Join us in a review of issues that will enhance your decision-making skills and reason. Unpack the principles of good decision making, potential conflicts of interest, and the use of declarations and injunctions as remedies for unlawful conduct. Explore the issues surrounding evidence and fact-finding in the Judicial Review process and review the concepts of merits review for tribunals using reasoning from First Principles.

Presenters

Emily Latif, Barrister, Castan Chambers
Emily is a public law advocate and practices predominantly in Discrimination, Judicial Review and Disciplinary matters. Emily is instructed by State and Commonwealth governments, regulators, educational institutions and the private sector and regularly appears in federal and state courts and tribunals. Emily is recognised in Doyle's Guide as Leading Administrative & Public Law Junior Counsel, Victoria 2024. Before coming to the bar, Emily was an associate to Justice Kenny of the Federal Court of Australia and a solicitor at Allens.

Natalie Blok, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
Natalie Blok 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.

Georgina Costello KC, List G Barristers
Georgina is regularly briefed in trials and appeals regarding contract law and property rights in the Federal Court and Victorian courts. Georgina is a graduate of Melbourne University Law School (LLB Hons 1999) and was a property lawyer at Mallesons Stephen Jaques before coming to the Bar in 2003. She was appointed Silk in Victoria in 2019. Admitted to the New York Bar, she has worked as a commercial litigator at US law firm Fried Frank Harris Shriver and Jacobson LLP in 2006/2007. She has also worked at the World Bank in Washington DC and at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Italy, on matters related to fraud, misconduct and corruption investigations. Georgina is Chair of the Migration Bar Association of the Victorian Bar.

Lisa De Ferrari SC, List A Barristers
Lisa practises in public law, commercial law and common law (major torts list, class actions and defamation). In the last 12 months (since taking silk), Lisa's practice in public law has included: advising various Department and other clients on issues which have included statutory construction and judicial review applications (including the risk of such applications being brough); being briefed to appear in a number of urgent cases in the Supreme Court, in the nature of judicial review from inferior courts; appearing in the Court of Appeal for the Director of Public Prosecutions, in an appeal where the constitutional validity of various provisions of the Confiscation Act 1997 was being challenged; appearing in the High Court in an appeal on questions of materiality of error where the allegation is breach of procedural fairness and when certiorari might be refused on discretionary grounds; settling various applications for special leave to appeal, and various responses to such applications; appearing in the Federal Court on a number of interlocutory applications seeking orders to provide urgent medical care to refugees being held in the Republic of Nauru.

Georgina Rhodes, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
Georgina practices predominantly in public and administrative law, regulatory and criminal matters, but accepts briefs in a range of other matters including general commercial, civil and common law. She has a broad practice with experience in commissions and inquiries, coronial inquests, compulsory examinations for investigative bodies, regulatory and general crime, disciplinary matters, and merits and judicial review. She has a particular interest in matters where commercial and common law intersect with criminal law and public law. Georgina has particular expertise in government regulation. She has undertaken a wide variety of advice work (both led and unled) for private and government clients in respect of administrative decision making, statutory interpretation and complex public law litigation. Georgina has a background in matters relating to children and vulnerable people, including; youth justice, crimes mental impairment, guardianship, NDIS, reportable conduct scheme, Working with Children Clearances and a Public Inquiry into institutional abuse. As such Georgina welcomes briefs relating to vulnerable clients, including common law institutional abuse claims. Georgina appears (both led and unled) in various State and Commonwealth Tribunals and Courts. She has practiced in Victoria and Tasmania and accepts briefs from all jurisdictions.