Profile

Since being called to the bar in 2016, Rachel has acted for clients in a wide variety of matters including:

Media & Defamation

> appearing for broadcaster Alan Jones in a high-profile seven-week defamation trial (led by R Anderson QC);

> opposing an appeal to the Court of Appeal of a decision to dismiss an application for summary judgment concerning whether a registrant of a domain is a publisher (led by R Anderson QC);

> advising and appearing in an application seeking an extension of the limitation period for the purpose of commencing an action in defamation;

> appearing with senior counsel opposing an application to dispense with a jury;

> representing a plaintiff whose picture was wrongly used in news stories reporting a hit-and-run resulting in death;

> advising and representing a wide range of corporate and private clients in both pursuing and defending defamation proceedings;

> advising and appearing in an application for preliminary disclosure prior to the commencement of proceedings.

Public & Administrative Law

> appearing (led by J Burnside AO QC) for a doctor in a three-day hearing in the Federal Court, seeking judicial review of decisions made in the Professional Services Review (PSR) scheme [judgment pending];

> representing a doctor in a PSR Committee hearing;

> advising and representing doctors under review by the Director of PSR;

> acting for a doctor appealing decisions by the Medical Board of Australia and AHPRA;

> advising and appearing for a film production company in relation to a challenge to local laws regarding filming;

> advising and appearing on behalf of the Queensland building regulator in applications, hearings and trials (both led and as sole counsel) in the Supreme, District and Magistrates Courts, QCAT and its Appeal Tribunal in licensing matters, merits reviews, judicial reviews and appeals;

> appearing for the Queensland building regulator in appeals, trials and applications for summary Judgment in proceedings relating to the statutory home warranty scheme.

Building Construction

> acting for construction companies (as sole counsel and with senior counsel) in proceedings for breach of contract, negligence and misleading and deceptive conduct;

> appearing for construction companies opposing applications to set aside adjudicators’ decisions made under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017;

> appearing (led by P Dunning QC) in an appeal of a decision to set aside an Adjudicator’s decision;

> acting for trade suppliers, construction and engineering companies in contract and debt recovery proceedings;

> advising and representing construction companies in adjudication applications under the BIF Act (previously BCIPA) and expert determinations;

> acting for homeowners and builders in private building disputes in QCAT.

Commercial & Other

> acting for the opponent in proceedings under subsection 92(4)(b) of the Trade Marks Act 1995 where a finance company sought the removal of a registered trade mark on the basis of non-use;

> representing homeowners in a trial defending a claim for breach of copyright [judgment pending];

> advising and representing an individual in relation to a claim for conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duties;

> acting for a trade supplier as one of eighteen respondents in Federal Court proceedings brought by Liquidators of a building company;

> advising Liquidators in relation to distribution of trust assets and applications for freezing orders;

> appearing for owners of commercial premises in an application to remove and replace an Administrator of the body corporate;

> advising and appearing on behalf of commercial property owners and business owners in relation to retail tenancy disputes in QCAT.

Mediation & ADR

> representing companies, regulatory bodies and individuals in alternative dispute resolution processes including compulsory conferences, settlement conferences and mediations;

> acting as Mediator in intellectual property, media and defamation and contract related matters.

Prior to her call to the Bar, Rachel practiced as a solicitor for five years at a boutique commercial litigation firm where she conducted dispute resolution and commercial litigation for corporations, builders and developers, government bodies and private clients, regularly appearing in State Courts, Federal Courts and Tribunals.