Catherine Symons

Qualifications:

Bachelor of Arts (Hons); Bachelor of Laws (Hons); LLM (Workplace Relations and Employment Law)

Chambers:

Level 6 Room 11
Owen Dixon Chambers East
205 William Street Melbourne

Telephone:

03 9225 7560

Mobile Phone:

0410 483 350

Facsimile:

03 9225 8668

Signed Bar Roll:

2005

Admitted in Victoria:

2001

E-Mail:

csymons@vicbar.com.au

Practice Profile

Catherine Symons practises predominantly in employment, discrimination, administrative and commercial law. 

In her practice, Catherine has had the opportunity to represent a number of employers and employees in a range of employment, occupational health and safety, discrimination and industrial matters. Catherine is also regularly briefed to advise and appear on behalf of government authorities. As a result, she appears regularly in the Federal Court and the Federal Magistrates Court. Catherine has also appeared in the Supreme, County and Magistrates' Courts, Fair Work Australia, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. 

In addition to appearance work, Catherine has drafted advices and pleadings on trade practices, discrimination, franchise disputes, bankruptcy proceedings, contractual disputes and a range of employment matters such as construction of restraints of trade, redundancies and unlawful and unfair dismissals. 

Catherine has recently obtained a Masters of Law, specialising in workplace relations. In 2008, Catherine was awarded the Justice Pagone Prize for Tax Disputes and Written Advocacy. Catherine is also a sessional instructor in administrative law and federal court practice at the Leo Cussen Institute and was previously a tutor in law to students at Ormond College, University of Melbourne. 

Memberships

Industrial Bar Association, Climate Change and Environmental Law Panel

Commercial Law

Employment Law

Croeske v Moffat Pty Ltd [2007] AIRC 45 

John Conlon v Regency - PR962010 [2005] AIRC 778

Public Law

Immigration

MZYJF v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2011] FCA 119

MZYED v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2009] FCA 1433

SZNPD v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2009] FCA 1555 

MZYDI v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2009] FCA 1351

MZYBY v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2009] FCA 1350

Hadiuzzaman v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2008] FCA 1015

Dai v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2007] FMCA 1345

MZXMD v Minister for Immigration & Citizenship [2007] FCA 769

MZXMC v Minister for Immigration & Citizenship [2007] FCA 768

MZXME v Minister for Immigration & Citizenship [2007] FCA 767

SZHOK v Minister for Immigration & Citizenship (Corrigendum dated 4 June 2007) [2007] FCA 666

Aindla v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2006] FMCA 1885

MZXFW v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2006] FCA 1567 

MZXEC v Minister For Immigration And Multicultural Affairs [2006] FCA 1483 

Wahab v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2006] FCA 421

Administrative Law

Callejo and Department of Immigration and Citizenship [2010] AATA 244

Anti-Discrimination

A v K Ltd & Z (Anti-Discrimination) [2008] VCAT 261

Hamley v Director of Housing (Anti Discrimination) [2007] VCAT 1071

McDougall v Kimberly-Clark Australia Pty Ltd (Anti Discrimination) [2006] VCAT 2211

Darebin Community Legal Centre (Anti Discrimination Exemption) [2005] VCAT 2137

Environment

Gunns Ltd & Ors v Marr & Ors (No 5) [2009] VSC 284 - Practice And Procedure - Trial by jury or by judge sitting without a jury - Supreme Court Rules r 47.02

Brown v Forestry Tasmania (No 4) [2006] FCA 1729; (2006) 157 FCR 1 (led by D. Mortimer SC) - application for injunction to restrain contravention of Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) - forestry operations - Wielangta State forest - threatened species. 

Forestry Tasmania v Brown [2007] FCAFC 186; (2007) 167 FCR 34 (led by D. Mortimer SC)