Laura Crick

Senior Associate
Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

Canberra T:+61 2 6110 3007

Laura Crick

Technology

Laura is a public law and disputes lawyer based in Canberra.

Laura advises both public and private sector clients in relation to civil, public law and regulatory matters. Her particular focus is on providing litigation and advisory support to our government clients in the conduct of proceedings

Laura has particular experience advising in relation to regulatory, privacy and information law, statutory interpretation and administrative law issues. She acts for clients in judicial and merits review proceedings. She also appears as an advocate in the Federal Court, the ACT and NSW Supreme Courts and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

She has worked closely with Government entities throughout her career, including undertaking a number of secondments to departments and agencies. As a result, she has a deep understanding of the Commonwealth legal framework, and the consultative and transparent approach necessary to achieve outcomes. This deep understanding informs her pragmatic, timely and outcomes focussed approach to advising and representing Commonwealth clients.

Professional experience

Expand all

Education

Bachelor of Laws (First Class Hons), Australian National University (2015)
Bachelor of Arts (International Relations), Australian National University (2015)

Admissions

Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory 2016
High Court of Australia 2016

Representative experience

Litigation and dispute resolution

Representing government entities and private companies in merits and judicial review applications, often as a solicitor advocate, in relation to government decisions in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Federal Court, Full Federal Court and ACT Supreme Court.
Advising government departments and agencies in relation to numerous disputes, including in relation to procurement and ICT contracts.
Providing advice in relation to parliamentary privilege and preparing to give evidence in Parliamentary enquiries.
Advising and acting on behalf of Government and private clients in relation to commercial, contractual, planning and building disputes.

Regulatory and public law

Providing advice to multiple Commonwealth regulators in relation to the exercise of compliance and enforcement powers and assessment of prospects of pursuing civil penalties and the taking of urgent compliance action.
Providing statutory interpretation advices in relation to legislation administered by various Government departments and agencies and undertaking review of legislative schemes.
Advising Government entities in relation to the exercise of statutory powers and decision making.
Providing decision-making advice to government including providing urgent advice and review of Ministerial briefs.
Providing advice on procedural fairness obligations for investigators and individuals.
Acting for Commonwealth regulators in relation to disciplinary and registration sanction decisions.
Providing advice regarding the design new regulatory schemes to implement government policy.
Assisting Commonwealth Departments in relation to Royal Commissions.

Privacy and information law

Drafting privacy impact assessments and threshold assessments in relation to ICT projects for a range of Commonwealth entities including the Department of Health, the Australian Federal Police and the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Providing privacy advice including advising on data breaches, obligations under the Privacy Act 1988, and the operation of secrecy provisions and compulsory information gathering powers in Commonwealth statutes.
Establishing a Commonwealth agency's freedom of information systems and processes which included the drafting of statutory notices, preparation of operational guidelines and development of standard operating procedures.
Advising a Commonwealth Department in relation to the scope and operation of secrecy provisions proposed to be included in a new framework regulatory scheme and preparing drafting instructions to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
Secondments to Australian Government Departments to advise on large and sensitive freedom of information requests.
Advising private clients in relation to FOI third party consultation requests.
Advising on the Freedom of Information Act 1982 including acting for Government entities in relation to applications for review of FOI decisions.

Legislation and policy development

Providing legal advice to assist in the making of policy decisions critical to the operation of a new regulatory scheme including consulting with Departmental stakeholders and external experts.
Considering the interaction of the new scheme with existing laws and in context of state and territory regulatory schemes.
Analysing and advising in relation to proposed approaches to compliance and enforcement.
Preparing drafting instructions to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and analysing draft bill provisions.
Engaging in consultation regarding draft bill with Commonwealth stakeholders including the Attorney-General's Department and Treasury.
Drafting explanatory memoranda including working with policy experts to articulate policy approach to new law.
Advising on necessity of consequential amendments to other laws.
Advising on the scope of the functions of a proposed regulator.
Considering parliamentary scrutiny questions and preparing responses.