Date of Admission:
23 Aug 2011
Nationally Accredited Mediator:
29 Jan 2021
Qualifications:
LLB (Hons) GDLP LLM
Previous Occupation:
Solicitor, City Councillor
Accepts briefs from in-house counselProfile:
To see some of the more significant matters (reported and unreported) that Joel has appeared and advised in, please go to 'Extended Biography'.
Overview of Practice
Joel is a commercial barrister and accredited mediator, having specific expertise and training in construction, insurance, and property law. He acts in a wide range of matters, often advising parties from the early stages of a matter (including in arranging expert evidence) to the end of trial.
Common matters where Joel acts include contractual disputes (including under Australian Standard, ABIC and residential construction contracts), Security of Payment claims, property disputes (such as easements and adverse possession, owners' corporation and lease disputes, and nuisance claims), and professional liability matters. He has authored a number of practice papers in these areas (nuisance and trees, implied subdivision easements, briefing in domestic building matters, security of payment legislation in the building industry).
He accepts briefs to appear in all Courts and Tribunals, and mediates in all areas of commercial law.
Joel is also a member of the Victorian Bar News editorial committee, an Accredited Advocacy Instructor for the Victorian Bar Readers Course, and serves on the Arbiter Panel List under section 142 of the Local Government Act 2020.
His extracurricular activities have included serving as a City Councillor in Glen Eira (including as Deputy Mayor), as President of the LIV Young Lawyers, on the Football Federation of Victoria's Grievance and Disciplinary Tribunal, teaching Torts and Legal Ethics at Latrobe University, an Assistant Honourary Secretary to the Bar Council, and on the committee of the List S (Svenson Barristers) Association for about seven years (including three as Treasurer).
To view Joel's full CV, including some of his current activities, and to find some of his published works, you can visit his LinkedIn profile.
Memberships
Joel is a member of Melbourne TEC Chambers, the Commercial Bar Association, the Building Disputes Practitioners Society, the Society of Construction Law Australia, the Tasmanian Bar, and the Resolution Institute.
Joel's Clients
While his practice is by no means limited to them, the clients Joel most commonly represents include:
- Homeowners
- Builders, contractors, and construction companies
- Construction industry professionals (including building surveyors)
- Tenants (commercial and residential)
- Landlords (commercial and residential)
- Owners' corporations
- Housing associations
- Business owners
- Unincorporated associations
If you fall into any of these categories, Joel probably has had a client in your situation before.
Why building and property?
Joel's heritage is in the building industry, with the two preceding generations of Silvers practicing as architects and registered builders (in Perth and Melbourne). Having had industry exposure from a young age, Joel quickly developed an affinity with the construction law discourse.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister's clerk
have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.