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Experience

Matthew practices in commercial, industrial and public law. He advises and acts in commercial disputes including contract, consumer, building and construction law. His public law matters include judicial and merits review, and acting as counsel assisting the Coroner.

Matthew has appeared in all courts in the Australian hierarchy. Matthew’s recent appearances include:

• Plaintiff M70 and M106 v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (the “Malaysia Solution Case”) (2011) 244 CLR 144 (led by D Mortimer SC (now Justice Mortimer of the Federal Court) and R Niall QC for the plaintiffs)

• Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZQRB [2012] FCA 1053, [2012] FMCA 892, (2013) 210 FCR 505, 132 ALD 269, [2013] HCATrans 323 (Special Full Federal Court; un-led, led by D Mortimer SC and by R Merkel QC for SZQRB)
• MZYPO v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2013] FCAFC 1 (for the applicant)
• Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v MZYYL (2012) 207 FCR 211 (led by R Merkel QC for the respondent)

• MZZQV v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2015] FCA 533 (for the appellant)
• Ashby v Commonwealth and Slipper (2012) 209 FCR 65 (led by J Burnside QC for the Commonwealth)
• SZRCI v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (2012) 214 FCR 584 and [2012] FCA 1291 (for the applicant)
• Santhirarajah v Attorney-General (2012) 206 FCR 494 (led by D Mortimer SC for the applicant)

• McDonald v Legal Services Commissioner [2015] VSC 237 (led by J Burnside QC for Mr McDonald)
  
• Murphy v State of Victoria (No 3) [2014] VSC 624 (led by J Burnside QC for Mr Murphy)
  
• A.S v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection & Anor [2014] VSC 593 (led by M Lee SC for A.S)

In 2014, Matthew worked at the Cape bar preparing two matters for the Constitutional Court in South Africa.

Prior legal experience

Matthew was a solicitor in the Executive Branch of the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office and the researcher to the Solicitor-General for Victoria (now Justice Tate of the Victorian Court of Appeal). Following that, he was the associate to Justice Habersberger of the Supreme Court of Victoria’s Commercial and Equity Division. For eighteen months prior to joining the Victorian Bar, Matthew was the sole researcher to Geoffrey Robertson QC.

Education, teaching and publications

Matthew completed his undergraduate degrees at the University of Melbourne and his postgraduate degree in international refugee law at the University of Oxford, for which he received the highest mark ever awarded for the course. Matthew lectures on public law in the Juris Doctor course at the University of Melbourne's Law School, at which he is a Senior Fellow.

Matthew’s publications include:

• the first guide to Australia’s complementary protection regime (2012, with Professor Jane McAdam of the University of New South Wales Law School).

• Prima facie determination of refugee legal status (2010, University of Oxford)

From 2nd Dec 2010, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.