Summary
Mark Cahill is one of Australia’s most respected barristers in the field of Work Health And Safety Law [WH&S].
With more than 30 years’ experience, Mark Cahill routinely appears both as a prosecutor and defence counsel, at first instance and on appeal, in WH&S matters and as Counsel Assisting and as Counsel for interested parties in Coronial Inquests and Inquiries.
Mark Cahill has appeared on behalf of SafeWork NSW, the NSW Resources Regulator and numerous companies, both large and small, in cases involving underground mining [both coal and hard metal], open cut mining, heavy and light manufacturing, forestry, agriculture, construction, transport and public health/ hospitals.
Mark Cahill also has extensive experience in heavy vehicle safety regulation both as a prosecutor and as defence counsel.
Having appeared as Counsel Assisting and as counsel for persons of interest in a wide range of Coronial Inquests and Inquiries, Mark Cahill has extensive experience in Coronial Law and practice, including inquests and inquiries relating to questions of public safety, health and safety in the workplace and safety in rail operations and road transport.
Mark Cahill is recommended in Doyle’s Guide 2020, 2021 and 2023 in the leading junior counsel category in Work Health And Safety Law (NSW); and in the recommended category in Work Health and Safety Law (NSW) in 2022 and 2024.
Specialities
Mark Cahill is particularly noted for his capacity to analyse, understand and explain a broad range of complex legal and technical matters, including highly specialised expert evidence. He is renowned for his meticulous attention to detail.
Mark Cahill has specialist expertise in criminal law, coronial law and complex regulatory prosecutions regarding both corporate and directorial liability, particularly in the context of WH&S. He has a particular interest in safety-related matters, including wh&s prosecutions, fire and explosion inquiries and coronial inquests relating to public safety, electrical safety, industrial safety, mining, transport and safety in health-related contexts such as hospitals and mental health care units.
Recent cases of note
Mark Cahill appeared as Junior Counsel for SafeWork, on an appeal to the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, in Saunders Civilbuild Pty Ltd v SafeWork New South Wales [2023] NSWCCA 26.
The Inquest touching upon the Death of Mr Bernard Gore [being the death of a missing person at Westfield Bondi Junction].
