Nick Boyd-Caine

Profile

Nick has a broad practice including public, commercial, and common law matters, along with inquiries and investigations. Nick has a particular focus on assisting First Nations people and communities.

Nick’s trial practice includes matters across various Commonwealth jurisdictions, Victoria, and the Northern Territory. Nick’s appeal practice has included includes matters before the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, and the Victorian Court of Appeal.

Before coming to the Bar, Nick practiced in disputes and investigations at Allens, and the civil law team at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. Nick has also worked as a Court Legal Advisor to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, and was a research fellow to the Dean of the Melbourne Law School. 

Nick holds a Juris Doctor from Melbourne Law School, and a Master of Laws from Columbia University, where he was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and received a Recognition of Achievement from the Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law. 

Nick teaches the Legal Internship subject at Melbourne Law School. In 2025, Nick received the Ron Castan AM QC Award for outstanding achievement in pro bono advocacy undertaken by barristers who are between two- and six-years call. 

Matters Nick has appeared in include:

Public Law

QYFM v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs (2023) 279 CLR 148 – successful appeal concerning the application of apprehended bias to multi-member judicial panels (led by Emrys Nekvapil SC, with Chris Fitzgerald).

Kauroo v Commonwealth of Australia [2025] FCA 1573 – proceedings successfully injuncting the Commonwealth from deporting the Applicant (led by Evelyn Tadros). 

Ross v Stewart [2025] FCA 1328 - appeared as amicus curiae in relation to interlocutory applications seeking judicial review of a decision by a Judicial Registrar (unled). 

Doan v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2025] FCA 1411 - successful application for judicial review concerning assessment of the legal consequences of indefinite exclusion from Australia (unled)

Burarrwanga v Chief Executive Officer of the National Indigenous Australians Agency [2024] FCA 1476 – judicial review of a decision by the NIAA to refuse funding to particular parties in Native Title proceedings (led by John Waters SC)

Brownlie v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FCA 436 - successful judicial review proceedings concerning the application of Love and Thoms to a First Nations person held in immigration detention (led by Matthew Albert). 

Victoria Police v McKinnon; Victoria Police v Onus (Magistrates’ Court of Victoria) – successful defence of charges laid against the organisers of the 2020 Victorian Black Lives Matter rally. 

Common Law

Trustees of the Marist Brothers v Gregory Paul Barclay [2025] VSCA 297 - successfully upheld the setting aside of a deed of agreement on behalf of a victim of historical abuse (led by Kathleen Foley SC). 

Mokbel v State of Victoria [2024] VSC 528 - successfully opposed strike-out proceedings brought by the State in relation to a claim in negligence and under the Victorian Human Rights Charter (led by Emrys Nekvapil SC and Stella Gold). 

Commercial Law

Harriet Spring (in her capacity as the executor of the estate of the late Elaine Spring) v Teachers Mutual Bank (Federal Court of Australia, VID 1360/2025) - contractual and tort claims concerning the inaction of the Respondent to protect the Applicant from falling victim to a banking scam (led by Kathleen Foley SC). 

Fitness Power Pty Ltd v Owners Corporation No. 5 PS604364T (Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, M12421502) – successful claim in contract arising from unpaid fees during Covid (unled). 

Commissions and Inquests

Yoorrook Justice Commission – Counsel Assisting to the Commission in relation to the engagement of Victoria Police with First Nations communities.

Inquest into the Death of Mathew Luttrell – representing the family, considering the clinical and cultural care provided to a First Nations man (led by Claire Harris KC).

Inquest into the Death of Jacob Kennedy – representing the family, considering the clinical and cultural care provided to a First Nations man (led by Tim Farhall).

Inquest into the Death of Sebastian D’Imperio – representing local council as an interested third party, concerning the death of a child at a motocross track (unled).

Inquest into the Death of Dylan Charlton-Smith – representing the family in a death in custody (unled).