Brett McGrath

Brett recently returned to Marsdens after serving as President of the Law Society of New South Wales in 2024 and following a four-year appointment as a Senior Judicial Registrar at the Sydney Registry of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. During his time at the Court, Brett presided over and determined intricate interim hearing proceedings in both Divisions 1 and 2.

Recognised for his exceptional skill in dispute resolution, Brett was appointed in 2022 as Director – National Registrar Operations (Dispute Resolution), where he was instrumental in developing and implementing the Court’s new co-mediation model, now adopted nationwide. His ability to settle some of the most challenging matters before the Court earned him a reputation as one of the country’s leading family law mediators.

A proud graduate of Western Sydney University, Brett holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and has been a dedicated legal educator since 2016, lecturing in Family Law, Advanced Family Law, and Family Dispute Resolution. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), bringing strong corporate governance expertise to his professional and community roles.

Deeply connected to his local community, Brett was born and raised in the Macarthur region, where his family’s roots go back nearly 200 years. He attended St Gregory’s College Campbelltown and has remained active locally, serving as President of the Macarthur Law Society (2014–2018) and the Greater Narellan Business Chamber (2018). He was also appointed by the NSW Attorney-General as the Law Society’s representative on the board of the Legal Aid Commission of NSW (2019–2021). Brett is currently a proud board member of United Way, a charity dedicated to improving early childhood literacy across Australia.

In 2024, Brett became the first practitioner registered under the Law Society of NSW’s Lawyer Mediator Accreditation (LMA) Scheme. He is also a member of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM) and is authorised to issue section 60I certificates.

Since his election to the Council of the Law Society of NSW in 2018, Brett has held multiple senior leadership roles, including Treasurer, Junior Vice President, Senior Vice President, and President. He has also chaired or served on numerous committees, including the Audit, Risk & Finance Committee (Chair), Professional Conduct Committee (Deputy Chair), and the ADR, Diversity & Inclusion, and Family Law Committees. In 2025, he was appointed Co-Chair of the Family Law Committee and continues to serve on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee.

Brett is proud to be the second Marsdens Partner to lead the state’s 40,000-strong legal profession, following in the footsteps of the firm’s founding partner, John Marsden, who held the presidency 30 years prior. Outside of work, Brett and his partner enjoy travelling and exploring new cultures.