Briefing Victoria Legal Aid Chambers

Our Chambers advocates provide high-quality representation for clients with a grant of legal assistance in criminal law, civil law, child protection and family law. They appear in all Victorian courts and tribunals, the Federal Court, the Family Court and the High Court of Australia.

Chambers advocates can be briefed to appear for clients by Victoria Legal Aid lawyers and private practitioners on our panels.

To engage the services of our advocates, contact Victoria Legal Aid Chambers on:

• phone – (03) 9269 0300
• email – advocates_clerk@vla.vic.gov.au

Chief Counsel

Julia Munster (she/her)

Admitted to the legal profession: Admitted in 1993 and & began practising in 2003

As Chief Counsel, Julia leads the team of specialist in-house advocates in VLA Chambers. She is a member of VLA’s Senior Leadership Team and plays a leadership role in organisational, policy and law reform issues. She supports and fosters high-quality advocacy across VLA’s state-wide civil justice, criminal law and family and children’s law practices, and leads our Equitable Briefing Strategy project.

Julia has lived in regional areas most of her life and is committed to postcode access to justice and providing high quality and compassionate representation to First Nations clients and clients with complex needs.

Julia joined VLA Chambers as a Public Defender in 2011 and was appointed Senior Public Defender in 2016 and Chief Counsel in 2021.

Julia is an experienced trial advocate and practices primarily in criminal law. She appears in all criminal jurisdictions. She has significant experience in complex sexual offence matters. Julia also practices in public law / administrative law matters which intersect with criminal law: matters under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act, Serious Offenders Act, inquests and judicial review.

Before joining VLA, Julia was a solicitor advocate for 7 years in the Alice Springs office of the NT Legal Aid Commission. She practiced in crime, mental health, and family and children’s law, and was an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (since lapsed). Before that, she worked for 10 years as an anthropologist on land and native title rights and heritage protection projects for the Central Land Council.

Julia is available to be briefed in complex criminal law matters and some public law matters.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor Arts (Hons) / Bachelor of Laws (1993, Monash)
• Master of Laws (candidate)
• Accredited Criminal Law Specialist (since 2012)
• Co-Chair LIV Accredited Specialisation Criminal Law Advisory Committee
• Member of Law Institute of Victoria, Victorian Women Lawyers, and Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.

Associate Director

Jarrod Van Arkadie

Admitted to the legal profession: 2013

As Associate Director, Jarrod manages the operations of Chambers.

He also provides strategic support to Chief Counsel on organisational, policy and law reform issues. Jarrod leads on service delivery issues, strategic priorities and ensures that Chambers provides high quality advocacy to all of the VLA programs it serves. Jarrod manages the Trial Counsel Development Program (for junior Trial advocates at the Bar), the Advocacy Development Program (for in-house practitioners) and a range of other advocacy development initiatives.

Jarrod provides leadership and support to the Associate Public Defenders within Chambers. Jarrod was most recently a Public Defender and Associate Public Defender within Chambers and has significant experience in the conduct of complex criminal matters. He has appeared in a range of appeals, committals, contested hearings, pleas, trials and Victorian Courts. He mentors lawyers and has presented on various areas of legal practice including with the VLA Specialisation Support program.

Prior to joining VLA he worked for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community Legal Service (formerly operated by VALS), Tasmania Legal Aid (formerly known as the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania). He has also worked for WorkSafe Victoria, in private practice and in Court administration.

He is available to be briefed on a reserve basis.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• GDLP
• Accredited Criminal Law Specialist
• NMAS Accredited Mediator
• Member of Law Institute of Victoria, Resolution Institute (Professional Member), Asian Australian Lawyers Association, ANZAAPL, Victorian Society for Computers and the Law

Senior Public Defenders

Amy Brennan

Admitted to the legal profession: 2005

Signed Victorian Bar Roll: 2008

Amy has been with VLA Chambers since 2017. Prior to that, she was a barrister at the private Bar from 2008. Her practice at the Bar included prosecution and defence work, including occupational health and safety matters. She also appeared in disciplinary proceedings and Inquests. As a solicitor, she worked for Victoria Legal Aid’s Broadmeadows office and at Maddocks law firm. She held an associateship with the Head of the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria, Justice Teague.

