wide practice before he was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1953, elected to the Federal Parliament in 1964 and appointed Federal Attorney-General in 1966.
It was in that capacity that he introduced and played a large personal role in shaping the landmark Copyright Act 1968 and initiated the process that led to the passing of the equally progressive Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977. During this time he set up and administered the enquiry which led to the establishment of the Federal Court, and also served as Minister for Education and Science and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
In 1973 he was appointed the Chief Judge in Equity of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and in 1976 he was appointed the founding Chief Judge – later Chief Justice – of the Federal Court; the establishment of which owed so much to his efforts while Attorney-General.
In 1990 Sir Nigel retired as one of the most respected Australian jurists of the second half of the twentieth century, and we soon after asked his permission to allow us to name our Chambers after him. He graciously consented and was present when we first opened our doors in 1991.
David was admitted to the Bar in 1978 and appointed Senior Counsel in 1991.
David specialises in Intellectual Property and has appeared in many of the most significant Intellectual Property cases in the High Court and Federal Court over the past twenty years.
David practises in patents, copyright, registered designs, trade marks (including passing off and misleading conduct) and breach of confidence and appears principally in the Federal Court of Australia (including Full Courts) in each State and is admitted to practice in New Zealand.
David also appears in Administrative Law, including refugee cases.
David is the author of numerous papers presented to prominent IP societies (including IPSANZ and Copyright Society of Australia) and is Consulting Editor of Federal Court Reports in Australia.
The major part of Peter’s work is in the construction industry (building and engineering) and general commercial matters. Other areas in which he has significant involvement are disciplinary aspects of the racing industries, administrative law, personal injuries and industrial law.
As an arbitrator and a Supreme Court and District Court Referee, Peter has conducted numerous hearings in construction law matters and he also practices as a mediator. Peter regularly gives educational and training presentations for the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia, the NSW Bar Association and other bodies (e.g. “Roles and Responsibilities of Lawyers in Mediation” (2007) 26 The Arbitrator & Mediator 39).
His work in the Defence Force involved, in particular, judicial roles in over 60 trials and acting as Counsel assisting in, and as President of, Boards of Inquiry.
Michael was admitted to the Bar in 1982 and appointed Senior Counsel in 1998.
Michael intially practised in general commercial litigation and has since specialised almost exclusively in building and construction law.
Michael’s practice most often involves large construction litigation for both principals and builders (including their insurers), and he is regularly briefed in Civil Works claims. While the majority of Michael’s cases are heard in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, he has also conducted cases in Victoria and Queensland.
Michael is regularly appointed as a referee in building disputes by the Supreme Court and District Court of New South Wales, and as a Grade 1 Arbitrator he has conducted numerous arbitrations, mediations and expert determinations throughout his career. He is also an accredited adjudicator for the purposes of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act.
He regularly presents papers to industry groups in relation to the building and construction industry, and in particular, to the Institute of Arbitrators.
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Stephen was admitted to the Bar in 1982 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2000. Stephen practises predominately in commercial law with a particular focus on company and insolvency law.
Stephen has extensive experience, appearing frequently at first instance and on appeal in both the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the Federal Court of Australia. Some cases of note include Trident General Insurance v McNiece Bros (privity of contract/insurance); Pavey & Mathews v Paul (restitution/construction law); APRA v Jain (copyright infringement); Citibank v Papandony (cheques and bills of exchange/banking law);
Ingot Capital Investments v Macquarie Equity Capital Markets (prospectuses and company law); and Cripps v GM Dawson (real property/administrative law).
Stephen is also an active lecturer and has written several articles for legal publications covering a variety of professional matters.
Ron was admitted to the Bar in New South Wales in 1988 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2002.
He has appeared at first instance in the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and the Federal Court (sitting in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane) as well as in appeals to the New South Wales Court of Appeal, the Full Court of the Federal Court and the High Court of Australia. Ron has also appeared as Senior Counsel in a number of significant commercial, constitutional and administrative law cases in PNG.
Ron has also appeared in international and domestic arbitrations and in references by the courts to experts both commercial and technical, as well as in hearings in the patent office, the trade marks office and the copyright tribunal.
Ron’s primary expertise is in intellectual property. Additionally he has extensive experience in commercial law, with a particular emphasis on major resource projects and commodity contracts, in administrative law and competition law and consumer law.
Chris was admitted to the Bar in 1984 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2005.
Chris has been approved by the Bar Council as a BarADR arbitrator with the NSW Bar Association.
Chris has extensive experience as a specialist in Corporations Law (including insolvency), Commercial Law (including the Technology and Construction and Professional Negligence Lists), Trade Practices, Equity and Probate and Succession Law.
