Mr Michael Barnett

Lecturer, School of Law

LLM(Hons), BA LLB Syd    Contact details

Career Profile

Michael Barnett began his teaching career at UWS Law School in 2005. Prior to that he worked as a solicitor in practice, a policy lawyer and a tribunal member. He was a Member of the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal, a Legal Manager at the NSW Legal Aid Commission, a Principal Law Reform Officer at the Australian Law Reform Commission and a Solicitor with the Australian Government Solicitor. He has also worked in a voluntary capacity at Macquarie Legal Centre, Redfern Legal Centre and the Intellectual Disability Rights Service. 

Awards and Recognition

  • Member of NSW Health Tribunals and Boards (eg Nurses Board)
  • Volunteer consultant to Intellectual Disability Rights Service (2003-2005)
  • Accredited mediator with LEADR (1998)
  • Member of Mental Health Association NSW (2003-04)

Interests

Learning and Teaching Interests

  • contracts law
  • constitutional law
  • mental health law

Research Interests

  • mental health law (currently undertaking PhD on comparative mental health law)
  • mental health training and policy
  • bullying and stress in the workplace and schools
  • administrative law, particularly tribunal decision making

Engagement Interests

  • student placement and experience in legal organizations
  • community legal work
  • partnerships with legal organizations in the development of dispute training materials

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Publications

Articles

  • Barnett M, Mind Your Language The Role Of Interpreters in Immigration Proceedings (2006) 10 UWSLR 109 -138
  • Barnett M Dobbing-in and the High Court Veal Refines Procedural Fairness (2007) UNSWLJ 127-150.
  • Barnett, M, Hayes R, Large, M, Nielssen, O Dealing with Mentally ill Clients: Psychological and Ethical Issues (2007) 11 UWSLR (March 2008 forthcoming)

Government reports

  • Sentencing (ALRC 44, AGPS, 1987)
  • Customs and Excise (ALRC 60, AGPS, 1992)
  • For the Sake of the Kids: complex contact cases and the Family Court (ALRC 73, AGPS, 1995)
  • Designs (ALRC 74, AGPS, 1995)
  • Integrity but not by trust alone: AFP and NCA Complaints and Disciplinary Systems (ALRC 82, AGPS, 1996)
  • Managing Justice: A Review of the federal civil justice system (ALRC 89, AGPS, 1999)
  • The Judicial Power of the Commonwealth: A Review of the Judiciary Act 1903 and related Legislation (ALRC 92, AGPS, 2001)

Conferences

Presentation and seminar

Dealing with mentally ill clients to PIAC and lawyers involved in providing assistance to mentally ill clients Sydney, June 2007.