This practical workshop will see you gain a thorough understanding of the principles of statutory interpretation crucial for any successful legal practice. Develop a comprehensive toolkit as you work through the general principles, specific case definitions in an interpretation act and its application in practice. Don’t miss your chance to examine recent decisions with some of the quintessential experts in the area. There’s never a better time to refresh your skills on interpretation.

Presenters

Georgina Rhodes, Barrister, Castan Chambers
Georgina has a general public law practice and accepts briefs in matters involving administrative law, disciplinary and professional standards, regulatory action, crimes mental impairment, occupational health and safety, coronial and criminal matters. She appears and advises in matters including merits review, judicial review, urgent applications, commissions and inquiries, occupational health & safety matters, integrity and criminal matters. Georgina also provides advice to Government Departments and Statutory Authorities in relation to statutory interpretation, legislative reform, information sharing and integrity matters. Before coming to the Bar, Georgina had a diverse and extensive legal career in government. Most recently she worked at WorkSafe Victoria, as the strategic priorities lawyer within the Administrative Review, Advice and Coronial Services team, where she advised on occupational health and safety matters, appeared at merits review applications in VCAT and provided specialist advice in relation to crystalline silica and silicosis. Georgina was a Senior Solicitor at the Department of Justice and Regulation within the Working with Children Check Unit, advising on matters of regulatory compliance, statutory interpretation, FOI, information sharing and privacy. She appeared for the Secretary at directions hearings and stay hearings before VCAT and instructed on appeals before the Supreme Court. Georgina instructed in the matter of PQR v Secretary, Department of Justice and Regulation (No. 1) [2017] VSC 517 a leading case in relation to pseudonym orders. Georgina was a Principal Solicitor at the Department of Health and Human Services at the Child Protection Litigation Office, appearing regularly in the Children’s Court on urgent applications, mentions, directions hearings, conciliation conferences, intervention order applications and merit review applications. She was also part of the Complex Advocacy Team dealing with the most complex and serious child protection matters throughout the State, including urgent appeals and parens patriae applications in the Supreme Court. Georgina also worked at the Tasmanian Legal Aid Commission and Victoria Legal Aid where she was part of the specialist Youth Crime Team. She appeared regularly at bail hearings, plea hearings, contest mentions, contested hearings and committal hearings in relation to a broad range of state and commonwealth offences. She also instructed Counsel in complex County Court trials and appeals.


Jim Hartley, Barrister, Castan 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.


Alanna Mitchell, Partner, Maddocks
Alanna is a Partner in the Commercial – Government and NFP team at Maddocks. Alanna is an experienced legal practitioner who specialises in providing commercial, administrative, integrity and investigative legal services to public sector and not-for profit clients. Alanna specialises in energy, emergency and crisis management, and the environment. She is a legal, commercial and public administration expert with a strong sense of the client imperative and a track record of providing high quality, pragmatic and strategic legal advice in high value, high risk, or sensitive matters that drives strong client solutions. Alanna has worked with Victorian Government departments and agencies on high-value, high-risk commercial and regulatory matters, including advisory, investigations, litigation, inquiries, major projects and deals, prosecutions and administrative law matters. Alanna's areas of expertise include commercial contracts, negotiations and transactions, regulatory investigations and advice on powers, procedures, compliance and enforcement, administrative law and decision-making and associated litigation, professional disciplinary investigations and prosecutions, integrity investigations, advice and regulation, public inquiries and associated litigation, public sector governance, entity establishment and restructuring, public sector board advisory, entity powers and privileges, statutory interpretation, legislation development and advice.