Admitted to the Bar 1998
Appointed Senior Counsel 2012
Experience
Kate has a broad practice covering Australian and international law, particularly in the areas of human rights, equality and discrimination, sexual harassment, vilification, privacy, modern slavery and public law. She is a recognised expert in employment law. She also practises in the areas of public law, education and health law. Her practice includes inquires, royal commissions and class actions.
She regularly appears in mediations in a wide range of complex and multi-party disputes. She also acts as an independent investigator, facilitator and mediator. She was Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability between 2019 – 2023.
Kate has appeared in the High Court, Federal Court, Federal Circuit Court, Fair Work Commission, Industrial Relations Commission and State/Territory tribunals in trials and appeals. She is instructed by individuals, Commonwealth, State and Territory governments and agencies, for multi-national and Australian ASX 200 corporations, partnerships and small businesses in a range of matters including internal compliance audits, internal grievance and disciplinary procedures, law reform, development of policies and procedures, training, strategy, advisory work and litigation.
She is currently a Commissioner with the New South Wales Law Reform Commission and an Adjunct Professor, University of Technology Sydney.
Kate is the chair of the Law Council of Australia’s Equal Opportunity Committee and the Australian Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She has been a member of the NSW Bar Council since 2018.
Kate is also an experienced teacher. She has taught a range of undergraduate and post-graduate courses in human rights law and international law courses.
Principal Areas of Practice
- Arbitrators / Mediators
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Commercial Law
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- Administrative Law
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Business and Human Rights
- Communications
- International Law
- Modern Slavery
- Partnership disputes
- Restraint of trade
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Common Law
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- Alternative Dispute Resolution
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Industrial/Employment
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- Civil and Human Rights
- Class Actions
- Disciplinary Proceedings
- Discrimination and Equality
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Employment Law
- Government Inquiries
- Health Law
- Investigations
- Privacy
- Restraint of trade
- Sexual Harassment
- Work, Health and Safety Prosecutions
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Inquests and Inquiries
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- Investigations and Inquiries
- Royal Commissions
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Public and Administrative Law
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- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Appellate
- Constitutional Law
- Disciplinary Proceedings
- Health Law
- Judicial review and administrative law
- Merits review
- Public law
- Mediator
Sectors
Defence, Government, Healthcare, Transport and Infrastructure, Technology, Media & Telecommunications,