Duncan McConnel SC
Year and Place of First Admission
1994, Northern Territory
Jurisdictions
High Court, Federal Courts and Tribunals, Northern Territory
Areas of Practice
Commercial litigation including planning law, property law, contract disputes, competition and consumer law, occupier’s liability, negligence, professional indemnity, equity, trusts and estates, insolvency and corporations, building and constructions claims
Personal injuries including worker’s compensation, commonwealth worker’s compensation, compensation recoveries, MAC and CTP litigation; assessment of damages;
Administrative law, appeals and judicial review, professional conduct and disciplinary proceedings;
OH&S investigations and prosecutions; environmental investigations and prosecutions; mine management investigations and prosecutions
Royal Commissions and Tribunals; ICAC investigations
Qualifications and experience
Accredited Mediator (NMAS) (2020)
Accredited Arbitrator (CIArb) (2019)
Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
Barrister (2009) (admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory 1994)
Type of mediation conducted
All areas of civil litigation, including: contract disputes, building claims, insurance, workers
compensation, trusts, estates, equitable claims, Australian Consumer Law claims, corporations
Career
Duncan was called to the Bar and joined William Forster Chambers in 2009 and has a busy practice in insurance, worker’s compensation and commercial litigation.
Duncan has been involved in the majority of significant reported cases in the worker’s compensation jurisdiction in the Northern Territory. In addition, Duncan’s practice includes a wide variety of matters ranging from native title to crime, with an emphasis on the appellate jurisdiction.
Duncan has spent many years in legal profession representation, first at the Law Society of the Northern Territory and subsequently at the national level. In 2015 Duncan was the President of the Law Council of Australia, the peak national and international representative body for the Australian legal profession, having served as a director of that body for 7 years. In 2019 Duncan was appointed as Chairman of the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission for a term of 3 years. He was also President of the Northern Territory Bar Association from 2020 – 2023.
Duncan has practiced law in the Northern Territory for 24 years.
In 2021, Duncan was appointed Senior Counsel.
Contact Details
Duncan McConnel SC
William Forster Chambers
26 Harry Chan Avenue
Darwin NT 0800
PO Box 4369
DARWIN NT 0801
Tel: (08) 8982 4700
Email: dmcconnel@williamforster.com