Chris appears regularly in the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of NSW. He also appears in the Supreme Courts of Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. He has an extensive appellate practice, appearing in each of the New South Wales Court of Appeal, the Full Court of the Federal Court and the High Court.
He has significant experience in arbitrations and references in commercial and construction disputes, as well as mediations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Richard was admitted as a Barrister in New South Wales and the High Court in 1992, and appointed Senior Counsel in NSW in 2005. He is also admitted in Victoria.
Richard practises primarily in the area of intellectual property, including copyright, trade marks, patents, confidential information, passing-off and related trade names and consumer protection law, with a particular focus on matters concerning the music business and entertainment law, regularly appearing in the Federal Court of Australia (both at first instance and on appeal) and the Copyright Tribunal of Australia. He has also appeared in a number of leading intellectual property cases in the High Court of Australia.
He also practises in telecommunications, broadcasting and competition law, as well as in general commercial and equity matters.
Sophie was admitted to the Bar in 1991 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2007.
Sophie specialises in intellectual property, in all areas of patents, trade marks, copyright, breach of confidence and the law of trade secrets, industrial designs, passing off and related misleading conduct and consumer law. She has acted on behalf of both Australian and International clients in litigation concerning mining, pharmaceutical and engineering patents. She has also appeared in competition law and administrative law matters.
Sophie has extensive experience as a trial lawyer and an appellate advocate and appears regularly in the Federal Court. She has also appeared in the NSW Supreme Court. Sophie has also appeared in a number of leading intellectual property cases in the High Court of Australia.
Specialising in environmental and planning law, commercial law and administrative law, Patrick Larkin has over twenty years experience conducting cases of considerable economic, environmental and social significance
Patrick principally practices in the Court of Appeal, the Land & Environment Court, the Supreme Court and the Federal Court, where he has appeared in numerous cases of note including Zhang v Canterbury Council (relevant considerations to development approvals), Byron Shire Council v Vaughan (estoppel), Bentley v Gordon (environmental criminal law and duplicity), and Concord & Other Councils v Optus Networks (national communications networks) to name a few.
With qualifications in both law and science, Patrick’s work often involves the critical analysis and testing of complex evidence, including expert evidence in engineering, planning, economics and diverse fields of science.
He is also the Chair of several disciplinary and sporting tribunals and has served for an extended period on the board of a government agency.
John graduated from the University of Sydney BA (Hons.), LLM.
He practised as a solicitor and partner in a Sydney Law Firm until being called to the Bar in 1985.
His broad areas of practice include Administrative Law, Real Property Law, Crown Lands Act and the Aboriginal Land Rights Act cases, and the law relating to land valuation and land development generally. John specialises in Environmental, Planning and Local Government Law (civil and criminal) and Land Valuation cases - both rating and taxing valuation cases and assessment of compensation on compulsory acquisition of land under the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act.
He has been involved in numerous significant cases in his specialised areas in the Land and Environment Court and the New South Wales Court of Appeal and regularly appears for and provides advice to Public Authorities, Government Departments, land development corporations and numerous Local Councils throughout New South Wales as well as private land owners and development companies.
David practises in all areas of commercial law with a particular focus on banking and insolvency, and building and construction.
David was junior counsel assisting the Inquiry into the Centenary House Lease (conducted by David Hunt AO QC) in 2004 and has also lectured in Federal Constitutional Law at the University of New South Wales.
Nick has appeared in cases relating to competition law, economic regulation (telecommunications, gas pipelines, airport services), banking litigation (for and against banks), the recovery of misapplied funds, general commercial litigation, building and construction, employee breaches of fiduciary duty and restraint of trade, the Franchise Code, cross border insolvency, and federal and state administrative law.
Before Nick came to the bar, he was a local partner of Baker & McKenzie practising in commercial litigation.
Dauid’s practice areas include media law, defamation, intellectual property, trade practices, and building and construction law, both at trial and appellate levels.
He has appeared in numerous reported cases, including cases in the High Court and the New South Wales Court of Appeal.
Dauid has appeared regularly for leading Australian media organisations and for international intellectual property rights holders.
Practising in commercial law, particularly in intellectual property, equity and real property disputes, Michael has worked on many notable cases including Marsden v Channel 7 (Australia’s longest defamation case), APRA v Apple & ors (the ‘Digital Downloads’ case), Roadshow Films v iiNet and many other major cases in trade mark and trade practices law.
He appears most frequently in the Federal Court, Supreme Court and Land & Environment Court, and before the Patents and Trade Marks Office.
