Advocacy
Unlike many law firms, our lawyers conduct most of their own advocacy. This is particularly true in the case of planning appeals and panel hearings, rate and valuation appeals, FOI, administrative reviews, prosecutions, anti-discrimination and industrial relations. This results in significant cost savings to our clients and is consistent with our commitment to close and focused relationships with our clients.
Advocacy is a strong feature of our practice. In addition to appearing at most interlocutory hearings in mainstream litigation, the great majority of appearance work is undertaken by our lawyers in the:
- conduct of planning, environment protection, extractive industry and special rates and charges appeals, including the presentation of applications for enforcement orders and other matters before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- conduct of matters before the Anti-Discrimination List of VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal), Federal Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Australian Industrial Relations Commission and Federal Court of Australia
- preparation and conduct of hearings in the Magistrates' Court and at the Liquor Licensing Commission
- conduct of appeals and applications for modification before the Building Appeals Board.