Profile

Michael Kearney was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in January 2000 and appointed Senior Counsel in October 2012. Michael practised as a solicitor from 1994 until 2000.

The majority of Mr Kearney’s practice is in the area of family law, particularly in complex financial and parenting disputes. Michael has a particular speciality in appellate work, appearing regularly in the appellate division of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) throughout Australia and on occasion in the High Court of Australia.

Mr Kearney also acts as a mediator and is an accredited arbitrator and a member of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators.

Mr Kearney has held a series of roles including Chair of the Family Law Committee of the Australian Bar Association; New South Wales Barrister representative on, and Treasurer and Deputy Chair of, the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia; a Member of the New South Wales Bar Association,  Chair of the Family Law Committee of the Association and a member of its Professional Conduct Committee and NSW Bar News Committee; Appeals Editor of the Australian Family Lawyer; and a Casenote Editor of the CCH publication ‘Current Family Law’.

Mr Kearney is a frequent presenter of seminars to the legal profession and has published numerous articles in the family law area.

Since 2015 Mr Kearney has been consistently recognised by the Doyles Guide as one of the pre-eminent family law Senior Counsel in New South Wales and Australia.

In 2026 Michael was awarded Life Membership of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia for his outstanding contribution to the Section and family law in Australia.