Christopher (John) Pearce
Partner
John was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1980. He joined Scales + Partners as a partner in 2000.
John specialises in a wide range of litigious (or potentially litigious) matters including civil and commercial litigation, personal injury and WorkCover disputes, wills and estates, criminal law, matrimonial and defacto law property law.
He has been involved in a number of notable cases including:
- The first test case run by the ACCC regarding Section 51 AC of the Trade Practices Act (dealing with unconscionable conduct in the course of trade).
- A series of decisions of the Family Court which determined that the Family Court had the power to order psychiatric reports of children, who were the subject of a Court dispute, and their parents.
- A number of significant cases relating to the interpretation of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act.
- The breach of contract claim brought by the former CEO of the South Australian Jockey Club arising from his dismissal for alleged serious and wilful misconduct.
- The first major Supreme Court decision on the scope and practice of Intervention Orders.
For many years John has also been an important contributor to the ongoing debates relating to the changes and proposed changes to the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act and the Magistrates Court Rules.
John is a member of the Law Society of South Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.
Areas of Expertise: