Jim O'Donovan has been a Professor of Law at The University of Western Australia since 1985. He graduated in Arts and Law (with Honours) from The University of Queensland in 1969 and 1972 respectively. In 1976 he was awarded a Ph.D in law from The Australian National University. In 2004 The University of Queensland awarded him a Doctor of Laws (LL.D).
His publications include:
- Company Receivers and Administrators (Thomson LawBook Co Loose-leaf Service) (69 Releases);
- The Modern Contract of Guarantee, (co-author Professor J C Phillips, King's College), University of London, (Thomson LawBook Co, 2004) (9 Releases);
- Lender Liability (LBC Information Services, 2000);
- The Modern Contract of Guarantee (English Edition) (London, Sweet & Maxwell, 2003) (co-author Professor JC Phillips); and
- Lender Liability (English Edition) (London, Sweet & Maxwell, 2005).
This database Lender Liability On-Line is the product of seven years research.
Jim O'Donovan was Dean of Law at The University of Queensland in 1980-81 and Dean of Law and Head of the Department of Law at The University of Western Australia from 1987-1989.
He was an honorary consultant to the ALRC General Insolvency Inquiry (The Harmer Committee) (1986-88). He is a member of the Law Council of Australia, the Law Society of Western Australia, the WA Bar Association Inc, the Insolvency Practitioners' Association of Australia and Insol International.
He is admitted as: a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Courts of Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia; a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland; and a barrister of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
He has served as a consultant to some of Australia's leading law firms including Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Clayton Utz. As a consultant to KPMB, Chartered Accountants, he delivered biannual seminars on banking and insolvency law to KPMG's banking clients from 1993-2002. He is a regular contributor to BFSLA and IPAA conferences.
Jim O'Donovan lives in Perth and is a member of the independent bar practising from Law School Chambers, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009 and Lonsdale Chambers, Level 5, 530 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000. His email address is james_od1@hotmail.com.