Clayton Utz's administrative law team is comprised of lawyers with deep government, administrative and public law experience who have acted for public and private clients.
Our experience with private clients, Commonwealth and State departments and agencies covers every facet of administrative and public law. This includes legislative development and drafting, statutory interpretation, FOI, privacy and information access issues, Administrative Appeals Tribunal and Federal and Supreme Court proceedings, drafting of instruments and delegations, and the tendering process.
We also advise government departments, statutory agencies, service delivery bodies and government companies on issues affecting the daily operations of the public sector, such as corporate governance, tendering, privacy, equal opportunity and employment contracts.
Our practical advice is underpinned by an intimate knowledge of the specific requirements of the public sector and the Australian policy and political environment. We are used to working within the parameters of government operations and objectives, including resources constraints, the need to minimise risk while delivering value for money and the importance of transparency and public accountability. Our lawyers have advised government at the highest levels and possess particular skills for assisting decision-makers to make effective administrative decisions.
When a decision is challenged (either merits review or judicial review), our administrative law team has an excellent track record in defending it in accordance with the Legal Services Directions, model litigant principles and our client's instructions. Many of our lawyers are experienced advocates and regularly appear in matters in tribunals and courts. We have successfully acted in many high profile litigation matters in which an agency's reputation is at stake.
For our private sector clients, an understanding of the administrative decision-making process and when and how those decisions can be challenged is fast becoming essential to doing business in Australia.
We bring our skills to the table to assist our clients to understand the framework in which decisions affecting their day-to-day operations are made, in the analysis of those decisions to ensure they are soundly made, advising on avenues available to challenge those decisions and acting in any challenges.
Experience
Clayton Utz has provided legal services across a wide range of administrative law matters in recent years. Many of these matters have been highly sensitive, requiring careful consideration and management of strategic legal and political issues.
Our public sector clients include a number of the Commonwealth Government's principal departments and agencies such as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), Department of Defence and Centrelink.