The Hon Anthony Besanko KC joins Atkin Chambers

Atkin Chambers is delighted to announce that The Hon Anthony Besanko KC, former judge of the Federal Court of Australia, has joined Atkin Chambers as a door tenant. Anthony will now accept appointments as an arbitrator, mediator, early neutral evaluator and expert for the purposes of expert determination.

Anthony was appointed a judge of the Federal Court of Australia in April 2006 and remained in that position until his retirement in May 2024. He previously sat as a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia, a position to which he was appointed in 2001.

Beginning his career as a solicitor in 1978, Anthony joined the independent Bar in South Australia in 1984, being appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1994. As a barrister, Anthony practised primarily in the fields of commercial law, equity, company law and negligence actions against professional firms. He was involved, both as junior counsel and later as senior counsel, in a number of long-running cases in the Supreme Court of South Australia and the Federal Court of Australia.

Anthony is Vice President of the Academy of Law (AAL), an organisation designed to bring together the profession and the academy and has as one of its objectives, the promotion of the highest standards of legal scholarship, legal research, legal education, legal practice and the administration of justice. He is also a member of the Regulatory Committee of the Australian Financial Security Authority. 

Anthony was appointed as an International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court on 5^th January 2025, joining fellow Atkin Chambers’ door tenants, The Hon James Allsop AC and Professor Doug Jones AO, who sit on the SICC bench.

“The members of Atkin Chambers are delighted that The Hon Anthony Besanko KC has chosen to join Atkin Chambers as a door tenant and an arbitrator following a very distinguished judicial career. Anthony’s arrival reflects the global reach of international disputes members of Atkin Chambers are involved in.” commented Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC, Head of Atkin Chambers.

The Hon Anthony Besanko KC says “I am very pleased to be joining Atkin Chambers as a door tenant. I look forward to making a contribution to a chambers which is held in such high esteem.”

Anthony’s practice will be managed from Atkin Chambers in London by CEO and Director of Clerking David Barnes who adds “I am delighted to welcome The Hon Anthony Besanko KC to Chambers. Anthony will be based in Adelaide and will therefore greatly expand the domestic offering in Australia. In addition, I will be actively engaged in helping to develop his practice within the Asia Pacific and beyond.”