I manage MinterEllison’s large and vibrant national Public Law Team. My practice is focused on administrative law, government litigation, statutory interpretation, and providing advice and training to government regarding governance and regulatory issues and good decision-making practices and frameworks.

As a litigator, I manage MinterEllison’s large administrative law merits and judicial review practices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth, for clients such as the Department of Home Affairs, the National Disability Insurance Agency, Services Australia, the Department of Health, the Australian Federal Police, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

I also appear myself in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and before Commonwealth courts, both as an advocate, and instructing counsel. I regularly engage in the AAT’s alternative dispute resolution processes, and I conduct my litigation with a keen resolution focus.
I partner with government on various internal and external reviews – including internal governance, regulatory and administrative decision-making reviews, and external legislative reviews.

I have a keen interest in administrative decision-making principles, and am often called on to provide training to the AAT and government on administrative decision-making issues – including issues such as risk management in decision-making, and the automation of decision-making.

I am highly respected in the field of statutory interpretation, and have been approached personally by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to act as amicus curiae in a litigated proceeding before the Federal Court of Australia, as the court required assistance (in the form of a contradictor) in deciding a nuanced Constitutional point of law.

Career highlights

• Department of Home Affairs: I have over 15 years’ experience representing Home Affairs in merits and judicial review proceedings before the AAT, and the federal courts. I regularly provide Home Affairs with strategic advice on various issues.
• National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA): I manage MinterEllison’s judicial and merits review practices for the NDIA nationally. I am responsible for the services we provide to the NDIA in relation to AAT review of decisions concerning the National Disability Insurance Scheme, as well as appellate litigation before the Federal Court of Australia. I also provide training to the NDIA regarding the conduct of litigation, and administrative decision-making, and advice and assistance to the NDIA on sensitive issues beyond its usual suite of litigation.
• Services Australia: I manage MinterEllison’s judicial and merits review practices for Services Australia nationally, including litigation before the AAT and the Federal Court of Australia. I also co-manage MinterEllison’s information law practice for Services Australia nationally, including freedom of information and related matters. I have also managed a team of secondees to Services Australia over several years, and have myself been seconded to the (then) Department of Human Services.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): I have been a lead partner on a number of large-scale administrative law, governance and regulatory reviews for DFAT, providing detailed and pragmatic advice to the Australian Sanctions Office and the new Foreign Arrangements Taskforce.
• Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM): I was the lead partner assisting the INSLM in a legislative review of Australia’s High Risk Terrorist Offenders (HRTO) regime. This involves developing a deep understanding of a new and complex statutory scheme, reviewing submissions, managing evidence and providing strategic advice to the INSLM in preparation for a public hearing into the legislative regime.
• Government training (AAT and various departments/agencies): I regularly engage with government to improve decision-making systems and protocols and to engage in risk analysis and management around decision-making. I have provided training to a number of government departments at the State and Commonwealth level on automated decision-making.

Education
BA (HONS 1 & UNIVERSITY MEDAL) LLB (UNSW), PHD (USYD)

• Federal Court provides timely reminder of the implied undertaking as to evidence
  

  We consider whether evidence received in the course of litigation can be used for a purpose other than the litigation itself.