Maya Narayan

Maya acts in litigation in a range of jurisdictions and provides complex advice on the exercise of public power. She has particular expertise with respect to royal commissions and other Executive inquiries.

A selection of cases in which Maya is currently acting, or has recently acted, includes:

• Cotterill v Romanes — challenge to the constitutional validity of the State of Victoria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (for the defendants);
• Thorpe v Head, Transport for Victoria — challenge to the Western Highway Duplication Project (for the first to fourth defendants);
• Taylor v Attorney-General for Victoria — application for judicial review arising from a petition for mercy (for the defendant);
• Fowler v Minister for Fishing and Boating — challenge to the administration of the Discovery Bay Pipi Fishery (for the defendants);
• ARF v Director of Housing — an application for reasons under the Administrative Law Act 1978 (Vic) (for the plaintiff);
• Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements (for the State of Victoria).

Prior to coming to the Bar, Maya was Counsel Assisting the Solicitor-General for Victoria (then Richard Niall QC, now the Hon Justice Niall of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria); Associate to the Hon Justice O’Callaghan of the Federal Court of Australia; and a Principal Solicitor in the Constitution and Advice Team and the Chair of the Constitutional and Intergovernmental Relations Practice Group at the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office.

Maya read with Emrys Nekvapil and her senior mentor is Rowena Orr QC.  She is a member of the Australian Bar Association Ethics Committee.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation