Government litigation presents unique challenges, from managing witnesses and preparing evidence through to protecting sensitive information and asserting privilege. Learn from leading government litigators, barristers and Crown Law practitioners who will share proven strategies for handling complex disputes involving government agencies. Gain practical guidance on briefing and working with expert and lay witnesses, preparing matters for hearing, managing procedural and evidentiary challenges and protecting confidential government information through claims of Public Interest Immunity and Legal Professional Privilege. Designed for government lawyers and those acting for or against government, this program equips you with practical insights, litigation tactics and risk-management strategies you can apply immediately in practice.

Presenters

Felicity Nagorcka, Barrister, Higgins Chambers
Felicity’s practice includes constitutional law, administrative law, human rights and native title. She regularly appears in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Federal Court of Australia. Felicity has also appeared in the High Court of Australia approximately 30 times (unled on one occasion). Prior to commencing at the private bar in 2025, Felicity spent nearly a decade working as an employed barrister at Crown Law, including as Crown Counsel. At Crown Law, Felicity worked closely with several Queensland Solicitors-General, providing advice on the State’s most significant matters and appearing as counsel. Felicity holds an LLM (Hons 1) from the University of Cambridge and was an Associate to the Hon Justice Hayne AC of the High Court of Australia in 2006. Since 2019 she has been the convener of the Queensland Chapter of the Australian Association of Constitutional Law. 

Kathryn Finlayson, Partner, MinterEllison
Kathryn is a dispute resolution specialist, with a particular focus on competition, regulatory and administrative law matters for regulated industries. She works with clients in the energy and resources, infrastructure, agribusiness, government and health industries to resolve high risk, complex regulatory investigations and commercial disputes. She has significant experience in difficulty regulatory matters and has acted for a number of major clients under investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and industry specific regulators and in subsequent proceedings, including in relation to cross-border enforcement and managing multiple regulatory investigations across jurisdictions.

Kate Betts, Partner, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
With more than 15 years’ experience in civil litigation, Kate has acted for clients in Royal Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry consistently since 2012. She also has expertise in health and medical law, and attained a Masters of Health and Medical Law from the University of Melbourne in 2010. Kate acts for healthcare providers and practitioners in relation to pre-litigated and litigated medical negligence claims, coronial investigations and inquests and other statutory complaints processes (e.g. AHPRA). She also has a particular interest in bioethics and sits on the human ethics research committee for a major tertiary hospital as its legal member. Having previously been seconded to a major tertiary hospital and two outer urban teaching hospitals as a legal counsel, Kate has acquired unique insight into the way the health care system is funded, organised, managed and operated.

Michael Lucey, Deputy Crown Solicitor, Crown Law Queensland
Michael is a leading public law specialist, who currently leads Crown Law’s Public Law and Prosecutions branch. He is a trusted adviser to Queensland, Commonwealth, and local government agencies on issues central to public administration, including judicial review, statutory interpretation, governance, human rights, and integrity. He has been ranked consistently in Doyle’s Guide, and more recently the Legal 500 Asia Pacific, for his expertise in administrative and public law. Prior to joining Crown Law, Michael was a partner in private legal practice, and spent a decade with Clayton Utz’s national Public Sector Practice Group. He presently has oversight of the State of Queensland’s response to the Queensland Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU, and has previously been involved in high profile matters such as the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme and the Bell AC inquiry into the appointment of the Hon Scott Morrison MP to administer multiple departments.

Nicole Broderick, Senior Associate, MinterEllison
Nicole is a Senior Associate in MinterEllison’s dispute resolution team in Brisbane, with significant experience acting for government and private sector clients in complex commercial disputes, class actions and regulatory investigations. She has acted in Federal and State court proceedings and in alternative dispute resolution processes, including arbitration and expert determination, as well as formal inquiries. Nicole also advises clients on competition and consumer law issues. She brings a practical, commercially focused perspective to disputes, combining strategic case management with clear written advocacy and a collaborative approach to working with clients and counsel.

Samantha Amos, Barrister, George Street Chambers
Samantha has a broad commercial litigation and administrative law practice. Since being called to the bar in 2019, Samantha has represented clients in State and Federal Courts and Tribunals in a diverse range of cases, including class actions, bankruptcy and insolvency matters, contractual disputes, negligence and property matters, judicial and merits reviews with a focus on taxation and royalty disputes, and regulatory matters. She acted as junior counsel assisting the Paradise Dam Commission of Inquiry and represented the State of Queensland in the final public hearing for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. Samantha graduated with first class honours from Queensland University of Technology and holds a Master of Laws. Samantha is a member of the Bar Association of Queensland’s Taxation Law Committee and a member of Lawright’s pro bono panel.