• Victoria
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Federal Jurisdictions

• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Arbitration
• Banking and Finance
• Bankruptcy/Insolvency
• Building and Construction Law (Incl Engineering)
• Commercial Law
• Contract
• Corporations (Company) Law
• Equity and Trusts
• Insurance Law
• Mediation : Accredited Mediator
• Probate/Wills/Family Provision
• Professional Negligence
• Property Law/Sale of Land

John did his Articles with Price Brent and signed the Bar Roll in 1989. His principal area of practice is general commercial litigation, including professional negligence, contract, sale of land, property, equity, corporations and probate and wills, as well as disciplinary and other proceedings against legal practitioners.

He is particularly interested in alternative dispute resolution including arbitration, adjudication and mediation. John is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and ACICA and a National Councillor and treasurer of the Australian Branch of CIArb. He has been empanelled with KLRCA as Arbitrator, Adjudicator and Mediator.

His work ranges across the following:

• causes and applications in the Supreme, Federal, County and Magistrates Courts and at VCAT;
• mediations (both as counsel and as mediator);
• drawing pleadings, affidavits and other documents;
• advising in civil litigation, and general advice work.

He has delivered seminars and presentations both locally and regionally on topics in contract law, equity, property law and sale of land, wills and estates, professional conduct and international arbitration.

John’s published articles include:

• “Liability of Directors for Unpaid Group Tax” (1994) Vol 68 Law Institute Journal 606
• “Testator’s Family Maintenance – are Stepchildren Eligible?” (1997) Vol 71 Law Institute Journal 55
• “Possible Avenues for Policyholders following the collapse of the HIH Group” (2001) Vol 75 Law Institute Journal 56.
• “When time is of the essence. Remedies for breach of contract” (2006) 80 Law Institute Journal 42.
• “Fair play” Interlocutory injunctions (2007) 81.06 Law Institute Journal 52.
• “Qatar Law Forum” (2009) 83 ALJ 507
• “Australia: Hub for international arbitration” Victorian Law Institute Journal (2013) 87 LIJ 40; an updated and revised version of this article appears in the ACICA June 2014 Review at:
• “Statutory requirements to attend or use ADR: Victoria”, Australian Alternative Dispute Resolution Bulletin, Lexis Nexis, May 2014 – go to:
• “The legislative context for international and domestic commercial arbitration in Australia”, Australian Alternative Dispute Resolution Bulletin, Lexis Nexis, July 2014
• “Setting aside and objecting to enforcement of arbitral awards on the public policy ground”, Australian Alternative Dispute Resolution Bulletin, Lexis Nexis, December 2014
• Rescission of contracts for the Sale of Land and the Practical Importance of Default Clauses, Gordon & Jackson online library, 22 March 2015
• Liability for Pre-Contractual Conduct Under Preliminary Agreements, Gordon & Jackson online library, 6 June 2015
• Setting aside or non-enforcement of arbitral awards in international arbitration on the public policy ground and for breach of natural justice – Gordon & Jackson online library, 20 August 2015
• Arbitration and ADR in Australia — meeting the needs of international trade and commerce, Gordon & Jackson online library, 22 September 2015 (with R Cohrssen)
• Setting aside or non-enforcement of arbitral awards in international arbitration on the public policy ground — a regional Perspective – Gordon & Jackson online library, 17 December 2015
• Confidentiality and privilege in mediation, Australian Alternative Dispute Resolution Bulletin, Lexis Nexis, November 2015
• The essential elements of international arbitration and its yin and yang – steadfast curial support and limited interference – a regional perspective, 11 Oct 2016, Perhimpunan Advokat Indonesia; Moderator: Dr. Ricardo Simanjuntak SH, LL.M, ANZIIF.CIP

Copies of many of these and other articles and papers may be viewed at: https://svensonbarristers.com.au/learning/

John is a co-author of:

• Civil Procedure Victoria, Lexis Nexis (with David Bailey of counsel);
• Australian Uniform Evidence, Lexis Nexis, online (with the Hon. Justice Geoff Bellew, Supreme Court of NSW); and
• Australian Uniform Evidence Law: Principles and Context, Bellew, G; Arthur, J; Boas, G; Chifflet, P, 2019, Lexis Nexis.

John is married with 4 children.

He is a member of the International Bar Association, the Law Institute of Victoria, the Asian Australian Lawyers Association and on its Executive Committee, Asialink’s Chairman’s Club and Chancellor’s Circle, and Legal Friends of Melbourne Recital Centre.

For a further profile go to: https://www.vicbar.com.au/profile/8856

Linked in profile: https://au.linkedin.com/pub/john-arthur/56/661/512

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.