Michael Hall has also worked as a solicitor, as in-house counsel for the BBC World Service and as a university law lecturer. He is the co-author of Trade Mark Law in Australia and of the Annotated Trade Marks Act, and between 2001 and 2007 he lectured in intellectual property law, land law and the law of trusts at Oxford University.
Christian Dimitriadis practises in intellectual property law with a particular focus on patent, copyright and trade mark litigation and advice. He joined Nigel Bowen Chambers in 2001 and commenced his practice at the Bar at that time.
Christian previously worked as a solicitor in a national Australian law firm, specialising in litigious and non-litigious intellectual property law. He was also registered as a patent attorney, having completed the requirements for qualification including examinations set by the Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys.
Christian undertook his tertiary qualifications at The University of Melbourne, graduating in 1997 with degrees in science and law (BSc (Hons), LLB (Hons)). His studies in science covered a range of disciplines and included a research year in the field of synthetic organic chemistry. Christian also holds the Diploma of Intellectual Property Management awarded by the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia (Dip IPP (IPTA)).
As a barrister, Christian has appeared in many notable intellectual property cases before the High Court of Australia and the Federal Court of Australia (both at first instance and on appeal), as well as the Australian Patent Office, the Australian Trade Marks Office, the Copyright Tribunal of Australia and other relevant administrative tribunals.
Hamish was admitted to the Bar in 2006 and has since developed a diverse practice.
In addition to commercial law and equity (including breach of confidence), Hamish specialises in all areas of intellectual property: trade marks, copyright, patents and designs, as well as passing off and related consumer law.
Hamish regularly practises in administrative law, particularly migration cases.
Hamish appears in the Federal Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia, as well as in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and at hearings before IP Australia.
Chris was admitted to the Bar in 2010 and has quickly developed a strong practice, primarily in intellectual property law but also in commercial, administrative, environmental and planning law.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Chris was a solicitor at a top-tier national law firm. He has also served as Associate to the Hon Justice Gummow AC (High Court of Australia) and the Hon Justice Bennett AO (Federal Court of Australia). Chris regularly appears in Federal Court intellectual property proceedings, including large scale patent, trade mark and design litigation and appeals.
He also appears in commercial disputes in the Supreme Court and in administrative law, licensing and environmental and planning matters before the Land and Environment Court. He has been briefed to appear in the High Court of Australia.
Chris advises on matters relating to all aspects of intellectual property rights (patents, copyright, trade marks, designs) and opposition proceedings before IP Australia, as well as commercial disputes and environmental and planning law.
Priscilla was called to the Bar in May 2011. She accepts briefs in all areas of law and is admitted to practice in NSW and Commonwealth courts. Her principal areas of practice are intellectual property, media law, commercial, consumer and competition law.
As a solicitor Priscilla specialised in IP and media litigation, where she gained extensive experience in copyright, defamation and trade marks disputes. She has also acted in a broad range of both contentious and non-contentious commercial matters, including the Larrikin Music Publishing Pty Ltd v EMI Songs Australia & Ors decisions (the Kookaburra/Down Under case)
She holds a Bachelor of Music and Media and a LLB(Hons). Her honours thesis entitled, “Parody is a defence but it is no laughing matter” examined the complexities of the introduction of the fair dealing provisions into the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).
Sir Robin Jacob is an honorary member of Nigel Bowen Chambers.
Sir Robin first started practising at the Intellectual Property Bar in 1967 before taking up the role of Junior Counsel for the Comptroller of Patents and for Government departments in intellectual property in 1976, which he held until he was appointed Queens Counsel in 1981.
Sir Robin’s practice then took him abroad to practise in Hong Kong, Singapore, Europe, the USA and Australia before being appointed to the bench in 1993. From 1997 to 2001 he was Supervising Chancery Judge for Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff and was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal in October 2003.
He formally retired from that Court (though hopes to sit from time to time) to take up the Hugh Laddie Chair of Intellectual Property Law at University College London. He also sits as an arbitrator and mediator.
Sir Robin is President of the Intellectual Property Institute, Governor of the London School of Economics, Hon. President of the UK branch of the Licensing Executive Society, and Hon. President of the Association of Law Teachers. He has written extensively on all forms of intellectual property and often lectures, mainly on IP topics, both in the UK and abroad.
Nigel Bowen Chambers has been administered and managed by Susan Worth, Chambers Clerk, since our inception in 1991.
With over 25 years experience, Susan appreciates the importance of maintaining excellent relations with solicitors and the Courts in which our members practise.
As clerk of the floor, Susan's primary role is to assist solicitors with their choice of suitable counsel, availability and fees.
Nigel Bowen Chambers
Level 9, 169 Phillip Street
Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
P: 02 9930 7900
F: 02 9223 2177
E: s.worth@nigelbowen.com.au
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