Amy has experience appearing in and is available to be briefed in:

• Supreme and County Court trials, pleas, appeals and bail applications
• contested committals
• appeals against sentence and conviction to the Court of Appeal
• appeals on a question of law to the Supreme Court of Victoria (s. 272)
• judicial review proceedings; applications for special leave to the High Court of Australia
• matters involving the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 and Serious Offenders Act 2018
• complex Children’s Court matters (criminal division)
• inquests.

Amy is fluent in French and the author of the chapter on criminal law in a French publication about the laws of Australia titled 'Droit de l’Australie'.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Science – BS, Immunology (Hons)
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• Member of Criminal Bar Association.

Andrew Waters

Admitted to the legal profession:1996

Signed Victorian Bar Roll: 2001

Andrew is an experienced criminal advocate, who is committed to delivering high quality and compassionate representation to all legally aided clients.

Prior to joining Chambers in January 2021, Andrew had over 19 years’ experience at the Victorian Bar appearing in all manner of criminal hearings including complex County Court and Supreme Court trials and appeals.

Andrew also has extensive experience in the Children’s Court (Criminal Division) and continues to appear in serious indictable matters for children both in the Children’s and higher courts.

Andrew is available to be briefed in:

• County Court trials and pleas
• Supreme Court trials and pleas
• Court of Appeal matters
• breach proceedings
• committals
• Complex Children’s Court matters
• County Court and Supreme Court bail applications
• advice matters.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (Hons)
• Bachelor of Arts (Criminology) (Hons)
• member of Criminal Bar Association
• member of Children’s Court Bar Association.

David Gibson

Admitted to the legal profession: 1985

Signed Victorian Bar Roll: 2009

David has been with VLA Chambers since 2010, having previously been at the Victorian Bar. Before that, he worked for VLA in children’s law. He has also lived and worked interstate and internationally.

David has significant experience in criminal law, having appeared in Court of Appeal matters, Supreme and County Court trials, complex Children Court matters, Judicial Review proceedings and matters involving the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 and Serious Sex Offenders (Detention and Supervision) Act 2009.

Although he has reduced his availability for appearance work, David is available to provide advice on criminal matters (all areas and jurisdictions) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Should you want to speak to David to get advice on a matter, please contact the Advocates Clerk team at Advocates.clerk@vla.vic.gov.au.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Member of the Child Witness Service Advisory Board, which provides advice and guidance to the Child Witness Service that supports child witnesses in the criminal justice system.

Naomi Smith

Admitted to the Legal Profession: 2004

Signed Victorian Bar Roll: 2008

Naomi joined VLA Chambers as a Senior Public Defender in 2018.

Prior to her appointment to VLA Chambers, Naomi spent 10 years at the Victorian Bar both prosecuting and defending criminal cases.

Upon completion of her articles, she worked as a solicitor in personal injuries law for TAC Law. She then went on to work for Victoria Legal Aid and the Office of Public Prosecutions and obtained LIV accreditation as Specialist in Criminal Law, before joining the Bar.

Naomi is regularly briefed to appear in County Court and Supreme Court Criminal Trials, Pleas, Appeals, and Bail Applications.

Naomi is available to be briefed in:

• Supreme and County Court trials, pleas, breaches & appeals
• Complex contested committals
• Complex Children’s Court matters (criminal division)
• Supreme and County Court bail applications
• Matters involving the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 and Serious Offenders Act
• Inquests
• Complex advice matters

Naomi is an experienced, supportive and enthusiastic teacher, advocacy coach and mentor for less experienced practitioners. She is also a Consultant for the Monash Law Faculty regarding advocacy and court skills contracts with external clients.

In addition to being a barrister, Naomi is also a civil celebrant and has had the honour of marrying many friends and colleagues in the criminal law.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Monash, 2002)
• accredited criminal law specialist
• accredited advocacy instructor with the Australian Advocacy Institute
• member of Criminal Bar Association.

