About Bilal

Bilal practices in commercial, public and regulatory disputes. 

He conducts litigation in all forums, and has particular expertise acting in complex proceedings involving novel questions of law in the Supreme Court and in subsequent appeals. 

Bilal is also a specialist in major inquiries and has acted in seven Royal Commissions. 

Bilal also routinely advises on novel public law and regulatory issues, with a focus on the exercise and scope of government power, particularly concerning major projects and State-significant policy. Bilal has a detailed understanding of the workings of Government, having practised at the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office for five years before joining Maddocks, and in having undertaken several secondments, including to the Department of Premier and Cabinet public law team.

Experience

• Minister for Energy and Resources

  Acted for the Minister in her successful defence of a Supreme Court judicial review and subsequent appeal concerning decisions under the National Electricity Law framework for the accelerated delivery of State-critical energy infrastructure worth $4 billion for the VNI-West and Western Renewables Link projects.

• Golden Plains Wind Farm

  Acted for the Minister for Planning in her successful defence of Supreme Court judicial reviews concerning Australia’s largest wind farm at Golden Plains. Bilal also conducted a range of litigation for the Minister concerning other major projects.

• Royal Commissions and Inquiries

  Acted for the State of Victoria in the Aged Care, Bushfires, Disability, Victorian Mental Health System, Veteran Suicide and Yoorrook Royal Commissions, and in the Solicitors-Assisting team of the Don Dale Royal Commission.

• Environment Protection Authority

  Acted for the EPA in merits reviews of permissioning decisions under the Environment Protection Act 2017. Bilal also routinely advised the EPA on the scope and exercise of its powers in investigations and in response to permissioning applications.