Archive

Scott Davison is available to accept briefs in Defamation, Disciplinary and Regulatory matters. In addition, Scott accepts briefs in the area of Medical Law and professional liability.

Scott comes to the Bar with broad experience gained as a solicitor advocate. Since coming to the Bar, Scott has gained advocacy experience in a range of commercial and civil disputes as well as criminal proceedings.

Scott graduated from Monash University with Honours and is the 2009 recipient of the Supreme Court Exhibition Prize.  Scott is a candidate for a Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne. He has completed subjects including “Medical Litigation”, “Advanced Evidence”, “Regulation of Health Practitioners”, “Medical Ethics” and “Defamation”. In 2019, Scott commenced tutoring in Evidence Law at Monash University.

Before coming to the Law, Scott served with the Australian Regular Army for more than 21 years reaching the rank of Major in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He recently transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (Reserve) as a Legal Officer.

Scott is a current member of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences. Scott is also a member of the Common Law, Military, Industrial, Commercial and Criminal Bar associations.

Scott read (VI) with David Purcell SC. His Senior Mentor is Professor Ian Freckelton QC.

Scott has recently been published in the Journal of Law and Medicine: ‘Therapeutic privilege is no defence’, (2019) 23(3) Journal of Law and Medicine 595. Furthermore, Scott has recently been published again in the Journal of Law and Medicine: ‘The Doctrine of Double Effect and Potential Criminal Liability of Medical Practitioners in Australia’, (2021) 28(2) Journal of Law and Medicine 503

John came to the Victorian Bar in 1983 and read with Andrew Kirkham QC.

His practice developed to include both the criminal and civil jurisdictions in both the government and private sectors.

He now has extensive experience in coronial inquests. He also appeard with David Curtain QC on behalf of an electricity corporation at the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (2009).

In addition, he appears in disciplinary hearings at VCAT (Chinese Medical Registration Board of Victoria) and has appeared before the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria (both as Counsel Assisting and representing medical practitioners) and at the Pharmacy Board of Victoria.

John’s recent appearances include the following:

Coroner’s Court as Counsel Assisting:

• train/truck collision (KERANG railway level crossing);
• suicide (BLOOMFIELD)
• murder (BOTTOMLEY & HOWE);
• motor vehicle/bicycle collision (PEOPLES);
• Victoria Police – pursuit (WSOL & BAN);
• Victoria Police – arrest (suspect with mental illness) (QUILKEY)
• Victoria Police – arrest (suspect with cardiac condition) (MILLS); and
• Victoria Police – arrest by Special Operations Group (murder suspect) (JOANNOU).

Coroner’s Court as Counsel for interested parties:

• Victorian WorkCover Authority (BAKER, JONES & ANDERSON);
• Corrections Victoria (CASTLE & JONES);
• Forensicare – Thomas Embling Hospital (SPLATT & NOTAS), Metropolitan Assessment Prison – AAU (WYLY) and Metropolitan Assessment Prison (OMEROVIC);
• Victoria Police Members – arrest (suspect with mental illness) (CHAPMAN);
• St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (PERRY, HARRINGTON, LAPILA, PANLOCK, HUYNH, WHYTE, STEPHENS, SHERRIFF, JENNINGS and PARKES);
• St Vincent’s Correctional Health Service – deaths in custody (WESTON, ZAYAT, WETCOTT, WHELAN, KENNEDY, VO, STEPHENS, BRIGHAM, CONDIE & KARASTAVROU);
• Latrobe Hostel (RICHMOND);
• Medical practitioners (intensive care physician, surgeon, radiologist, GPs and psychiatrist) (IREDELL, MARTINOV, RODGER, ACCARDO, KELLETT, ARTHUR & COLHOUN);
• Falls Creek Ski Lifts Pty. Ltd. – skiing accident (McARTHUR);
• Road Management Solutions Pty Ltd – industrial accident (RIMANICH);
• Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council Inc. – petrol sniffers (KEN, HUNT, THOMPSON, RYAN & COOPER); and
• family of the deceased – infant (HEWITT).

Criminal matters

Defence work and prosecuting on behalf of the DPP and other government departments/agencies such as the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and the Victorian WorkCover Authority.

Supervision Orders

He regularly appears on behalf of The Secretary to the Department of Justice (instructed by Corrections Victoria, Russell Kennedy and the VGSO) in applications for Supervision Orders pursuant to the provisions of the Serious Sex Offender (Detention and Supervision) Act 2009.

Civil matters

John focuses on personal injury matters.

John has also practised away from the Victorian Bar with the following organisations:

• Aboriginal legal aid services of the Northern Territory (Alice Springs & Darwin);
• Royal Australian Air Force – prosecuting and defending at Summary Hearings and Courts Martial;
• Pitjantjatjara Council Inc. – advising on mining exploration applications; native title & land rights; personal injuries; intellectual property, submissions to the Commonwealth & State governments;
• Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park Board of Management (the Traditional Owners of the Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park);
• Mutijulu community, Northern Territory;
• Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunyjatjara Women’s Council; and
• Native Title and Indigenous Issues Unit – Department of Justice, State Government of Victoria.