PROFILE

Qualifications: B Sc, LL B(Hons)

Practising since: 10 July 1995


CURRENT PRACTICE:

Mr Panayi's trial work is founded in a broad range of Commercial, Common Law, Crime, Administrative, Family Law litigation, principally in the County and Supreme Courts. He also has extensive experience in Private and Public International Law as well as Military Law matters. He occasionally conducts matters covering Probate/Wills/T.F.M., Inquests, Commissions, Inquiries and Maritime Law.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW:

His administrative law practice has covered a variety of jurisdictions including boards and tribunals, inquests and is well founded in relation to government law. He advises the Department of Defence reqularly in respect of government administrative decisions.

COMMON LAW:

Mr Panayi's experience in common law matters has developed through a range of trials before judge alone and judge and jury. This has included cases and trials involving personal injuries and medical negligence.

COMMERCIAL AND CORPORATIONS MATTERS:

His commercial practice at the bar has covered areas including contractual disputes, insurance, trusts, insolvency, corporate structures and director's duties.

CRIME:

He has significant experience in trial work at the County Court level as well as in the Magistrates' Court including committal hearings. A career highlight has included R v Babsek (1999) 108 A Crim R 141 in which he introduced the doctrine of the battered wife syndrome to the Queensland jurisdiction for the first time in a murder trial.

FAMILY LAW:

His practice in family law matters has predominantly included parenting issues including residence and contact , as well as property and spousal maintenance disputes. Mr Panayi has significant experience in acting for litigants of a non-English speaking background.

GOVERNMENT OR INTERNATIONAL LAW MATTERS:

Mr Panayi has appeared on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia, together with the Solicitor-General and Chief General-Counsel of Australia, before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, in the Russia v Australia case (Re Volga illegal fishing vessel). He has also been involved in international trade arbitration cases.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:

Mr Panayi was first called to the Queensland Bar in 1995, where he practiced until 1998. In 1999 he was invited to enter into the service of the Commonwealth of Australia as an Australian Diplomat. He served as a diplomat from 1999 to 2004 including in the positions of Director of International Law, Maritime Law, and Senior Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

"Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation"