Back to Home
Professional Profile
Experience & Qualifications
Barrister & Nationally Accredited Mediator with 18 years of practice across commercial litigation, mediation, and international arbitration.
Bar Admissions
Legal Admissions
2008Admitted to the legal profession
2018Called to the Bar — New South Wales
All StatesEntitled to practise in all Australian jurisdictions
Areas of Practice
Principal Practice Areas
Building & Construction LawEquity & Commercial LawInsurance & ReinsuranceSuccession & ProbateIndustrial & Employment LawAustralian Consumer LawMediation — Domestic & InternationalArbitration
Education
Academic Qualifications
Master of Laws (LL.M.)
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
University of Queensland
Graduate Diploma in Applied Law
Applied Legal Practice
University of Queensland
Attorney at Law
Final Examination
Law College of Sri Lanka
Career
Professional Experience
2018 – Present
Barrister & Commercial Mediator
5 Selborne Chambers, Sydney NSW
Independent barrister practising across commercial litigation, building & construction, equity, employment, succession, and insurance. Nationally Accredited Mediator (NMAS) conducting over 1,000 mediations since 2009 across all areas of law.
2009 – 2018
Solicitor & Accredited Mediator
Zhang Partners Solicitors (NSW) · Smith & Associate Solicitors (QLD)
Commercial litigation and family law solicitor in New South Wales and Queensland. Concurrently operated an independent mediation practice and worked part-time with Relationships Australia (QLD) conducting complex multi-party mediations.
2025
Expert Assessor & Judge
20th ICC Mediation Week — International Chamber of Commerce, Paris
Selected as Expert Assessor and Judge at the ICC International Mediation Competition, one of the world's most prestigious commercial mediation events.
2025
Expert Assessor & Judge
10th IBA-VIAC CDRC Mediation & Negotiation Competition — Vienna
Appointed as judge at the IBA-VIAC Competition in Vienna (July 2025), bringing international arbitration and negotiation expertise to the assessment panel.
Credentials
Accreditations & Memberships
Nationally Accredited Mediator
NMAS — Accredited 2013
NSW Bar Association
Member
Australian Bar Association
Member
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
MCIArb — London
Australian Disputes Centre
Panel Mediator
ResoX
Panel Mediator
WAPPP — World Association of PPP Specialists & Professionals
Association Member
Resolution Institute
Member
Australian Dispute Resolution Association
Member
Advocacy
Selected Cases as Counsel
Court of Appeal (NSWCA) & Supreme Court of NSW (NSWSC)
Smart Commercial Solar v Beyond Zero Technologies [2024] NSWSC — Breach of contract — counsel for the plaintiff
Discount Compound Pharmacy v Council of City of Sydney [2024] NSWSC — Breach of contract, misleading & deceptive conduct, Retail Lease Act — counsel for the defendant & cross-claimant
Secure Funding v FC Mansour Pty Ltd [2024] NSWSC — Breach of contract, possession — counsel for the defendant
Cross v Cross [2023] NSWSC — Family provision — counsel for the defendant
Osterberg-Olsen v McGrath [2023] NSWSC — Family provision — counsel for the defendant
Clifford Construction (In Liquidation) v G and Z Form Group [2023] NSWSC — Unfair preference payment — counsel for the first defendant
Animal Kingdom Gym v Timothy Perry [2023] NSWSC — Injunction, restraint of trade — counsel for the defendant
Huang v Nazaran [2023] NSWCA 8 — Judicial review — counsel for the applicant, led by Garry McGrath SC
Ziaee v Rubino [2023] ACTCA 7 — Personal injury — counsel for the respondent, led by Andrew Campbell
Riva NSW v Key Nominees [2023] NSWSC 71 — Appointment of receiver — counsel for the first and third plaintiffs
Re Estate Buxton: Knoll v Buxton [2023] NSWSC 819 — Family provision — co-counsel for the defendant
CS1 Evaline v Ong [2023] NSWSC 1065 — Breach of contract, specific performance — co-counsel for the plaintiff
