John is an Honorary Lecturer and Member of the CEPMLP Global Academic Team. He worked full time at CEPMLP, as the Rio Tinto Research/Teaching Fellow, from 2007-2010. John researches and teaches in mining regulation and also on human rights and resources. He has published and presented on topics including human rights and business, mining regulation, climate change, Indigenous rights, minerals taxation, CSR regulation, and mining agreements. 

John is an Independent Examiner (Australian National Contact Point for the Responsible Business Conduct), Advanced Mediator (Australian Mediator and Dispute Resolution Accreditation Standards) and barrister (Western Australian Bar Association). He is based in Perth, Western Australia.

In his legal practice, John advises and represents clients regarding resources issues in both litigious and non-litigious matters. His work has covered mining regulation in advising regulators, mining companies, land owners, communities and non-government organisations. John has assisted various government agencies (in Australia and internationally) on mining law reform. He is a panel member of the Wholesale Energy Market Dispute Resolution Adviser; and a panel mediator appointed by the Northern Territory Minister for Mining and Industry.

John has done considerable volunteer work including for Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, Centre for Native Title Anthropology, Environmental Defender’s Office of Western Australia, Peace Law Academy (Myanmar). John has also acted as a peer-reviewer for the Academy of Finland (funding proposals), Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Edinburgh University Press and Transparency International; and the journals Australian Journal of Human Rights, Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law, Property Law Review, Resources Policy and The Extractive Industries and Society.

John's law degree is from the University of Western Australia (1993) and he has an MBA in Mineral Resource Management (Dundee) and Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults. John previously worked with CEPMLP, the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Land Council (Australia), Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (Australia) and Corrs Chambers Westgarth (Australia). John is a member of the Energy and Resources Law Association (WA committee), International Law Association (Business & Human Rights Committee), Western Australian Bar Association, and Global Business and Human Rights Scholars Association (Management Committee).

John teaches International and Comparative Mineral Law and Policy (by Distance Learning, CP50040). The module introduces the main legal and policy issues in the mining industry, with an emphasis on the common methods within which mining is regulated. It provides an understanding of the key law and policy issues relating to the regulation of mining, including the ownership of minerals and application for rights to mine; and the effects that mining can have, on environment and communities, and how these are addressed.