Dr David Tomkins
Lecturer
School of Law and Justice
- Email:david.tomkins@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4921 8747
Career Summary
Biography
I am an Australian lawyer with degrees in commerce (accounting) and law, and postgraduate qualifications in law from the United Kingdom and Germany. I am admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
My doctoral thesis is in the field of comparative constitutional law, focusing on the limits to judicial power (non-justiciability) in US federal and English public law.
Prior to undertaking postgraduate studies I worked in Sydney as a tipstaff and judge's associate to two different judges in the Compensation Court and Dust Diseases Tribunal of New South Wales – work which regularly brought me to Newcastle. I was subsequently active in the field of research and public policy in Germany, the United States and New Zealand. Before joining Newcastle Law School in 2014 I was an academic visitor and research assistant at the University of Auckland and a tutor at the University of Sydney.
Research Expertise
Constitutional law, Administrative Law, Comparative constitutional law, Comparative administrative law, Constitutional theory, Legal theory (jurisprudence), Political theory
Teaching Expertise
Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Jurisprudence (Legal Theory), and Property.
Qualifications
- PhD (Law), University of Oxford - UK
- Bachelor of Commerce, University of Western Sydney
- Bachelor of Laws (Honours), University of Western Sydney
- Lawyer, Supreme Court of New South Wales
- Master of Laws, Universitat Trier - Germany
- Bachelor of Civil Law, University of Oxford - UK
- Master of Philosophy, University of Oxford - UK
Keywords
- Administrative Law
- Comparative Law
- Constitutional Law
- Constitutional Theory
- Jurisprudence
- Law
- Legal History
- Legal Theory
- Public Law
Languages
- English (Mother)
- German (Fluent)
- French (Working)
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 480702 | Constitutional law | 100 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
| Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|
| Lecturer | University of Newcastle Newcastle Law School Australia |
Teaching
| Code | Course | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWS6023 |
Jurisprudence Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 27/2/2017 - 2/6/2017 |
| LAWS4011 |
Property Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Tutor | 26/2/2018 - 8/6/2018 |
| LAWS6007 |
Administrative Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 30/7/2018 - 9/11/2018 |
| LAWS6043 |
Advanced Legal Research Topic Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 9/7/2018 - 9/11/2018 |
| LAWS6007 |
Administrative Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 25/7/2016 - 4/11/2016 |
| LAWS5030 |
Legal Theory Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 3/3/2014 - 13/6/2014 |
| LAWS6023 |
Legal Theory Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 23/2/2015 - 5/6/2015 |
| LAWS4002 |
Administrative Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 30/7/2018 - 9/11/2018 |
| LAWS4002 |
Administrative Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 28/7/2014 - 7/11/2014 |
| LAWS4001 |
Constitutional Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 3/3/2014 - 13/6/2014 |
| LAWS5005 |
Advanced Legal Research and Writing Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 30/7/2018 - 9/11/2018 |
| LAWS5030 |
Legal Theory Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 23/2/2015 - 5/6/2015 |
| LAWS4002 |
Administrative Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 25/7/2016 - 4/11/2016 |
| LAWS4001 |
Constitutional Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 27/2/2017 - 2/6/2017 |
| LAWS6006 |
Constitutional Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 26/2/2018 - 8/6/2018 |
| LAWS4002 |
Administrative Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 27/7/2015 - 6/11/2015 |
| LAWS5030 |
Jurisprudence Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 27/2/2017 - 2/6/2017 |
| LAWS6043 |
Advanced Legal Research Topic Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 26/2/2018 - 8/6/2018 |
| LAWS4001 |
Constitutional Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Lecturer | 22/2/2016 - 3/6/2016 |
| LAWS4001 |
Constitutional Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Lecturer | 23/2/2015 - 5/6/2015 |
| LAWS6006 |
Constitutional Law Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 27/2/2017 - 2/6/2017 |
| LAWS5030 |
Jurisprudence Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 26/2/2018 - 8/6/2018 |
| LAWS6023 |
Jurisprudence Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 26/2/2018 - 8/6/2018 |
| LAWS5005 |
Advanced Legal Research and Writing Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia |
Course Coordinator | 26/2/2018 - 8/6/2018 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Chapter (2 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Tomkins DJ, 'Implied Freedoms and Political Donations: The Unions New South Wales and McCloy Cases', Upholding the Australian Constitution: Proceedings of the Samuel Griffith Society, Samuel Griffith Society, Melbourne 41-75 (2018) | ||
| 2016 | Lindsay KA, Tomkins D, 'The Judicial Scholar and the Scholarly Judge: Extra-Curial Writing and Intellectual Independence on the High Court', Judicial Independence in Australia: Contemporary Challenges, Future Directions, The Federation Press, Leichhardt NSW 168-182 (2016) [B1] | Nova |
Journal article (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 |
Lindsay KA, Tomkins D, 'Hail to the Chief! The Roles and Leadership of Australian Chief Justices as Evidenced in Extra-Curial Activity 1964-2017', UNSW Law Journal, 40 712-760 (2017) [C1]
|
Nova |
Report (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Tomkins DJ, Ekins R, 'Constitutional Theory for the Constitutional Review', Maxim Institute, 12 (2013) |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Completed2
Current1
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | PhD | Legal Framework for Resilient and Sustainable Coastal Zones | PhD (Law), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
| Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Masters | What Are You Barking At? Viewing Kable As A Doctrine Of Constitutional Criminal Law | Constitutional Law, Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia | Sole Supervisor |
| 2015 | Honours | Conflict And Opportunity: The Free Exercise Clause Revisited | Constitutional Law, Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, Australia | Sole Supervisor |
Dr David Tomkins
Position
Lecturer
School of Law and Justice
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
| david.tomkins@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Phone | (02) 4921 8747 |
| Mobile | N/A |
| Fax | (02) 4921 6931 |
Office
| Room | X-545 |
|---|---|
| Building | NU Space |
| Location | City Campus , |