Tessa has a broad practice in commercial, regulatory and public law, including in constitutional and judicial review matters.

Before coming to the Bar, Tessa practised as a solicitor in both commercial litigation and public law.  Most recently, she was a Principal Solicitor in the Constitutional and Advice team (formerly the Public Law team) at the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office, where she advised on all aspects of administrative decision-making, constitutional law and statutory interpretation.  Prior to that, Tessa was a Senior Associate in the commercial litigation group at Allens, focusing on regulatory matters.  She has also practised as a solicitor with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London and Tokyo.

Since coming to the Bar, Tessa has been briefed to advise and appear in constitutional, administrative, commercial, regulatory and planning matters, for both government and private sector clients. Recent matters include:

• Kinglake Friends of the Forest Inc v VicForests S ECI 2020 04058 (with Emrys Nekvapil, judgment reserved) — statutory interpretation; alleged non-compliance with the Sustainable Forests (Timber) Act 2004 (Vic)

• Tran v Commonwealth of Australia [2021] FCA 580 (with Geoffrey Kennett SC and Chris Tran) — lawfulness of detention of unlawful non-citizen under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth)

• Bob Brown Foundation Inc v Commonwealth of Australia [2021] FCAFC 5 (with Ron Merkel QC and Thomas Wood) — statutory interpretation; alleged breaches of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)

• Hogg v Minister for Planning VCAT P996/2021 (with Emrys Nekvapil, ex tempore judgment) — jurisdiction of VCAT under s 39 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)

• ACCC v SmileDirectClub LLC VID375 of 2021(with Nicholas De Young QC, ongoing) —misleading or deceptive conduct

• Casey Jenkins Sh v Australia Council for the Arts VID187 of 2021 (with Emrys Nekvapil and Holly Jager, ongoing) — administrative law, discrimination, defamation, breach of contract, negligence

• Harding v Sutton S ECI 2021 03931 (with Rowena Orr QC (Solicitor-General for Victoria), Alistair Pound QC, Sarala Fitzgerald and Thomas Wood, ongoing) — administrative law, alleged breaches of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic)

• Wilson v State of Victoria VID624 of 2021 (with Liam Brown (Crown Counsel for Victoria)) — constitutional law, administrative law

Tessa read with Emrys Nekvapil.  Her senior mentor is Rowena Orr QC (Solicitor-General for Victoria).

*Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation

Areas of Practice

Cases