Frances’s practice includes:
- judicial review, administrative law, constitutional law and statutory construction;
- environmental law;
- regulatory matters, in a range of sectors and subject matters.
She has recently acted for:
- G Global 120E T2 Pty Ltd as Trustee for the G Global 120E AUT v Commissioner of State Revenue [2025] HCA 39 (taxation, constitutional law)
- ASIC in Palmer v Gibson & Anor [2025] QSC 169 (human rights, criminal process)
- the Commonwealth in Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations v Commonwealth [2025] FCA 1029 (environmental law; statutory construction)
- Legal Aid NSW in Chaplin v Secretary, Department of Social Services [2025] FCAFC 89 (statutory construction)
- an intervener in Ravbar v Commonwealth [2025] HCA 25 (constitutional law)
- Origin Energy in Australian Energy Regulator v Origin Energy Electricity Limited [2024] FCA 1529 (consumer law)
- As amicus in Harkness v Banks (No 2) [2024] VSC 709 (judicial review and constitutional law)
- the Secretary in Save Our Strathbogie Forest Inc v Secretary to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action [2024] FCAFC 134 (environment law)
- Woodside in Australian Conservation Foundation v Woodside Energy Ltd (climate change; oil and gas)
- Australia Post in Albyn Queensland Pty Ltd v Australian Postal Corporation [2024] VSC 584 (constitutional law)
- the Deputy Premier and the Secretary to the Department of Education in the Yoorrook Justice Commission
- the Secretary in Save Our Strathbogie Forest Inc v Secretary to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action [2024] FCA 317 (environment law)
- ANZ in Rossiter v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (banking, climate change)
- the Information Commissioner in Foley v Australian Information Commissioner [2024] FCA 169
- the Information Commissioner in Medibank Private Limited v Australian Information Commissioner [2024] FCA 117
- IBAC in AB (a pseudonym) v Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission [2024] HCA 10
Frances has been involved in many significant constitutional cases, for both applicants and respondents. She has been recognised in AFR’s Best Lawyers list (litigation and constitutional law categories) since 2017.
*Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation
