About
Jodi Steele SC is a Senior Counsel at the Australian Bar and an accredited mediator with over 10 years’ experience.
She maintains a broad commercial practice and is regularly instructed in complex and high-value disputes at both trial and appellate levels.
As Senior Counsel, Jodi has particular expertise in construction, insurance, environment and planning, contamination, employment, regulatory proceedings, arbitration, and professional liability.
With over a decade of experience as a mediator, she is regularly appointed by parties to mediate a wide range of disputes, including complex commercial, insurance, construction, and employment matters.
Jodi’s clients include the Commonwealth of Australia, the State of New South Wales, major corporations, professionals, their insurers and high-profile individuals.
Her clients commend her commercial, pragmatic and strategic advice. They also praise her command of the brief, advocacy, judgment and cross-examination skills, particularly of experts in fields of engineering, contamination and valuation. Jodi’s cross-examination of experts of a wide range of disciplines has been decisive in many cases. She is also consistently ranked in leading legal directories for her expertise.
Jodi is also a highly experienced and effective mediator and is a reserve legal officer in the Royal Australian Navy. She is also currently engaged by LexisNexis to contribute to the 7th edition of “Brooking on Building Contracts”, with the forthcoming edition expanding coverage of modern construction contracting issues.
Professional Experience and Admissions
Appointments
- Lieutenant, Royal Australian Navy Reserve (RANR) (since 2007)
- Director, GH Varley Pty Limited (since 2025)
- Public Interest Advocate (PIA), pursuant to section 180X of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979
- External Senior Counsel Panel, Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions (CDPP)
Principle Areas of Practice
- Appellate
- Building and Construction Law
- Commercial Law
- Employment Law
- Inquests, Inquiries and Royal Commissions
- Insurance and Professional Indemnity
- Mediation
- International Commercial Arbitration
- Land & Environment Court
- Regulatory matters
Recognition
- Lexology Index – Construction, 2026
- Lexology Index: Australia & New Zealand – Construction, 2023 to 2026
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Construction/ Infrastructure Law, 2026
- Best Lawyers in Australia – International Arbitration, 2026
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), 2015 to 2026
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Arbitration, 2025
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Insurance Law, 2015 to 2026
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Labour and Employment Law, 2023 to 2026
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Litigation, 2015 to 2026
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Construction and Infrastructure Senior Counsel NSW, 2026, 2025 and 2023
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Professional Indemnity Senior Counsel NSW, 2025
- Doyle’s Guide – Recommended Construction and Infrastructure Senior Counsel NSW, 2020 and 2021
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Construction Barrister, 2015 and 2017
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Junior Counsel in Construction Law, Employment, Industrial Relations and WHS barristers, 2016
- Doyle’s Guide: Leading Construction Barrister, 2015
- Who’s Who Legal: Australia & New Zealand – Construction, 2021, 2018 and 2019
- Who’s Who Legal – Construction: Global Leader (2023) and Thought Leader, 2023
- Who’s Who Legal – Construction, 2018 and 2019
- Top 100 Women in Construction and Development, 2018 and 2019
University Chambers
Level 9, 167 Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Clerk: Mr Michael Read
Email: clerk@universitychambers.com.au
Blackburn Chambers
Level 12, 1 Hobart Place,
Canberra, A.C.T, Australia 2601
Clerk: Ms Kobi Fogg
Email: clerk@blackburnchambers.com.au
© Jodi Steele SC. All Rights Reserved.