Zoe Broughton

Admitted to the Legal Profession: 2006

Signed Victorian Bar Roll: 2009

Zoe is an experienced criminal barrister. She has been with VLA Chambers since 2014. She came to VLA from the Victorian Bar, where she had been since 2009. Prior to the Bar, she practised as a solicitor at Balmer & Associates.

Zoe has experience appearing in, and is available to be briefed for:

• Supreme and County Court trials, pleas, appeals and bail applications
• Contested committals
• Matters involving the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 and Serious Offenders Act 2018

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws
• Member of the Criminal Bar Association.

Scott Collins

Admitted to the Legal Profession: 1993 (England); 1996 (Queensland); 2022 (Victoria)

Scott began his role in VLA Chambers as a Senior Public Defender in 2022.

Scott has substantial and significant trial experience, mostly as a crown prosecutor over his 20+ year career. He initially studied in New South Wales and then trained and practised as a barrister in London for several years. On his return to Australia, he was a senior crown prosecutor in Queensland for 8 years, during which he appeared in dozens of jury trials.

In 2010, his career took him overseas where he worked as a prosecutor and/or trained prosecutors, assessed police powers, and advised national law enforcement officials about corruption and police misconduct. In between these postings, he was at the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Sydney for 3 years.

Upon his return to Australia in early 2021, he was immediately re-hired by the Queensland DPP as a Senior Crown Prosecutor. Based in their Townsville office, he recommenced appearing in complex criminal trials in Far North Queensland.

Scott is available to be briefed in:

• Supreme and County Court trials, pleas, appeals and breach proceedings
• Complex Committals
• Supreme and County Court bail applications
• matters under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act and Serious Offenders Act
• complex advice work.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Laws (LL. B)
• Masters International Security Studies
• Master of Laws (LL.M) - London School of Economics;
• CFE (ACFE).

Public defenders

Danielle Lamovie

Admitted to the legal profession: 1992

Danielle has been with VLA Chambers since 2009. Prior to this, she was Managing Lawyer Summary Crime, Managing Lawyer Ballarat VLA, and Acting Managing Lawyer at Morwell VLA. Danielle started working as an advocate with Regional Offices VLA after working as an indictable lawyer in criminal law and as a senior lawyer in youth crime.

Prior to coming to VLA, Danielle spent 5 years working for VALS.

Danielle has experience appearing in a range of criminal law matters across the Magistrates’ Court, Children’s Court, County Court and Supreme Court.
Danielle is available to be briefed in:

• County Court trials, pleas, appeals and breach proceedings
• Committal mentions
• Contested Committal hearings and committal mentions
• Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act matters
• Complex Magistrates’ Court Contested hearings
• County Court and Supreme Court bail applications
• advice matters.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Arts (Hons) / Bachelor of Laws
• Master of Laws
• Criminal Law Specialisation.

Angie Wong

Admitted to the legal profession: 2010

Year signed the Bar Roll: 2013

Angie is an experienced advocate who practices in the areas of indictable crime, administrative law and judicial review. Angie joined VLA Chambers in 2018 from the Bar, where she practised in criminal and civil law. She previously worked as a civil solicitor at Victoria Legal Aid and prior to that as a criminal solicitor at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency.

Angie is available to be briefed in matters including:

• County Court trials
• as junior in Supreme Court trials
• Committals
• Pleas (County and Supreme courts)
• Appeals
• judicial review proceedings.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)(Hons)/Bachelor of Arts
• Member of Criminal Bar Association
• Member of Women Barrister’s Association.

David Rofe

Admitted to the legal profession: 2012

David joined VLA Chambers in 2022. Before that, he was an in-house counsel at a busy criminal defence firm in Melbourne, where he appeared unled in trials and as junior counsel in the Court of Appeal. Previous to that, David was a managing solicitor at a large criminal defence firm in NSW.

