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Experience

Georgina Schoff KC has practised at the Victorian Bar since 1995 and was appointed silk in 2010.

She has extensive experience as a trial (including jury) and appellate advocate appearing principally in the Federal Court of Australia and Supreme Court of Victoria. She also appears from time to time in the High Court of Australia, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the County Court of Victoria and has extensive tribunal experience.

Georgina has most often been involved in litigation concerning the publication of words and images- in the context of trade practices, trade marks, defamation, injurious falsehood, Commonwealth and State anti-discrimination laws, contempt of court, open courts, breach of confidence and the new Commonwealth tort of invasion of privacy.

She has expertise in defamation. She has acted for plaintiffs as well as media organisations and internet service providers in defamation proceedings (many of them involving high profile claimants).  For example, she acted for Bauer Media when Rebel Wilson sued over publications in the Australian Women’s Weekly (Wilson v Bauer Media Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 521) and for Google in a proceeding concerning Google’s liability as a publisher of internet search results that was finally determined by a judgment of the High Court of Australia (Google LLC v Defteros [2022] HCA 27; 277 CLR 358).

Despite her specialisation, Georgina acts whenever possible in general commercial matters, (including share holder disputes and breach of contract and insurance claims), and matters involving trade practices and common law claims for personal injury. For example, she has represented the Commonwealth in proceedings involving its duty of care for those in immigration detention and for families involved in an embryo mix up by a listed IVF service provider.

Georgina has served as a member of the Victorian Bar Council and was the President of the Victorian Bar in 2023-24.  She has been a member of the Australian Bar Association Council and has served as a director of Barristers’ Chambers Limited, the Barristers' Benevolent Association and the Peter O'Callaghan QC Gallery Ltd.