About the Section

The Federal Dispute Resolution Section is made up of lawyers who have litigation and dispute resolution practices in Federal Courts and tribunals. But it is also much more than that. Its real areas of activity may be seen from an outline of its committee structure. This is where all the work is done and all the action takes place.

The main activities of the Section may be categorised as follows:

• maintaining professional contact between practitioners in all parts of the country within the areas of interest covered by the Section;
• conducting seminars, conferences and other information sessions on the latest developments; and
• advising the Law Council on matters of law and procedure, both to assist in the development of policy and as background (and often foreground!) for the Council's liaison and lobbying functions.

The Executive Committee is elected from the membership of the Section every two years. The Executive is responsible of the overall management of the Section, its activities, and finances. The current composition of the Executive is as follows. Additional Section office bearer roles are also shown:
 

Section Executive

Mr Peter Woulfe, Chair

Peter Woulfe has been recognised as one of Canberra’s leading commercial and dispute resolution barristers: Doyle’s Guide, 2020 & 2021. Peter has a civil practice in a range of practice areas, with a particular focus on government and administrative law. Peter has also been regarded as one of Australia’s foremost Commonwealth compensation barristers, having worked on various matters of importance to the application of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth).

Peter led the Law Council of Australia’s liaison with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. He managed stakeholder engagement, extensively contributing to the Tribunal’s various COVID-19 practice directions. Peter has liaised closely with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal since 2010 in bringing the twice-annual Hot Topics in Commonwealth Compensation seminar, which is chaired by the President of the Tribunal and attended by numerous industry leaders and practitioners.
 

Ms Bronwyn Lincoln, Deputy Chair

Bronwyn Lincoln is a Partner in the Disputes team with extensive experience in commercial litigation and international arbitration at Thomson Geer. She also regularly advises on conflicts of laws, international treaty rights and obligations (including the CISG) and on the enforcement of foreign judgments and foreign arbitral awards in the Australian courts. Bronwyn’s practice covers a range of industry sectors, including international trade, insurance, building and construction, energy and resources, pharmaceuticals, technology and renewables.

She has a particular interest in the resolution of joint venture and shareholder disputes and a specialist practice in cross border and multi-jurisdictional matters. Bronwyn has acted for national and international clients in high value disputes in most of the superior courts in Australia and has experience in the conduct of arbitration under the rules of many of the world’s leading arbitral institutions, including the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the International Chamber of Commerce, and under the UNCITAL Arbitration Rules. Bronwyn also sits as an international arbitrator, both as sole arbitrator and presiding arbitrator.
 

Ms Georgina Costello KC, Treasurer

Georgina Costello KC appears and advises in common law cases including negligence, intentional torts and insurance matters, property law and equity cases, public law and immigration and citizenship matters, fraud related matters, environmental law cases, class actions, Royal Commissions, trials and and appeals.

Georgina worked at Mallesons Stephen Jaques from 2000 and was a property lawyer there before coming to the Bar in 2003 and took Silk in 2019. Also admitted to the New York Bar, she worked as a commercial litigator in New York City in 2006-2007. She has also worked for the World Bank in Washington DC, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Italy, on matters related to fraud, misconduct and corruption investigations.

Executive Members

The Federal Dispute Resolution Section Executive Members are:

• Mr Pawel Zielinski
• Ms Kate Slack
• Mr Robert Johnston
• Mr Simon Fitzpatrick
• Ms Alice DeBoos
• Ms Katherine Hooper
• Mr Ben Slade
• Ms Valerie Pereira
• Ms Pip Mitchell
   

Committees of the Federal Dispute Resolution Section
 

• Administrative Law
  Ms Margaret Allars SC, Chair
   
• Alternative Dispute Resolution 
  Ms Mary Walker OAM, Chair
   
• ART Liaison 
  Mr Peter Woulfe, Chair
   
• Class Actions and Litigation Funding
  Mr John Emmerig and Mr Ben Slade, Co-Chairs
   
• Constitutional Law
  Mr Bret Walker SC, Chair
   
• Commonwealth Compensation & Employment Law 
  Mr Peter Woulfe, Chair
   
• Federal Court Liaison
  Mr Robert Johnston, Chair
   
• Federal Circuit Court Liaison
  Mr Robert Johnston, Chair
   
• Industrial Law 
  Ms Alice DeBoos, Chair
   
• Legal Technology Committee
  Ms Emma Poole, Chair 
   
• Migration Law
  Ms Carina Ford, Chair
   
• Military Justice
  Mr Nathan Landis, Chair
   
• Privileges & Immunities and Editor, Chapter III newsletter
  Mr Ian Bloemendal, Chair
   
• Transnational Litigation
  Ms Bronwyn Lincoln and Mr John Emmerig, Co-Chairs
   

Contact

Ms Chelsea De Silva
Executive Officer
T. 02 6246 3722
E. chelsea.desilva@lawcouncil.au

Mr Joshua Woo
Administrative Coordinator
T. 0410 596 501
E. joshua.woo@lawcouncil.au
 

Disclaimer

The Law Council is the peak body representing the interests of the legal profession at the national level. The Law Council does not offer advice on individual cases. If you do require legal advice, please contact your local law society or legal aid.
 

Last Updated on 25/10/2024

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