Matthew Myers (judge)

Matthew Myers (born 10 November, 1970) is a Judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales. In February 2017 he was appointed as an Australian Law Reform Commission Commissioner to lead the inquiry into Incarceration rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.^[1]

Judge Myers is well known for publicly speaking out against family violence, speaking on the topic of the removal of Aboriginal Children into Foster Care, his work with Reconciliation Australia and for being instrumental in the Federal Circuit Court being the first Federal Court in Australia to enter into a Reconciliation Action Plan.^[2]

Early life and education

Judge Myers was born on the 10th of November, 1970. He grew up in La Perouse located in Sydney's south and later moved with his family to French's Forest, where he attended Forest High School (Sydney). While attending school there, Judge Myers undertook many extra curricular activities including music and public speaking. Judge Myers developed an interest in law at an early age after witnessing an event in which a lawyer intervened between citizens of Eveleigh Street and the police.^[3]

Judge Myers holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales which he completed in 1997. He has a Master of Applied Law (Family Law) from the The College of Law Australia (2010) and has completed a Vocational Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution from Bond University (2011).

Judge Myers also holds a number of qualifications and accreditation's from various institutes across Australia. These are:

• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, The College of Law Australia, 1997
• Notary Public Training Course, The College of Law Australia, 2007
• Basic and Advanced Training Course Collaborative Practice, Interrelate and Collaborative Resolutions, 2009
• Law Society of New South Wales Accredited Family Law Specialist, 2009
• National Mediation Accreditation Assessment, Bond University, 2010
• Mediation Training, Bond University, 2010
• National Training Program for Independent Children’s Lawyers, Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and National Legal Aid, 2010
• Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, 2011
• Accredited as Mediator under the National Mediation System, 2011
• Law Society of Queensland Law Society Accredited Family Law Specialist, 2011
• Victorian Law Institute Accredited Family Law Specialist, 2011
• Accredited Practitioner Member - LEADR, 2011

Career

After completing his dual degree in Laws and Arts, Judge Myers began work as a solicitor in a small practice named Strain Kernan Cameron Solicitors in Terrigal (1997-1999) where he discovered his passion for Family Law. ^[3] Justice Myers became a partner at a law firm named Cameron & Myers in Erina, New South Wales (1999-2009) and then partner at the law firm Central Coast Family Law Gosford NSW 2009 - 2011. After a ten year career in Erina, Judge Myers began work part-time as a Family Law Mediator for Centacare in Broken Bay (2011-2012). He currently works as a Judge for Federal Circuit Court of Australia (2012-Present). Justice Myers was appointed as a Commissioner to lead the inquiry into incarceration rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.^[1] Judge Myers guest lectures in family law, children's law and regularly presents talks and papers on the topic at both State, National and International Conferences. Judge Myers is as an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales.

Honours, awards and memberships

Honours and Awards

• Law Society of New South Wales President’s Medal, 2011
• Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to the community in the area of welfare and Family Law, 2013^[4]

Memberships

• Law Society of New South Wales, 1997 to date  
• University of New South Wales Indigenous Alumni, 1998 to date
• Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia, 2005 to date 
• Member, Honoured Friends of the Salvation Army, 2007 to date
• National Congress of Australia’s First People, 2010 to date
• Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, 2010 to date
• New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, 2010 to date
• New South Wales Bar Association, 2012 to date

Committee, board positions and commissions

• Member of the Central Coast Family Law Pathways Network Steering Committee, 2011 to date
• Member CatholicCare Advisory Council (Broken Bay Dioceses), 2012 to date
• Member Law Society of New South Wales Indigenous Issues Committee, 2012 to date
• Member Federal Circuit Court of Australia Indigenous Access to Justice Committee and RAP Working Group, 2013 to date
• Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Family Law Pathways Network, 2013 to date
• Member Board of Family and Relationship Services Australia, 2015 to date
• Member of the Royal Australian Air Force Specialist Reserves Commissioned Officer Rank of Squadron Leader, 2015 to date

See also

• Australian Law Reform Commission
• Bond University
• Federal Circuit Court of Australia
• Judge
• Law Council of Australia
• Law Society of New South Wales
• University of New South Wales

References

External links

• SNAICC conference 2015: Protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• CLCNSW launches Reconciliation Action Plan
• Meet the Mob: Judge Matthew Myers
• Indigenous judge to head prison inquiry
• A judge's perspective on domestic violence
• Judge Matthew Myers on preventing a second stolen generation
• SUFFER THE CHILDREN Trouble in the Family Court
• History made as Federal Circuit Court joins reconciliation community
• Nura Gili celebrates 10 years of Indigenous success
• Lets Talk Judge Mathew Myers
• Laws may need to treat Indigenous people differently, inquiry head says