Presenters

David Higgs SC, 12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers
David was admitted as a solicitor in 1973, commenced practice as a barrister on 1 January 1977 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 1995. He has appeared in a wide variety of matters at first instance and/or on appeal in the Supreme Courts of NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia as well as in the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia. Relevant to this seminar, one of David’s main areas of practice is medical negligence. Only recently, in Polsen v Harrison [2024] NSWCA 224, he appeared before the New South Wales Court of Appeal for the appellant. That case deals with the vexed issue as to what is required for a defendant to establish no liability based on s.5O of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW). David now mainly acts as a mediator or arbitrator.


Dr Peter Cashman, Barrister, Third Floor Wentworth Chambers
Dr Peter Cashman is a barrister at 3 Wentworth Chambers in Sydney, former Professor of Law (Social Justice) University of Sydney Law School, currently Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice, University of New South Wales. He was formerly: Commissioner in charge of the civil justice review with the Victorian Law Reform Commission; Commissioner jointly in charge (with Justice John Basten) of the reference on class actions with the Australian Law Reform Commission; founding Director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre; founder and senior partner of the firm Cashman & Partners which merged with the Melbourne firm Maurice Blackburn & Co to form the national firm Maurice Blackburn Cashman (now Maurice Blackburn Pty Ltd); Governor of the American Trial Lawyers' Association (now the American Association for Justice) and National President of the Australian Plaintiff Lawyers' Association (now the Australian Lawyers Alliance). He holds a degree in law and a diploma in criminology from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Laws degree and a PhD from the University of London. He has practised law in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia and is the author of numerous publications, including Class Action Law and Practice, The Federation Press, 2007.

Presenters

David Higgs SC, 12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers
David was admitted as a solicitor in 1973, commenced practice as a barrister on 1 January 1977 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 1995. He has appeared in a wide variety of matters at first instance and/or on appeal in the Supreme Courts of NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia as well as in the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia. Relevant to this seminar, one of David’s main areas of practice is medical negligence. Only recently, in Polsen v Harrison [2024] NSWCA 224, he appeared before the New South Wales Court of Appeal for the appellant. That case deals with the vexed issue as to what is required for a defendant to establish no liability based on s.5O of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW). David now mainly acts as a mediator or arbitrator.


Dr Peter Cashman, Barrister, Third Floor Wentworth Chambers
Dr Peter Cashman is a barrister at 3 Wentworth Chambers in Sydney, former Professor of Law (Social Justice) University of Sydney Law School, currently Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice, University of New South Wales. He was formerly: Commissioner in charge of the civil justice review with the Victorian Law Reform Commission; Commissioner jointly in charge (with Justice John Basten) of the reference on class actions with the Australian Law Reform Commission; founding Director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre; founder and senior partner of the firm Cashman & Partners which merged with the Melbourne firm Maurice Blackburn & Co to form the national firm Maurice Blackburn Cashman (now Maurice Blackburn Pty Ltd); Governor of the American Trial Lawyers' Association (now the American Association for Justice) and National President of the Australian Plaintiff Lawyers' Association (now the Australian Lawyers Alliance). He holds a degree in law and a diploma in criminology from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Laws degree and a PhD from the University of London. He has practised law in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia and is the author of numerous publications, including Class Action Law and Practice, The Federation Press, 2007.