Expertise
Appellate | Criminal Law | Inquests, Inquiries, Tribunals & Commissions | Public Law & Administrative Law |
Profile
Catherine practises primarily in criminal law. She also acts in civil and administrative law matters with a criminal law connection, and as counsel assisting in inquiries.
Catherine regularly provides written advice to individual, government and corporate clients on questions of law and prospects of success.
She has a significant criminal appellate practice, having appeared as lead and junior counsel in numerous leave applications and appeals in the Court of Appeal, and in several special leave applications to the High Court. Catherine has appeared in five High Court appeals: The Queen v Bauer (lead counsel); The Queen v Guode (junior counsel to Paul Holdenson QC); The Queen v Dookheea (junior counsel to Paul Holdenson QC); King v The Queen (junior counsel to Michael Croucher SC); and Momcilovic v The Queen & Ors (junior counsel to Michael Croucher and Kristen Walker, as they then were).
Catherine appears as lead and junior counsel in committals, pleas and contests in the Magistrates' Court, and appeals, pleas, contested applications and trials in the County Court and Supreme Court.
Catherine acts in matters relating to investigations by various bodies, including Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police, local councils, ASIC, WorkSafe, the EPA and DELWP (the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning).
She is also briefed by witnesses and other interested parties to appear at public and private examinations conducted by coercive bodies. In 2022, Catherine was lead counsel assisting at IBAC’s public hearing into the alleged misconduct of a Detective Sergeant of Victoria Police receiving cash payments in exchange for assisting in the recovery of civil debts (Operation Bredbo). In 2019-2020, she appeared on behalf of the Casey City Council at IBAC’s public hearing into alleged corruption involving councillors and property developers (Operation Sandon). In 2019, Catherine was junior counsel assisting at IBAC’s public hearing into statement-taking practices by Victoria Police (Operation Gloucester).
Catherine completed the BCL at Oxford University in 2010, having been awarded the Allan Myers Scholarship and Melbourne BCL Scholarship.
Previously she was Associate to the Honourable Justice Whelan in the Supreme Court of Victoria, working in both the Criminal and Commercial and Equity Divisions of the Court.
From 2006 until 2008 Catherine worked at the Office of Public Prosecutions as an articled clerk and then solicitor.
Catherine graduated from The University of Melbourne in 2005 with a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), a Bachelor of Commerce (specialising in Finance), and a Diploma in Modern Languages (French). During her studies Catherine clerked at Allens Arthur Robinson (Commercial), Minter Ellison (Litigation), and Lander & Rogers (Insurance). She also interned in the Investment Banking Group at Macquarie Bank.
Catherine read with Michael Croucher (now Justice Croucher). Her Senior Mentor is Robert Richter QC.
Catherine is on the Victoria Legal Aid Preferred Trial Counsel List and holds an Indictable Crime Certificate.
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Appellate
+61 3 9225 7222
clerkb@greenslist.com.au