Ruth Hamnett

Profile

Ruth Hamnett practices predominantly in public law, disciplinary proceedings and prosecutions.

Ruth acts for various Commonwealth and State government entities and individuals across a broad range of matters including judicial review proceedings, regulatory investigations and prosecutions, including occupational health and safety matters and consumer law proceedings.

Ruth is available to advise and appear on behalf of affected parties in coronial inquiries and has represented the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) in the inquest into the Swanston Street wall collapse as as the prosecution of responsible entities.

Ruth is available to advise and appear on behalf of witnesses or affected parties in Royal Commissions and Inquiries.

Ruth has significant in-house government experience having practised as legal counsel for the VBA, primarily in prosecutions and disciplinary proceedings, from 2013 to 2016.

Ruth read with Richard Niall KC, now Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Ruth was an Associate to the Honourable Justice Donnell Ryan at the Federal Court of Australia and worked solicitor in commercial litigation at Freehills after undertaking articles in 2003.

Ruth studied at the University of Melbourne (Master of Public and International Law) and the University of Adelaide (Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Arts (Spanish)).

Ruth is a member of the Victorian Bar Women’s Barristers Association Committee of the Victorian Bar and the Greens List Committee. In 2025, she travelled to Papua New Guinea as an advocacy trainer with International Advocacy Training Committee of the Victorian Bar.