Visiting Fellow (2024–2025) Dr Brett Davies LLM, MBA, SJD presented with 2025 Burgmann College Volunteer Award
Dr Brett Davies has enthusiastically and generously offered his expansive legal and academic expertise to Burgmann residents as Chair of the Burgmann Journal Committee and its Lead Reviewer.
Growing up in Western Australia to parents who worked hard to make the most of the limited opportunities available to them, Dr Davies developed a passion for uplifting others, especially those who are only beginning in their academic and professional careers.
‘My motivation is deeply rooted in my family's history and the doors that were closed to them’, said Dr Davies. ‘My father was a butcher who never had the chance to finish his schooling; my mother, a brilliant woman, was forced from her career for getting married. Their stories instilled in me a profound belief in the power of education and opportunity. This is why I am so passionate about creating rigorous, fair, and accessible platforms for the next generation of thinkers—which is exactly what drew me to my work with the Burgmann Journal.’
Since beginning his time as a Visiting Fellow at Burgmann, Dr Davies has been passionate about reviving the Burgmann Journal—a peer-reviewed, double-blind academic journal that showcases our community’s breadth and scope of talent, intellect, thoughtful reviews, and incisive commentary.
‘[M]y role involves putting together the network of academics and professionals who so generously volunteer their time to review student submissions. We champion a double-blind peer review process, which is the gold standard in academic publishing’, he said.
This process removes the author’s name, so the author remains unknown to the reviewers, and the author never knows who the reviewers were, ensuring that bias is removed, and the work is judged solely on its merit.
‘An idea succeeds based on its logic and evidence, not on who you are, where you come from, or who you know. For a student, successfully navigating this rigorous process is an incredible achievement. It validates their work at a professional level and gives them the confidence and credentials to take the next step in their careers. It’s a powerful tool for building intellectual integrity’, said Dr Davies.
Angus Arbuthnott, Residential Advisor and Editor in Chief of the Burgmann Journal thanked Dr Davies for his initiative, patience, and generosity to the Burgmann community.
‘Brett Davies has kindly and selflessly contributed his time and expertise to the significant task of reviving the Burgmann Journal’, said Angus. ‘The journal is a community-wide effort, encompassing residents, staff, alumni, and associates, and it has been through Brett's unique commitment and tenacity that these elements have been brought together with renewed momentum towards the special publication.’
‘Brett put in an unbelievable amount of work for this journal, forming a committee, empowering students to lead the committee, organising the style guide for the journal, and finding a massive breadth of reviewers for the paper’, added Acting Deputy Principal Monte Nathan. ‘He himself also took a number of papers to review. The immense amount of work has allowed residents to submit their best assignments and papers to be reviewed by some of the most respected academics in the country. We cannot thank Dr Davies enough for his work.’
‘It’s incredibly humbling and significant to receive this recognition from Burgmann College’, said Dr Davies. ‘When I think about my parents' journeys, the idea that a butcher's son would one day be honoured by a community like Burgmann is profoundly moving. This award, for me, is a recognition of the importance of the work we all do for the Burgmann Journal, and it's a testament to the power of education to create opportunities that can echo through generations. I am so deeply grateful.’
In addition to serving as Lead Reviewer and Chair of the Committee for the Burgmann Journal, Dr Davies also serves as an Adjunct Professor to Curtin University at their Business & Law School, and Adjunct Professor to The University of Western Australia’s Law School. He has completed seven degrees, including a master's and a PhD in Law, and an MBA. He is a Partner at Legal Consolidated Barristers & Solicitors and a Barrister of the High Court of Australia, among many other accolades and distinctions.
To current and future Burgmann residents, Dr Davies encouraged them to ‘dive in completely’, and of course, he encouraged them to submit their work to the Burgmann Journal.
‘Don't be afraid of the process. Take the risk. Embrace the feedback you receive, because that feedback is a gift. The process itself will make you a sharper thinker, a more precise writer, and a better researcher, regardless of the outcome. It is a rare and valuable opportunity.'