David is available to be briefed in:

• County Court trials, pleas, appeals and breach proceedings
• Junior in Supreme Court trials
• Court of Appeal – sentence appeals
• County Court and Supreme Court bail applications
• Contested Committals and committal mentions
• Matters under the Serious Offenders Act
• Complex Magistrates’ Court Contested hearings
• advice matters.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
• Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice (Hons)
• Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law, Victoria (since 2020)
• Member of Law Institute of Victoria
• Member of the Australian New Zealand Forensic Science Society (Vic Branch).

Darcy Dempsey

Admitted to the legal profession: 2007

Darcy joined VLA Chambers in January 2017 from the Indictable Team, VLA. Prior to joining VLA in 2015 she was employed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service as a solicitor advocate in Townsville, responsible for managing all indictable matters and Children’s Court matters.

Prior to ATSILS, Darcy was an Associate with Stary, Norton, Halphen Lawyers, in Melbourne, managing a busy summary and indictable practice. Before working at SNH she was employed as a solicitor advocate at Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service. Darcy began her career in the Law as Associate to Her Honour Judge Gaynor in the County Court, in 2007.

Darcy is available to be briefed in:

• County Court trials, pleas, appeals, breach proceedings and bail applications
• Supreme Court bail applications, pleas and as junior in Supreme Court trials
• Court of Appeal sentence appeals
• Matters involving the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 and Serious Offenders Act
• Complex Children’s Court matters (Criminal Division).
• Complex Magistrates’ Court matters – contested committals, contested hearings, pleas, bail applications

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• Post-graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Master of International Studies.

Honorah Edwards (she/her)

Admitted to the legal profession: 2016

Honorah joined VLA Chambers as an Associate Public Defender in early 2022.

Prior to joining Chambers, Honorah worked as Senior Solicitor Advocate with the Office of Public Prosecutions, where she was briefed to appear in complex summary and indictable matters across Victoria.

Before this, Honorah was a lawyer with Victoria Police appearing in criminal and quasi-criminal matters in the Children’s Court and Magistrates’ Court of Victoria.

Honorah is available to be briefed in:

• County Court and County Koori Court pleas, conviction and sentence appeals, breach/contravention proceedings, bail applications and as a junior in trials.
• Complex Magistrates’ Court matters including contested committals, contested hearings, bail applications, contested SORA applications and plea hearings.
• Supreme Court bail applications.
• Matters under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997
• Complex Children’s Court (Criminal Division) matters.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws (Hons) / Bachelor of Arts (Dist.)

Marcus Dyason

Admitted to the legal profession: 2016

Prior to joining Chambers in early 2022, Marcus was the supervising prosecutor of the Family Violence Unit with the ODPP in the A.C.T. Previous to this, he worked as a solicitor and solicitor advocate with Legal Aid NSW and the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia.

Marcus has appeared unled for both defence and prosecution in a large number of jury trials, including complex violence, sexual offences, drug trafficking and financial fraud matters as well as 100s of plea hearings, summary contests and Magistrate Court appeals.

Living and working in regional areas of WA and NSW has provided him with an opportunity to develop a strong appreciation of the needs of complex clients.

Marcus is available to be briefed in:

• County Court trials, pleas, appeals and breach proceedings
• Junior in Supreme Court trials
• Contested Committal hearings and committal mentions
• Complex contested hearings in the Magistrates’ and Children’s Courts
• County Court and Supreme Court bail applications
• advice matters.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Business

Associate public defenders

Daniel Thomas

Admitted to the legal profession: 2015

Daniel joined VLA Chambers as an Associate Public Defender in 2022. He is based at the Melbourne office of VLA and can accept briefs all over Victoria.
Prior to joining Chambers, Daniel was a Senior Advocate with the VLA Youth Crime team where he was briefed as in-house counsel to appear in complex criminal proceedings in the Children’s Court. In addition to his work with VLA, Daniel has worked over a number of years as a senior lawyer with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS), the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS) and Stary Norton Halphen.

Daniel has experience in a broad range of summary and indictable matters for adults and children and has appeared as a solicitor advocate across Victoria and the Northern Territory.

