Novocastrian Solicitors is a new entrant to the legal services market. Our success turns on the provision of accurate, affordable and timely legal services. In that context Novocastrian Solicitors is not a traditional "bricks and mortar" firm. Our flexible business model enables us to keep our costs down. Another advantage is that you, the client, don't come to us - we come to you. If you can't fi
nd the time to get away from work during normal business hours, we are happy to meet with you after-hours or on the weekend.**
Novocastrian Solicitors is the brainchild of Phil, a born-and-bred Novocastrian whose family history in the Hunter can be traced back to the mid-19th century. Chronology of experience:
For more than 20 years, Phil worked as a scientist in the university sector (ANU, USyd), the government (CSIRO) and the private sector. During this time he gained first-hand experience in the commercial affairs of small (cash-constrained) and large government-funded research institutes. This - coupled with his broader life experience - means he can readily empathise with your situation, and there's a good chance he has been in your position at some time or another - whatever it may be. If you would like to learn more about Phil's previous career, or if you are having difficulty sleeping, here is a link to one of his open access research papers:https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13361-011-0161-5.pdf
He has published many other papers, several book chapters and also designed processes which have been patented by his employers. His work has been cited many times and is even hosted on a NASA/Smithsonian database (see https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004IJMSp.232...67J/abstract). Sadly, most of his work is not easy to access as it is hidden behind publisher paywalls. If solvent-mediated proton-coupled electron transfer reactions implicated in the chemical capture of carbon dioxide or charged cluster-neutral molecule interactions in the gas-phase are your 'thing', he will happily provide copies of some of his more recent publications. About midway through the last decade, when science funding dried up because the country allegedly owed someone or something some money, Phil retrained in law. He hasn't looked back. After being admitted to the NSW Supreme Court in 2018, Phil worked for a short period as a licenced investigator preparing factual reports of workplace incidents and thereafter as a paralegal in the Community Law team at the Crown Solicitors Office. In about mid-2018 Phil was offered a position at small but prestigious commercial practice on the Central Coast where for almost two years he worked one-on-one with an accredited business law specialist. Thereafter he moved to another firm in that area where he had oversight of its estate administration practice and carriage of various commercial matters. After three years commuting to the Central Coast, Phil finally decided to call time and base himself in the Newcastle area to run his own law practice. In Phil's words:
"Its a privilege to be a solicitor and I'm extremely committed to practising ethically and developing a reputation for tenacity and success amongst my peers and within the Newcastle/Lake Macquarie communities. Above all, I want to ensure that my clients get the best possible outcome from my representation. If we need to have a difficult conversation, I won't resile from that and I will aim to have it sooner, rather than later. It's in the client's interests to do so." In his spare time: Phil loves to watch cricket (and was a keen player in the C&S competition back in the day), read the classics, play the drums (loudly - his 'dad band' played a show in 2006 to an enthusiastic crowd of 10 punters + 1 cat. Here's some footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL9ZKJUBAcs) and potter in the garden. When he eventually gets the time he swears he will reignite his passion for fishing, but it might have to wait until he retires.
