Vale — John L Batten

Jack was educated at Xavier College and studied Law and Commerce at Melbourne University. He did his articles of clerkship with Godfrey Stewart Frank Curtain & Co in 1975 and continued with the firm until 1980. On 19 June 1980, Jack signed the Roll of Counsel and read with Mr R.J. Stanley, one of seven readers.

Jack’s career at the Bar initially took him into the Workers’ Compensation jurisdiction where he was a major player at the Workers’ Compensation Board and later the Accident Compensation Tribunal. Jack transitioned to the Common Law and acted mainly for the defendant in trials, serious injury applications as well as statutory benefit disputes. Jack loved to initiate young barristers into the Batten way when dealing with statutory benefits.

Jack was one of the great characters of life, possessed of a brilliant but complicated mind.  However, he was always extremely humble. He loved a good debate or argument and on circuit in the Northeast, opposed to Monti, Trevor would always bait Jack with: “Is there a God, Jack?”

Apart from his career at the Bar, Jack loved his sport and had a successful career in amateur football at the University Blacks as captain. He was also a prolific reader, a keen golfer, and a thoroughbred racehorse enthusiast.

Above all else, Jack was a man who possessed the qualities of integrity, loyalty, a deep faith, and a strong conviction to family. He is survived by his devoted wife Rosie, daughter Fiona and her husband Brian, both of whom are practicing barristers and members of the Victorian Bar, sons David, Luke and Nick and their wives together with six grandchildren.

Jack was one of nine children to parents Ross and Alison Batten, one of whom is Nick Batten who is also a member of the Bar. For those that knew him well, for those that knew him not so well and for those that knew him by his reputation only, he will be sadly missed. Requiescat in Pace Jack.

 A funeral will be held to honour the life of Jack Batten at the Conception Church, 345 Burwood Road Hawthorn on Friday, 19 May 2023 at 10:00am, followed by a private burial.