BA (Hons 1) LLB (Hons 1), PhD (Syd), Grad Dip Leg Prac, FAICD, FANZAM
Professional Background
Bernard holds first class honours degrees in Law and Arts, has a doctorate of Philosophy as well as a graduate diploma in Legal Practice. He has served in numerous academic positions both in Australia and overseas, most recently as visiting Professor at the Law School University College Dublin.
Bernard was an integral part of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM), joining as Director of Academic Programs in 1985 and then as Dean and Managing Director from 1991 to 1996.
His experience includes two years as Chief Executive Officer of Outlook Media Ltd, editorial experience on a number of management and law journals and an active role in the change management process at the University of Western Sydney. Bernard was one of the drivers behind the University establishing the Sydney Graduate School of Management.
In 1990 he won the Minter Ellison Prize for intellectual property and was Chair of the Sydney Law Review. He has also won several prizes for his work on public management. Bernard is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management. He is particularly interested in the areas of alternative dispute resolution, business and government law and business ethics.
Current Practice
Bernard is a Director and Team Leader of our Business and Commercial Law area, which includes a wide range of areas such as commercial agreements, shareholder agreements, succession planning, general business advice and company formation.
His recent work has included:
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Advising several not-for-profit organisations on a proposal to merge the entities;
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Advice to a national company on the acquisition of a competitor;
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The preparation of a shareholders agreement for a large family-owned business where several generations of the family were actively involved in the business;
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Advice to an Australian company on the protection of its intellectual property as it planned to enter the Asian market;
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Advice to a charity group on its tax status for overseas activities, including the raising of funds;
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Providing both legal and management advice to an Australian company undertaking a joint venture in India.
