Diana Black		    
  .
Date of Admission as a Barrister: 1 October 1987

EDUCATION
 
1962 Leaving Certificate – MLC Burwood
1965 Bachelor of Arts Degree, Sydney University
English, History, Psychology, Philosophy (Hons)
1966 Diploma of Education, Sydney Teachers’ College
1981 Completed post-graduate Law at the College of Law
Chancery Lane London
1982 Bar Finals Council of Legal Education, Greys Inn
London ( Honours 2.1)
1982 Admitted to the Bar of England and Wales at Middle Temple July 1982
2005 Commenced Master of Arts Degree (Egyptology)
Macquarie University, part time. May 2007 Have
completed 5 out of 8 subjects and expect to complete
degree by the end of 2008.

 
LEGAL CAREER
 

Oct 1980 Commenced post-graduate Law Course at College of Law
Chancery Lane, London
Jun-Aug 1981 Pupil at 1 Mitre Court London – the leading Family Law Chambers in London
Sept 1981 Judge’s Marshal to Dame Margaret Booth, High Court Judge of Family Division, London – on Circuit to Cardiff, Wales.
Oct 1981 Commenced Bar Finals at the Council of Legal Education, Grey’s Inn, London. Passed Bar Finals Examination June 1982 – specialized in Common Law,Family Law and Revenue Law.
29 July 1982 Admitted to Bar at Middle Temple, London
I am still a member of Middle Temple
Aug 82-Mar 83 Chancery Pupilage in Chambers in Lincoln’s Inn, London
Apr 1983 Joined Guildhall Chambers, Bristol UK. Practiced at the Bristol bar 1983-1987, appearing in Courts in London, Wales, and all over the West Country and specializing principally in Family Law with some Chancery work, Common Law and Crime.
1983 Admitted to Brunei Bar.
Oct 1987 Admitted to New South Wales Bar.
Nov 1987 Joined Edmund Barton Chambers MLC Centre Sydney
1990 Joined Ground floor Windeyer Chambers Macquarie Street Sydney
1998 Appointed District and Supreme Court Arbitrator and Mediator. I continue to be a member of these panels
October 2000 Rejoined Edmund Barton Chambers
2002 Joined North Coast chambers in Lismore NSW where I often undertake circuit work.
2003-05 Appointed to Workers Compensation Commission Arbitrator and Mediator
2004 Appointed by Bar Association as Local Court Arbitrator.
2004 Appointed by Legal Aid Commission to panel for Care & Protection Matters in Specialist Children’s Court
2005 Completed Legal Aid Separate Representative Training Course
2006 Reappointed to legal Aid Child Care and Protection Panel
2008 Reappointed to District Court of NSW Court Panel of Mediators and District Court panel of Mediators, duration of appointment until 2010.


AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Negligence
  • Family Law and Children’s matters
  • Equity
  • Discrimination
  • Crime

Also some experience in Workers Compensation, and Victims Compensation

MEDIATION:
 

May 1995 Obtained Certificate of Commercial Mediation Mediation Course Mediate Today (David Newton)
Nov 1995 Family Law Mediation Workshop, Bond University
(Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators)
Jan 1996 International Mediators Conference – Adelaide
1998 Family Law Arbitration Course – Relationships Australia (Edgecliff)
1998-continuing Appointed to Relationships Australia panel of Mediators.
1998 Appointed to NSW Bar Association Mediation Panel for District Court and Supreme Court 14.11.1998
Jan 2002 Appointed to Workers Compensation Commission panel of Mediators, Conciliators, Arbitrators
24 June 2002 Attended at Conciliation Training Course Relationships Australia Melbourne at the request of RA Sydney for training to conduct conciliations referred to RA by Federal Magistrates Court.
2008 Mediation Training Courses Bar Association NSW
2008 Reappointed to District Court Mediation Panel until 2010.


MEDIATION EXPERIENCE:

I have approximately 1500 hours experience as a mediator working for Relationships Australia and Mediate Today and also conducting private mediations. I have also acted as a legal adviser representing parties in mediation, particularly in personal injury, contract/commercial, family law, and farm debt.

ARBITRATION:
 

1998 Bar Association Panel of Arbitrators. Appointed Arbitrator, District Court of New South Wales
Feb 1999 Arbitration Course, Law Society of New South Wales
25-26 Feb 2000 Attended Arbitration Course in Melbourne to become a member of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 12 Bloomsbury Square London UK. Passed required examinations and became a member August 2000.
19-21 July 2001 Attended AIFLAM Family Law Arbitration Course in Melbourne conducted by Bond University. Obtained Certificate.
2002 Appointed to Workers Compensation Commission as a Mediator/Arbitrator
2004 Appointed Local Court Arbitrator
2008 Attended Family Law Arbitration 2 day Training Course conducted by AIFLAM in Adelaide and obtained Certificate.
2008 Reappointed to District Court of NSW Panel of Arbitrators until 2010.


ARBITRATION EXPERIENCE

Throughout my practice at the Bar I have represented often represented litigants in Arbitrations in the Local Court, the District Court and the Supreme Court. I have represented people the following areas: personal injury, contract/commercial.

I have acted as a District Court Arbitrator since 1998 -2001and sat in Sydney Parramatta, Gosford, and Lismore District Courts, and have heard a wide range of matters within the District Court jurisdiction, and since January 2004 as a Local Court Arbitrator.

I have acted as a mediator/arbitrator with the Workers Compensation Commission 2002-2005.


PRE-LEGAL CAREER
 

1977-1980 Teaching – Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Borneo
At Sixth Form College – For two years Headmistress of a Muslim Malay Primary School.
1971-1976 Teaching in Lagos Nigeria American International School
Appointed English speaking Secretary to Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, writing quarterly magazine for the Italian Embassy in English medium to publish Italian expertise, circulated to Italian Embassies all over the world.
1971-1976 Teaching in United Kingdom at various High Schools to HSC level.
1967-1968 Teaching in Sydney NSW at Meriden School and SCEGGS
Redlands to HSC level.