Min Sheng Investment v Skyland Australia Developments [2022] NSWSC — Breach of contract, unconscionable conduct — counsel for the plaintiff, led by David Prichard SC
Qing Li v Novatti Group [2022] NSWSC — Shareholder dispute, unconscionable conduct — counsel for the first defendant
English v Transport for NSW and Fulton Hogan [2022] NSWSC — Removal of support, negligence — counsel for the plaintiffs
Bangladesh Islamic Centre of NSW v Elzamtar [2021] NSWCA 198 — Application to receive further evidence — co-counsel for the appellant
Avant Insurance v Burnie [2021] NSWCA 272 — Insurance Contracts Act ss 40, 54 — counsel for the respondent, led by Andrew Campbell
Smith v Coles Supermarkets [2020] NSWCA 206 — Personal injury — led by Michael Cranitch SC
Doraisamy v Doraisamy [2020] NSWSC — Family provision — counsel for the plaintiff
Jackson v Blue Mountains Katoomba Local Health District [2020] NSWSC — Medical negligence — counsel for the plaintiff
Davis v Blue Mountains Katoomba Local Health District [2020] NSWSC — Medical negligence, nervous shock — counsel for the plaintiff
Taouk v Ho [2019] NSWCA 156 — Building & construction — counsel for the applicant, led by Ian Roberts SC
Menz v Wagga Wagga Show Society (No 3) [2019] NSWSC 541 — Tort negligence, personal injury — counsel for the plaintiff, led by Michael Cranitch SC
Marketlend v Globo Hydro Power Australia [2019] NSWSC — Breach of contract, personal guarantees — counsel for the fifth defendant
Hill v Hill [2019] NSWSC — Family provision — counsel for the plaintiff
R v Kulwinder Singh [2017–2019] NSWSC — Murder — nine-week jury trial, counsel for the defendant, led by Margaret Cunneen SC
Federal Court of Australia
Smyth v Zou [2023] FCA 409 — Breach of contract, misleading & deceptive conduct — co-counsel for the defendant
District Court of NSW (NSWDC)
Henshaw v Owner Corporation Strata Plan 92042 [2024] NSWDC — Preliminary discovery — counsel for the defendant
Chang v Wei Lan [2023] NSWDC — Misleading & deceptive conduct — counsel for the defendant
SafeWork NSW v G and Z Form Group [2023] NSWDC 177 — Workplace health & safety — counsel for the defendant, led by Ingmar Taylor SC
Bronxx Tonkin v Elite Civil [2021] NSWDC — Breach of contract — counsel for the defendant
Commercial Waterproofing & Tilling v Elie Chami [2020] NSWDC — Building & construction — counsel for the defendant
China Towing v Hatzipapa [2018] NSWDC 345 — Torts, wages — counsel for the plaintiff, led by Tom Dixon
Build Direct Global v Wet Design Group [2015] NSWDC — Breach of contract, misleading & deceptive conduct — counsel for the plaintiff, led by Shane Prince SC
NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)
Konidaris v Sirigos Development [2022–2023] NCAT — Home building — counsel for the defendant
Owners SP 102171 v Ceerose Pty Ltd [2022–2023] NCAT — Building & construction — counsel for the second respondent (developer)
Hayne & Wright v Adam Elford [2023] NCAT — Home building — counsel for the plaintiffs
Publications
Academic Publications
Independence of The Judiciary in Sri Lanka: An Institutional Analysis of Its Woes
LAWASIA Journal, 2007, pp. 187–209
Author: Ruwan Wathukarage
International
International Panel Roles
February 2025
20th ICC Mediation Week
International Chamber of Commerce · Paris, France
Expert Assessor & Judge
July 2025
10th IBA-VIAC CDRC Mediation & Negotiation Competition
International Bar Association / VIAC · Vienna, Austria
Expert Assessor & Judge
February 2026
21st ICC Mediation Week
International Chamber of Commerce · Paris, France
Expert Assessor & Judge
Thought Leadership
Publications & Speaking Engagements
Speaking Engagements
6 February 2026 · Paris, France
"Stories Mediation Tell"
21st ICC Mediation Competition · International Chamber of Commerce · Paris
Presenter
Full Profile
Download the Complete Legal CV
The full CV includes all case references, academic credentials, accreditations, and professional memberships in a single document.
Download Legal CV (DOCX)