John Watts – Retired Barrister, Educator, Author and Reporter
Formal Qualifications
Bachelor of Laws (Queensland)
Master of Laws (University of Western Sydney)
Legal Career
John Watts practiced law for over four decades, initially as a Solicitor from 1974 to 2002, before transitioning to the Bar as a Barrister until his retirement in 2017. During this period, he developed expertise in personal injury, motor accident law, and advocacy.
From 2003 to 2017, he served as a Claims Assessor with the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), also later acting as an occasional advisor to SIRA on motor accident insurer matters.
Teaching and Advocacy
John has been actively involved in legal education, having taught at the Australian Advocacy Institute and lectured part-time in Practice and Procedure at the University of Western Sydney. He has also participated in international advocacy training, including several visits as a member of the Australian Bar Association Advocacy teaching team to Bangladesh.
Public Service and Ethics
He was a legal member of the Human Research Ethics Committee for the Western Sydney Area Health Service, contributing legal insight into research governance and ethical review processes.
Publications
John is the author of two boutique non-fiction books on environmental issues:
"The Town That Said NO TO AGL" (2018) – chronicling Gloucester’s community battle against coal seam gas.
"Nine Lives for Our Planet" (2022) – personal stories of nine inspiring women dedicated to environmental preservation.
He has published numerous legal articles, covering topics such as cross-examination, product liability, coronial jurisdiction, personal injury law reform, and nervous shock claims.
Selected Legal Publications:
“An introduction to cross examination” – Lexus Nexus
“Product Liability under the Trade Practices Act” – Australian Lawyers Alliance
“The jurisdiction of NSW Coroners” – Australian Lawyers Alliance
“Is there a need for a specialist personal injury claims Tribunal?” – Law Society Journal
“Persuasive Advocacy at CARS” – NSW Law Society (2016)
“What you didn’t know about the landmark Rocky Hill judgment” – Law Society Journal
Media Contributions
John has written op-eds and commentary on environmental and energy policy, including pieces for the Newcastle Herald. From January 2022 to July 2024, he was a regular contributor to Manning Community News, mainly book reviews. Since October 2024, he has been a regular contributor to the Gloucester and District News of the Area.
