Peter Richard Capelin

Brief description

PER-106

Full description

Peter Richard Capelin was born on 10 June 1938 at Sydney, the son of Edmond Frederick Capelin and his wife Agnes Mary. He was educated at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, and at the University of Sydney (LLB 1962). (1)

He was admitted as a solicitor on 9 February 1962 and practised out of 28 Martin Place. Called to the New South Wales Bar on 7 February 1964, his chambers were at 142 Phillip Street, from 1965 at 174 Phillip Street, by 1992 at 7/167 Phillip Street and by 1998 at 3/174 Phillip Street. He was a Council Member of the New South Wales Bar Association from 1967/68 to 1977/78. Made a Queen's Counsel for New South Wales on 21 November 1979, he was also admitted to the Bars of Victoria and the Commonwealth. (2)

Capelin was an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. His first commission was from 27 February to 12 May 1989 and his second from 26 February to 4 May 1990. He was also a Barrister Member of the Administrative Decisions Tribunal New South Wales (Legal Services Division) from 1 October 1998 to 30 August 1999. The Division deals with complaints against the conduct of legal practitioners. From 2000 to 30 June 2006, Capelin was a member of the Senior Assessors Service of the Motor Accidents Authority, the statutory corporation set up to regulate the New South Wales Motor Accidents Scheme. The scheme sought to provide dispute resolution as an alternative to litigation, with the Senior Assessor Service dealing with complex cases. (3)

Capelin has an interest in horse racing. He has held many positions with the Australian Jockey Club: as Committee member 1980-2001, Honorary Treasurer 1984-1996, Vice-chairman 1996-2000; Chairman 2000-2001, and by 2005 was a Life Member. He was a member of the New South Wales Totalizator Board from 1984 to 1997. A member of the Appeals Panel of the Board of Racing NSW by June 2003, he was Principal Member by December 2003, a position he retired from on 31 December 2006. (4)

Capelin was secretary of the St Joseph's College Old Boys' Union from 1969 to 1973. (5)

Capelin has been married twice and has two sons and one daughter from his first marriage. (6)

Endnotes
1. Who's Who in Australia, Melbourne, Information Australia Group Ltd, 1997, p.325; 1999, p.342; 2002, p.370; 2005, p.372; 2008, p.408; University of Sydney Calendar, 1959, p.1193; 1960, p.1231; 1962, p.969; 1963, p.1053, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/index.php (cited 21 June, 10 August and 24 September 2008).
2. Barrister and Solicitors Admission Boards; NRS 13667, Roll of Solicitors, 29 August 1952 - 12 February 1962; Reel 2147, p.50; Barrister and Solicitors Admission Boards; NRS 13665, Roll of Barristers, 29 July 1955 - 28 July 1972; Reel 2147, p.20; New South Wales Law Almanac, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1963, p.108; 1965, p.92; 1966, p.94; 1968, p.80; 1969, p.80; 1980, p.111; 1981, p.93; 1992, pp.1, 43; 1998, pp.38-39; 'Bar Councillors 1970-1980', New South Wales Bar Association, http://www.nswbar.asn.au/docs/about/history/bclist1970_1980.php (cited 24 September 2008).
3. New South Wales Law Reports, Sydney, Law Book Company Ltd, Vol.17, 1989, p.ix; Vol.20, 1990-1991, p.ix; Parliament of New South Wales, Administrative Decisions Tribunal, Annual Reports, 1998-1999, pp.22-3, 43; 1999-2000, p.30; NSW Bar Association, Annual Report, 2000, p.37; 2006, p.16 http://www.nswbar.asn.au/docs/resources/publications/ar/ar_index.php (cited 8 October 2008).
4. Who's Who in Australia, op.cit.; Australian Jockey Club, Annual Report 2005, p.10, http://www.ajc.com.au/uploads/reports/5/2005AJCAnnualReport%582%5D.pdf (cited 24 September 2008); Racing NSW, Annual Report, 2003, p.14; 2005, p.26; 2007, p.24, http://www.racingnsw.com.au/page.asp?parm=cr.annualreport (cited 8 October 2008); 'Racing NSW - Reasons for Decisions, Appeal by Patrick Ferris (4 December 2003)', http://www.racingnsw.com.au/newsitem.asp?parm=1798 (cited 8 October 2008).
5. 'St Joseph's College Old Boys' Union. Union Secretaries', http://www.sjcobu.com/Environments/edoras/Resources/SJCOldBoysUnion/Nellie_s_Folder/PastSecretariesofSJCOBU.pdf (cited 24 September 2008).
6. Who's Who in Australia, op.cit..

Notes

Member, New South Wales Totalizator Board, 1984 - 1997
Acting Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 27/02/1989 - 12/05/1989, 26/02/1990 - 04/05/1990
Member, Administrative Decisions Tribunal (Legal Services Division), 01/10/1998 - 30/08/1999
Member, Senior Assessors Service of the Motor Accidents Authority, 2000 - 30/06/2006