John Thomas McGrath (1952 - 2021)

20/08/2021

Vale

John Thomas McGrath passed away on Thursday the 22nd of July 2021.

John was an avid gatherer of knowledge from birth. He demonstrated a lifelong love of learning and fostered a commitment to education in many others throughout his life by supportive mentorship.

John graduated from the University of Sydney with Bachelor of Economics (1975), Bachelor of Arts (1976) and Bachelor of Laws (1985). He was President of the University of Sydney Students’ Representative Council from 1974-75.

John had a dynamic early career, with appointments including: Associate to Commissioner, Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission (1979-81); Executive Assistant to President (Sir John Moore) Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission (1981-82); Executive Assistant to Chief Justice (Sir Nigel Bowen) Federal Court of Australia (1982-85).

He was called to the New South Wales Bar in 1985 and worked on matters in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia. His main areas of practice were in ACCC and commercial matters but he also held a keen interest in the law of equity.

John moved to the United Kingdom with his young family to live, from 1989 to 1991. His achievements (both professional and personal) in this period were plentiful and testament to his tenacity. In addition to the arrival of his fifth child, he studied for and graduated with a Master of Laws from The University of London (1991), was called to the United Kingdom Bar at Lincoln’s Inn and completed his certification in commercial mediation.

In more recent years, John worked in academic roles at the University of Western Sydney, the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology Sydney teaching in both legal subjects and academic literacy.

Despite his impressive list of academic achievements, John’s greatest source of pride and joy in his life was parenting and loving his five children and, more recently, his four grandchildren (and fifth on the way), to whom he taught many invaluable life-lessons. John will be sorely missed by so many.

Given the current COVID-19 restrictions, a small family funeral service was held on 29th July at Villa Maria Church in Hunter’s Hill. The live-stream was joined by many people whose lives were touched by John, throughout Australia and across the world in Ireland, England, Finland and Japan.

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