Emeritus Professor Peter Butt

Profile

Degrees

BA LLM LLD Sydney

Websites

Peter Butt's Plain Language website

Visiting appointments

Brief Biographical Detail

Founding Director, Centre for Plain Legal Language
Lecturer and author in land law, native title, and legal drafting
Past President of Clarity (an international plain language association)
Lecturer and author in land law
Papers delivered at conferences and seminars in Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, England, Canada, United States of America, on the topics of legal drafting and land law
Consultant to Australian Government on land law aspects of Native Title Act 1993
Consultant to New South Wales Law Reform Commission on various reforms to property law
Consultant in property law and legal drafting, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Solicitors

Butt, P & Hamer, D (eds), Concise Australian Law Dictionary (4th edition), LexisNexis: Australia (2011).
Butt, P, Land Law (6th ed), Thomson Lawbook Co: Sydney (2010).
Butt, P & Castle, R, Modern Legal Drafting: A Guide to Using Clearer Language (2nd ed), Cambridge University Press: New York (2006).
Butt, P, Land Law (5th ed), Thomson Lawbook Co: Sydney (2005).
Butt, P & Aitken, J K, Piesse: The Elements of Drafting, Lawbook Co: Sydney (10th ed, 2004).
Butt, P & Castle, R, Modern Legal Drafting: A guide to using clearer language, CUP: Sydney (2001).
Butt, P, Land Law, Thompson, LBC: Sydney (4th ed, 2001).
Butt, P, Eagleson, R & Lane, P, Mabo, Wik and Native Title, Federation Press: Sydney (3rd ed, 2001); (2nd ed, 1998).
Butt, P, Standard Contract for the Sale of Land in NSW, LBC: Sydney (2nd ed, 1998); (1st ed, 1986).
Butt, P & Nygh, P (eds), Australian Legal Dictionary, Butterworths: Sydney (1997).
Butt, P & Ticehurst, F, The Torrens System in New South Wales, Thomson: Sydney (1997).
Butt, P, Property Law Statutes – New South Wales (1995).
Butt, P & Eagleson, R, Mabo: What the High Court Said, Federation Press: Sydney (3rd ed,1996); (2nd ed, 1993).
Butt, P, Certoma, G, Stein, R & Sappideen, C, Real Property: Commentary and Materials, Lawbook Co: Sydney (3rd ed, 1990).
Butt, P & Sappideen, C, The Perpetuities Act 1984, Lawbook Co: Sydney (1986).

Book chapters

Butt, P, "Release 48' in P Butt & F Ticehurst (eds), Woodman & Nettle, the Torrens System in New South Wales (2009).
Butt, P, "Release 46' in P Butt & F Ticehurst (eds), Woodman & Nettle, the Torrens System in New South Wales (2009).
Butt, P, "The Mabo Case and its Aftermath: Indigenous land title in Australia" in G van Maanen & A van der Wait (eds), Property Law on the Threshold of the 21st Century, Maklu: Netherlands (1997), 195-516.
Butt, P, "Reforming the language of property law" in P Jackson & D Wilde (eds), The Reform of Property Law, Ashgate: Aldershot (1997), 3-16.

Refereed articles

Butt, P, ‘Plain Language: Drafting and Property Law’ (2006) 7(1/2) European Journal of Law Reform 19-29.
Butt, P, ‘Plain Language in Property Law’ (2005) LawAsia 23-38.
Butt, P, ‘The assumptions behind Plain Legal Language’ (2002) 32 Hong Kong Law Journal 173-186.
Butt, P, ‘Modern Legal Drafting’ (2002) 23 Statute Law Review 12-23.

Conference papers/presentations

Butt, P, 'Is That Covenant Enforceable?' presented at Australian Institute of Conveyancers State Conference, Sydney, 26 September 2009.
Butt, P, 'Unfair Terms Bill – What are the implications for developers and their financiers' presented at Australian College of Community Association Lawyers (ACCAL) 4th Annual Conference, Gold Coast, 1 September 2009.
Butt, P, 'Indefeasibility and All Moneys Mortgages: Are they a thing of the past?' presented at 26th Annual Banking & Financial Services Law & Practice Conference, Gold Coast, 31 July-1 August 2009.
Butt, P, 'Plain Language: An Important Skill' presented at Australian Institute of Conveyancers Regional Conference, Sydney, 13 June 2009.
Butt, P, 'The Extent of Rights Conferred by an Easement' presented at Australian Institute of Conveyancers Regional Conference, Sydney, 2 May 2009.
Butt, P, 'Plain English Drafting Skills' presented at Queensland Government Lawyers Conference, Sydney, 30 April 2009.
Butt, P, ‘The Wik Decision – What the High Court really decided’, Sydney, 1998.
Butt, P, ‘Plain Language for Property Lawyers’, paper presented at Property Law Series, Sydney, 1999.
Butt, P, ‘Decision Writing: A plain language perspective’, paper presented at Administrative Decisions Tribunal Seminar on Decision-Making, Sydney, 1999.

Editorial roles

Editor, "Conveyancing and Property " column, Australian Law Journal
Editor, "Sale of Land" volumes, Australian Encyclopedia of Forms and Precedents
Former Editor, Law Book Co Practical Forms and Precedents
Editorial Board, Australian Property Law Journal
Editorial Board, Clarity (an international plain language journal)