Russell Bennett Email & Phone Number

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Melbourne, Australia

The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner is the regulator of the legal profession in Victoria. This was a fixed term maternity cover position.As a Senior Investigator I investigated the more complex disciplinary complaints against legal practitioners.I also conducted assessments of a legal practitioner’s suitability to hold a practising certificate.I also prepared disciplinary cases for hearing at the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal. I was a member of the Operational Well Being Group and the Compliant Handling Policy Review Group.

Melbourne, Australia

The Judicial Commission of Victoria (Commission) is an independent body established to receive complaints about, and to establish guidelines regarding, the standards of ethical and professional conduct of judicial officers and non-judicial members of the Victorian Civil andAdministrative Tribunal (VCAT).The Principal Lawyer leads a small team responsible for the investigation of complaints and providing high level advice and support to the Director, Judicial Commission of Victoria, the Board of the Judicial Commission and Investigatng Panels.

London, United Kingdom

The General Dental Council regulates dental professionals in the UK, maintaining standards for the protection of patients. Where it is alleged that a dentist or dental care professional falls seriously short of the standards expected of them they may be subject to fitness to practise proceedings. The In-House Legal Prosecution Service prepares fitness to practise cases and presents them before the relevant GDC committee empowered to hear and determine such cases.

Melbourne, Australia

The Assistant Ombudsman is part of the senior leadership group reporting to the Deputy Ombudsman. I managed a team of investigators with a specific emphasis on coaching and mentoring. As part of the senior leadership group I contributed to policy, strategic and operational development.I also provided high level advice and briefings to the Deputy Ombudsman and Ombudsman on strategic and operational matters and various investigations. This was a fixed term contract position.

Melbourne, Australia

A fixed term contract position to investigate and resolve complex complaints and disclosures.Promoted to Assistant Ombudsman in January 2017.

London, United Kingdom

I managed the Regulation Team of the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and provided strategic advice to the Head of Regulation and the Chief Executive on a variety of Fitness to Practice (FtP) issues. The Regulation Team investigates complaints about osteopaths and where necessary instigates fitness to practice proceedings and brings them to hearing and final determination by an independent statutory committees. In both 2014/15 and 2015/16 the Regulation Department met all of the FtP standards set by the PSA (Public Standards Authority for Healthcare) which regulates all nine UK Heath Care Regulators.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care oversees statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK. It assess their performance, conduct audits, scrutinise their decisions and report to Parliament. As a Senior Scrutiny Officer I assist in the review of all final decisions made by the regulators’ fitness to practise committees. The PSA can refer those decisions to court if it consider they are unduly lenient and do not protect the public.

London, United Kingdom

Contract position in the Party Election Finance (PEF) area assessing and resolving complaints, preparing briefing papers on elections and legislation for senior management and undertaking a variety of project work including authoring and auditing of QMS procedures and data consolidation.

Melbourne, Australia

*Managed a team of investigators to undertake investigations of complaints regarding all aspects of local government in Victoria. *Undertook prosecutions into alleged breaches of the Local Government Act by councillors and senior council staff.*Provided high level advice to the Chief Inspector of Municipal Administration on the outcome of investigations, prosecutions and other matters pertaining to local government in Victoria.

Melbourne

*Managed an investigation team of eight dealing with difficult and complex complaints received by the Ombudsman relating to human services (child protection), prisoners and legal services. *Led "own motion" investigations into driver licensing arrangements, custody conditions for prisoners and regulation of legal practitioners.

Melbourne, Australia

*Managed a portfolio of work injury, road accident injury and , public liability files predominantly Supreme Court matters of significant quantum and complexity. *Cases involved clients with injuries such as quadriplegia,paraplegia and acquired brain injuries with a large amount of client contact required.

Bachelor Of Laws (Llb)

Graduate Diploma Legal Studies

Diploma In Education, Secondary Education And Teaching

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba)