Arm yourself and your practice with the insights and practical strategies needed to navigate merits review and judicial review. Take a deep dive into commencing proceedings and different stages of Review proceedings. Benefit from an in-depth discussion of recent judicial review and merits review cases and the practical implications of these decisions. Review the administrative decision-making continuum and limits on merits reviews.

Presenters

Jason Pizer SC, List A Barristers
Jason has been a member of the Victorian Bar for more than 20 years, and has been a silk since 2013. He practises primarily in administrative law, and is often called upon to advise on complex questions of statutory interpretation. Jason was the author of the first four editions of Pizer's Annotated VCAT Act, and the co-author of the fifth edition of that book.


Jim Hartley, Barrister, List G Chambers
Jim Hartley is at the Victorian Bar, practising predominantly in public, industrial, and commercial law. Before coming to the Bar, he was associate to the Hon. Justice R.R.S Tracey AM RFD, and earlier to the Hon. Justice Mordy Bromberg, at the Federal Court of Australia. Jim presents, and is published, on statutory construction, corporate insolvency, personal property securities, commercial leasing, and civil procedure. He is a member of the Melbourne subcommittee of the Insolvency and Reconstruction Law Committee of the Law Council of Australia.


James Stoller, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
James specialises in proceedings involving government parties. He acts for and against government entities in judicial review proceedings and statutory appeals; professional disciplinary, licensing, and civil penalty proceedings; applications for regulatory injunctions; applications to stay regulatory action; planning and environmental cases; merits review proceedings; investigations and inquiries; common law cases involving government defendants; and statutory prosecutions in a regulatory context.


Natalie Blok, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
Natalie has been a lawyer for over 15 years, and a barrister for 7. Natalie has a background in administrative and employment law, focusing more recently on planning and environment law. Natalie regularly advises and appears for government agencies (including water authorities and local councils) and private parties in planning appeals, regulatory & penalty proceedings, inquiries & inquests and merits & judicial review proceedings. Her practice involves frequent appearance work in courts and tribunals, including VCAT, the Supreme Court, the Federal Court, the Federal Circuit Court, the AAT, Boards and Panels. Before becoming a lawyer, Natalie worked in the disability sector. Natalie is hard working, systematic and thorough with a personable approach. She is known for attending to both detail and broader strategy. Natalie has an excellent understanding of government systems and administrative processes and is adept at making them easily understandable. She is passionate about the law, and the environment (both natural and urban) and brings strong research, writing and problem-solving skills to her work. Natalie is compassionate and sensitive to peoples’ needs. In 2018, Natalie completed a Masters of Public and International Law at the University of Melbourne and is currently undertaking post graduate studies in Planning and Environment at RMIT. Natalie is also a reporter for the Victorian Reports. Natalie regularly works with Senior Counsel, most recently with Daniel Star QC, Dominique Hogan-Doran SC, Kristen Walker QC (Solicitor-General), Malcolm Harding SC and Christopher Canavan QC. She has also worked with Richard Niall QC (now of the Court of Appeal), Melinda Richards SC & Steve Moore QC (both now of the Supreme Court), Susan Brennan SC, Paul O’Grady QC, Guy Gilbert SC, Sarah Porritt and Emrys Nekvapil. Natalie welcomes electronic briefs and direct access briefs.