Jonathan Horton KC

Admitted to the Bar 2002

Appointed Senior Counsel 2014

Experience

Jonathan has a generalist practice, with particular experience in public law, both litigious and advisory. His subject-matter expertise includes mining and environment, land resumption and compensation, liquor, gaming and casino regulation, native title, pharmacy regulation, Parliamentary privilege, quasi crime and criminal proceeds confiscations. He has had close involvement in each, and often acts in a lead-in advisory capacity to assist with good decision making (in the case of government) or with achieving strategic objectives (in the case of private entities).

Acting for governments, companies and individuals in these diverse fields, Jonathan has an understanding of the full range of perspectives on public law, regulation and Government decision-making. He regularly appears in appellate courts, and in the High Court.

Jonathan has acted as Counsel Assisting in many Inquiries, Reviews and Commissions, from the Review of the Parole System in Victoria, to the Star Casino Review in Queensland in 2022 and the national home insulation scheme in 2009-10. He was Commissioner for the Inquiry into the Star Casino in Sydney in 2016 and Senior Counsel assisting a Parliamentary Inquiry in Queensland in 2021.

Matters of significance in which Jonathan has recently appeared include the Floods Class Action, a successful challenge (ultimately in the High Court) to action proposed by the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission and a claim of Parliamentary Privilege, and an appeal to the Full Court of the Federal Court about access to land by telecommunications carriers.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Laws (first class Honours) from Sydney University, a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University and a Masters and a PhD in Law from the University of Edinburgh.

He actively supports arts and charitable organisations and creative individuals. He accepts briefs on reduced terms in these fields. He has served on not-for-profit boards of educational and artistic bodies.