Russell was admitted as a solicitor in Queensland in 1974, and was called to the Bar in 1977. He is admitted to practise in Australia, England and Wales, the Courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre, New York, the Singapore International Commercial Court, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in Australia in 1986. He currently practises in Dubai and London at Outer Temple Chambers, Sydney at Ground Floor Wentworth Chambers and Brisbane at Sir Harry Gibbs Chambers, and is an associate member of chambers in Auckland at Shortland Chambers and Darwin at William Forster Chambers. He has acted for Commonwealth and State Governments as well as individuals and corporations. Russell was President of the Taxation Institute of Australia from 1993 to 1995, and of the Asia Oceania Tax Consultants' Association from 1996 to 2000. He is a member of the Law Council of Australia Business Law Section Taxation Committee. He served as a member of the Ministerial Consultative Committee for the Tax Law Improvement Project from 1994 to 1997 and as a member of the Steering Committee for the National Review of Standards for the Tax Profession in 1993 and 1994. From 1991 to 1995 he was a member of the National Tax Liaison Group. David Russell has lectured and written extensively on taxation related topics in Australia and overseas, and served as a member of the Advisory Editorial Board of Australian Tax Practice. He has lectured at the University of Sydney for the Master of Taxation course, the University of Queensland for the Master of Laws course and served as an adjunct professor of the University of Queensland. He is the Australian correspondent for Oxford University Press's academic journal Trusts & Trustees. He is Chairman of STEP Australia, a member of the STEP World Wide Council and Member Services and Public Policy Committees and the Committee of the STEP Contentious Trusts & EstatesSpecial Interest Group, a co-chair of the United Arab Emirates Chapter of the International Section of the New York State Bar Association, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Section, an Academician of The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law, a member of The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers, a member of The Commercial Bar Association, an Honorary Member of The Taxation Institute of Hong Kong, a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and a Freeman of the City of London. Russell is listed in the Taxation Category in the Australian Financial Review's Best Lawyers review of the Australian Legal Profession in 2008 and all later years. In 2012, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for, amongst other things, "service … to taxation law and legal education". In 2014 he was awarded Chartered Tax Adviser of the Year.
Political
David Russell served continuously on the State Executive of the Liberal National Party of Queensland and its predecessor party, the National Party of Australia — Queensland from 1984 to 2014 apart from six months in 2008–2009. He was President of the National Party in Queensland from 1995 to 1999, Vice-President of the National Party of Australia from 1990 to 1995, and 1999 to 2005, and President of the National Party of Australia from 2005 to 2006. He played a significant part in the merger of the National and Liberal Parties in Queensland in 2008, and was Vice-President of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2009 to 2011.
David Russell married Deborah Ann Campbell on 19 September 1975. Deborah was the daughter of The Hon. Sir Walter Benjamin Campbell AC QC and Georgina Margaret Campbell. They have one son, Andrew Russell.
Publications
Towards greater fairness in taxation: A Model Taxpayer Charter – with Michael Cadesky & Ian Hayes
