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Tom Galvin
Partner, Canberra
I am an experienced legal advisor to government, having advised and represented government clients on public and administrative law issues for over a decade. I take pride in partnering with government clients on all aspects of their administrative decision making, including regularly acting in merits and judicial review litigation in state and federal tribunals and courts.

I am passionate about good administrative decision making. This inspires me to work with government clients at all stages of the decision making continuum – from reviewing governance and decision making practices and frameworks, advising on the interpretation and application of portfolio legislation, and acting in both merits review and judicial review litigation when decisions are challenged.

I regularly appear as a solicitor advocate in trial and appellate proceedings before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the Federal Court of Australia.

I'm known as being easy to deal with and delivering excellent outcomes for clients, and I enjoy being part of a vibrant and enthusiastic team of experts

Career highlights

  • I work in a large and vibrant national team of experts, focussed on public and administrative law. For over a decade I have acted and represented a range of government clients at all stages of the administrative decision making continuum. I pride myself on acting with integrity and empathy, and on being easy to deal with and delivering excellent outcomes for clients.
  • I have acted for Commonwealth government clients in hundreds of merits review and judicial review proceedings before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia involving administrative decisions made in a wide range of ministerial portfolios.
  • I have appeared as a solicitor advocate on many occasions in trial and appellate proceedings before courts and tribunals, and have been recognised by the judiciary as acting 'in the best traditions of the Commonwealth as a model litigant': AAO15 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2015] FCA 1291 per Kerr J.
  • I advise government clients on the operation of their portfolio legislation and administrative decision making responsibilities generally, as well as their regulatory powers and responsibilities and the operation of civil penalty provisions. I am also experienced in advising on information law issues, such as freedom of information, privacy and public interest disclosures.

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