MR JOHN NICHOLSON

John Nicholson was admitted to the NSW Bar in 1977 at a mature age of 36 years. Coming from a union background, John anticipated a legal career in industrial law, but within three years of commencing at Wardell Chambers, his practice was primarily in common law and crime. In 1984 he was offered appointment as a Public Defender. John was awarded Senior Counsel status in 1994, was appointed Deputy Senior Public Defender in 1996, and Senior Public Defender in 1999.

During his years as Public Defender he has presented and submitted numerous papers to various conferences and journals. His particular interest centres upon the way in which criminal justice is administered in NSW to indigenous persons. Pre-law, John spent 13 years as a secondary school teacher in non-government schools in NSW and 7 years as the Secretary of the Independent Teachers Association (now Independent Education Union).