Armando Gardiman AM
Managing Partner
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Get to know Armando
Primarily based at the Parramatta office but also sees clients in other Turner Freeman offices both within NSW and interstate, in hospitals, and at their home.
Armando joined Turner Freeman in December 1980. He became a partner in July 1985. He established Turner Freeman’s Parramatta office in 1988 and played a leading role in the firm’s expansion, opening offices in western Sydney, regional New South Wales and interstate.
Armando Gardiman has run more successful mesothelioma cases than any other lawyer in Australia. Armando has played a leading role in developing the largest dust diseases litigation practice in Australia at Turner Freeman.
Armando's expertise
Armando specialises and practices in the area of asbestos litigation and acts for clients suffering from mesothelioma, asbestosis and asbestos related lung cancers.
Armando has run more successful mesothelioma cases than any other lawyer in Australia.
Primarily based at the Parramatta office but also sees clients in other Turner Freeman offices both within NSW and interstate, in hospitals, and at their home.
Armando joined Turner Freeman in December 1980. He became a partner in July 1985. He established Turner Freeman’s Parramatta office in 1988 and played a leading role in the firm’s expansion, opening offices in western Sydney, regional New South Wales and interstate.
Armando has run more successful mesothelioma cases than any other lawyer in Australia.
“In 1982 I become involved in my first mesothelioma case. I realised then how important product liability litigation would be in helping people recover compensation in asbestos claims and I was determined to specialise in that area of law.”
Armando has represented clients in many ground breaking asbestos and dust diseases cases. He regards the case of Vivienne Margaret Olson v. CSR Limited & Anor as his most important case, establishing the liability of CSR to the township residents of Wittenoom.
Armando prepared the submission for the NSW Trade Unions and Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia which resulted in major legislative reforms in NSW including the removal of all time limits in dust diseases claims and the survival of damages where a victim’s death preceded the finalisation of the claim. All other States and Territories in Australia have now followed suit in preserving claims for victims.
“I am most proud of the fact that through the course of my work I have managed to change certain laws and ultimately make life better for injured people.”
Armando also prepared the submission for construction and development of a dedicated asbestos diseases research institute in Australia, which was established with an $8 million commitment from PM Kevin Rudd towards the Bernie Banton Institute at Concord Hospital.
“As a human being who happens to be a lawyer I couldn’t just stand by and watch people suffering without knowing that someone was doing something in research, to find better modes of treatment or a cure. Of all the things that I have done in my professional life writing that submission is probably the most satisfying of all and every time I go to the Bernie Banton Institute I feel immensely proud of what I see, knowing that I played a role in the Institute becoming a reality”.
In 2004 Armando was the primary solicitor acting for NSW Unions and National Asbestos Support groups before the Commission of Inquiry established by the Carr Government into the James Hardie move offshore. Apart from representing the victims day by day before the Commission of Inquiry he was also involved with the political and legal strategy which was ultimately the key to achieving a positive outcome for asbestos victims.
Armando is a founding member of the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia, has been its Honorary Legal Adviser and has been awarded life membership for his many years of service to the Foundation. He was a founding member of the Australian Plaintiff Lawyers Association, NSW Branch. He was the inaugural Solicitor’s Member of the Dust Diseases Tribunal Rules Committee.
Armando has written a number of publications on Dust Diseases Litigation and has lectured on asbestos disease and medico legal aspects of occupational cancer both within Australia and in the United Kingdom.
Qualifications
- B. Juris. LLB – University of New South Wales
- Inaugural Solicitors Representative Dust Diseases Tribunal Rules Committee
- Founding member Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia
- Founding member of the Australian Plaintiff Lawyers Association NSW Branch
- Senior Vice President Canterbury District Soccer Football Association
- Disciplinary Committee Chairman Canterbury District Soccer Football Association
- Former Appeals Tribunal Chairman (Football NSW)
- Fluent in the Italian Language
Memberships
- The Law Society of New South Wales
- Australian Lawyers Alliance
- Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia
- Asbestos Victims Association of South Australia
- Queensland Asbestos Related Disease Support Society
- Australian Labor Party
- NSW Labor Lawyers
Awards
Armando was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) in 2016
Armando has been listed in Doyle’s Guide as one of the market leaders, preeminent and leading asbestos & dust disease compensation lawyers in New South Wales for 8 years in a row.
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