Daniel is available to be briefed in:

• County Court trials, pleas, appeals and breach proceedings
• Complex Magistrates’ Court matters – contested committals, contested hearings, pleas, bail applications
• Complex Children's Court matters (criminal division)
• Magistrates’ Court, County Court, and Supreme Court bail applications.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Juris Doctor (JD).

Glenn Cooper

Admitted to the legal profession: 2015

Glenn joined VLA Chambers in early 2021. He is based at our Bendigo office. Although he appears primarily in the Bendigo, Ballarat and Shepparton regions, he accepts briefs all over Victoria (including Melbourne).

Prior to joining VLA Chambers, Glenn was a Senior Lawyer in VLA’s Indictable Crime Team. He also worked for a number of years as a criminal lawyer at the VLA Bendigo office and in his spare time taught criminal law for La Trobe University in Bendigo.

Glenn appears in a range of complex criminal law matters. He has significant experience representing clients in contested matters under the Serious Offender Act jurisdiction and has appeared unled in Supervision Order hearings in the County Court and as junior counsel in Detention Order applications in the Supreme Court.

Glenn is available to be briefed in:

• County Court pleas, appeals and breach proceedings
• Junior counsel in County and Supreme Court trials
• Bail applications (all courts)
• Committal hearings and committal mentions
• Magistrates’ Court contested hearings
• Complex Children’s Court matters
• Serious Offenders – Supervision Orders and Detention Orders.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Bachelor of Business
• Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law (2020)
• Member of Law Institute of Victoria.

Iresha Siriwardana

Admitted to the legal profession: 2009 in New South Wales, 2016 in Victoria

Iresha joined VLA Chambers as an Associate Public Defender in 2022.

She came to Chambers from the VLA Indictable Crime team, where she had worked since 2018.

From 2016–18, Iresha was a solicitor with the Victorian OPP and worked within the Appeals Team, Specialist Sex Offences unit (as it was then) and a general trial division. She was involved in preparing openings, drafting indictments and instructing in trials.

Before this she was a solicitor with the NSW DPP. She commenced working as a graduate in Sydney however then progressed to working as a Senior Solicitor in regional NSW in Western NSW (Dubbo, Bourke and Cobar) and later Northern NSW (Lismore, Tweed Heads, Armidale). She appeared in the Local Court, District and Supreme Court.

Iresha is available to be briefed in:

• County Court and County Koori Court pleas, conviction and sentence appeals, breach/contravention proceedings, bail applications and as a junior in trials.
• Supreme Court bail applications.
• Complex Magistrates’ Court matters including contested committals, contested hearings, bail applications, contested SORA applications and plea hearings.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws
• Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law

Natalie Elliott

Currently on secondment

Naomi Low

Currently on secondment

In-house Counsel, Family and Children’s Law

Eric Myles, Senior In-house Counsel

Admitted to the Legal Profession: 2013

Eric has been with Victoria Legal Aid since 2015. He joined VLA Chambers in 2018 as a family and children’s law advocate, was appointed Public Defender (Civil Justice) for 6 months in 2021 and was appointed Senior In-house Counsel, Family and Children’s Law in 2022. In addition to leading our team of family and children’s law advocates, he has expertise in criminal law and civil justice. Before joining Chambers, Eric worked in VLA’s Child Protection team in Melbourne and was a generalist lawyer in our Ballarat office.

Eric is available to be briefed in:

Family/Children’s Law:

• FCFCOA matters, including ICL - interim hearings, final hearings, mentions, directions hearings
• FDRS – conferences
• Family Violence – mentions, directions, final hearings
• Children’s Court Family Division – Contested Hearings, IAOs, Mentions, Directions Hearings, Conciliation Conferences
• Complex Children’s Court matters
• Family Law/Child Protection/Family Violence advice.

