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Experience

Kathleen maintains a broad practice and accepts briefs to appear and advise in a range of areas including:

• criminal and quasi-criminal law (including proceeds of crime and asset confiscation proceedings, and occupational health and safety proceedings) on behalf of prosecution and defence;
• general commercial and corporate law (particularly financial services and consumer lending);
• coronial inquests and public inquiries;
• public and administrative law (including judicial review); and
• common law (including intentional torts).

Recent matters include:

• Coronial Inquest into the deaths of residents of St Basil’s Home for the Aged (2021-ongoing); Counsel Assisting the State Coroner, led first by P Rozen, Q.C. (as his Honour then was), then by R Knowles, Q.C., with N Hodgson
• DPP v Tuteru [2023] VSCA 188 (Director’s interlocutory appeal in respect of permanent stay); led by B M Ihle, K.C.
• DPP v Talbot [2023] VSCA 95 (Director’s appeal); led by C B Boyce, K.C. (as his Honour then was)
• DPP v Lumsden [2023] VCC 212 (plea); led by R Gibson, K.C.
• Chaouk v The Queen [2022] VSCA 151 (appeal against conviction); led by C B Boyce, K.C. (as his Honour then was)
• Snyder (a pseudonym) v The Queen [2022] VSCA 140 (appeal against conviction and sentence); led by J C J McWilliams
• Crozier v Department of Health (Review and Regulation) [2022] VCAT 1301 (freedom of information; legal professional privilege and public interest override); led by P Hayes, K.C.
• Ballam: Finding into death with inquest of Ballam, Tessa Michelle [2022] VicCorC 27784; on behalf of Myer Pty Ltd, led by C Currie
• James: Finding into death with inquest of James, Maria [2022] VicCorC 27756; on behalf of the James family, led by C Winneke K.C., with A Haban-Beer, A Anderson and B House
• Meyer (a pseudonym) v The Queen [No 2] [2020] VSCA 206 (appeal against conviction and sentence); led by C B Boyce, K.C. (as his Honour then was)
• Levy v The Queen [2020] VSCA 44 (appeal against sentence); led by B Kissane, K.C.
• Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants (April 2019 - September 2020); acting on behalf of Victoria Police
• Tamarr Pty Ltd v Marr & Ors (2019, VSC, settled at trial; concerning directors’ duties under the Corporations Act, fiduciary duties, trusts, oppressive conduct); led by P Wallis, K.C.

Previously, Kathleen served as the Associate to the Honourable Justice R R S Tracey AM RFD of the Federal Court of Australia. Immediately prior to coming to the Bar, Kathleen was employed as a Senior Solicitor at the Office of Public Prosecutions. Prior to this, she served as a legal officer at the Coroners Court assisting Coroner R Carlin (as her Honour then was), and as a lawyer within the Court of Appeal Registry.

Kathleen is a member of the Commercial and Criminal Bar Associations.

Kathleen read with P Wallis, K.C. Her senior mentor was R Gillies, K.C.

From 25 October 2018, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.