Prof. Patrick Parkinson (AM)

SPECIAL EXPERTISE

Patrick Parkinson is a professor of law who specialises in family law and child protection. He has particular expertise on parenting after separation, child abuse, child support, and complex property matters. He is also an expert on the law of equity and trusts.

Professor Parkinson is President of the International Society of Family Law. From 2004 to 2007, he was the Chairperson of the Family Law Council which advises the Australian government on family law issues. He also chaired the Ministerial Taskforce on Child Support in 2004 to 2005 which led to major changes in the child support scheme. He has been a member of the NSW Child Protection Council, and was Chairperson of a major review of the NSW law concerning child protection which led to the enactment of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998. He has also been the editor of the Australian Journal of Family Law.

In 2009, Professor Parkinson was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to the law and to legal education, particularly in the areas of family and child protection law, as an author, through contributions to policy reform, and to the community.

Professor Parkinson has been the national examiner for specialist accreditation in family law. He is frequently invited as a speaker at national and international family law conferences. His books include Child Sexual Abuse and the Churches (2nd ed., 2003); Principles of Equity (editor, 2nd ed., 2003); Australian Family Law in Context (4th ed., 2009), The Voice of a Child in Family Law Disputes (with Judy Cashmore, 2008), Tradition and Change in Australian Law (4th ed, 2010) and Family Law and the Indissolubility of Parenthood (2011).

CLIENT BENEFITS

Professor Parkinson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on family law to Watts McCray. His expertise is of benefit to all our clients and he is able to provide specialist support in cases that require complex legal arguments.

BACKGROUND

Patrick studied Law at the University of Oxford and did a Masters' degree at the University of Illinois. He has held positions at the University of Illinois and at the University of Wales, Cardiff. In 1986 he came to Australia to teach at the University of Sydney, and has been there ever since. He has also held visiting positions at the University of Victoria, British Columbia and the University of Florida. He joined Watts McCray as Special Counsel on a part-time basis in 2007.