Civil/Crime

• Supreme Court bail applications (crime)
• MHDL matters: Administration and Guardianship Orders; Supreme and County Court review hearings under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act
• ESR matters – tenancy matters.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Juris Doctor
• GDLP

Gorica Care, Associate In-house Counsel

Admitted to the Legal Profession: 2009

Gorica has been with VLA since 2015. She worked as a family lawyer for 6 years. In 2021, she joined VLA Chambers on secondment from the Ringwood office and was appointed to the position of Associate In-House Counsel for Family and Children’s Law in Chambers not long after.

Gorica previously worked as a criminal lawyer at both Victoria Legal Aid and Paul Vale Criminal Law.

Gorica is available to be briefed in:

• FCFCOA matters, including ICL - interim hearings, final hearings, mentions, directions hearings
• FDRS – conferences
• Children’s Court Family Division – Contested Hearings, Interim hearings, IAOs, Mentions, Directions Hearings, Conciliation Conferences
• contested family violence intervention orders.

Qualifications, memberships, accreditations:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• GDLP, Leo Cussen

Matthew Strong, In-house Counsel

Admitted to the legal profession: 2006

Matthew joined VLA Chambers in 2015 from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in Darwin practising as a senior solicitor/advocate in family law and child protection.

Matthew is available to be briefed in:

• Independent children's lawyer trials and hearings
• Family Court and Federal Circuit Court of Australia trials, interim and final hearings, contraventions and mentions
• Children's Court matters (Family Division) – interim and final hearings, conciliation conferences
• contested intervention violence orders
• Family Dispute Resolution Service conferences.

Public defenders, Civil Justice

Olivia Ridley – Public Defender, Civil Justice

Admitted to the Legal Profession:

Available to be briefed in:

• reviews and applications involving the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 and Serious Sex Offenders (Detention and Supervision) Act 2009
• VCAT – residential tenancies, review and regulation, and guardianship and administration lists
• Commonwealth entitlements
• judicial review and administrative law
• migration
• mental health
• infringements.

Jay Chandramohan – Associate Public Defender, Civil Justice

Admitted to the Legal Profession: 2016

Jay Chandramohan joined VLA Chambers as Associate Public Defender, Civil Justice in 2022. Prior to this, he was Acting Deputy Managing Lawyer in VLA’s Equality Law Program, providing specialist advice in discrimination and sexual harassment matters.

Jay joined VLA in 2021 from the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, where he was the Senior Lawyer in the Civil and Human Rights team, working across various areas of civil and quasi-criminal law including judicial review, coronial inquests, and tort claims against police and corrections.

Jay is available to be briefed in:

• CMIA – CSO and NCSO review hearings
• Equality Law Program
• ESR Program: Infringement matters, Tenancy hearings, AAT – Tier 2 appearances
• MHDL – Administration Order matters, Guardianship Orders, CTO matters and STO matters.
• migration matters.

Qualifications, memberships and accreditations:

• Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing Management
• Juris Doctor
• Member: Cultural Diversity Consultative Committee; LIV Workplace Relations Committee; and Asian Australian Lawyers Association

Tim Noonan – Associate Public Defender, Civil Justice

Admitted to the Legal Profession: 2017

Tim commenced his role of Associate Public Defender, Civil, within VLA Chambers in 2022. Prior to this, Tim was a Senior Lawyer in Victoria Legal Aid’s Civil Justice program. Before entering practice, Tim was an associate to the General Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Tim is a contributing author to the Fitzroy Legal Service Law Handbook and the Monash Oakleigh Legal Service Lawyers Practice Manual and teaches law at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Tim is available to be briefed in:

• CMIA – CSO and NCSO hearings
• Equality Law Program matters
• ESR program – Infringements, Tenancy matters and AAT Tier 2 appearances
• MHDL – administration orders, guardianship orders, CTO matters and STO matters.
• migration matters
• Centrelink fraud proceedings.

He also has a keen interest in judicial review proceedings in State and Federal Courts, reviews of decisions made under the Worker Screening Act 2020 (Vic); appeals from the Mental Health Tribunal and Coronial inquests.

Qualifications, memberships, accreditations:

• Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice
• Master of Laws (Candidate)