What We Do

The legal services that the ACTGS provides to its clients can be generally divided into three categories: civil litigation, government law matters and property and commercial matters.  The ACTGS has several practice groups which deal with matters falling within these categories.

Government law advice and representation in the following areas

Public and Constitutional Law, including

• Constitutional law, both Commonwealth and ACT, and addressing notices of constitutional matters under section 78B of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth)
• Machinery of government including administrative arrangements, Legislative Assembly, elections, instruments, appointments and delegations
• Public sector governance including matters arising under the Public Sector Management Act 1994 and Standards, Financial Management Act 1996 and public interest disclosures
• General administrative law advice and statutory interpretation
• Administrative law litigation including merits review (ACAT) and judicial review (Supreme Court)

Regulation and Licensing, including

• Revenue
• Licensing of professions, occupations, trades and activities regulated by government, government authorities and boards
• Disciplinary inquiries relating to the licensing of professions, occupations and trades
• Regulatory enforcement including civil penalties and driver licences

Citizen Rights, including

• Child protection
• Protection orders
• Mental health
• Human Rights
• Discrimination
• Corrections and sentence administration
• Freedom of Information and privacy including privacy of health records

Employment and Industrial Relations, including

• Employment agreements
• Public Sector employment including discipline and grievances
• Workplace and Industrial Relations
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Salary packaging

Civil litigation is conducted by ACTGS on behalf of its various clients in the following areas

Claims, including

• Medical claims
• Claims arising from the Territory’s provision of education and welfare services
• Claims arising out of the Territory’s occupation of land and premises
• Insurance law
• Other claims by and against the Territory
• Victims of Crime Compensation

Dispute Resolution, including

• Arbitration and mediation
• Land Disputes
• Debt recovery and insolvency
• Defamation claims and advice
• Commercial disputes

Inquests and inquiries

• Coronial inquests and inquiries
• Other inquiries including those under the Inquiries Act 1991

We represent our clients in litigated civil claims in government and commercial matters in various courts, including

• The High Court
• The Federal Court
• ACT Supreme Court
• ACT Magistrates Court
• ACT Coroners Court
• ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal
• Fair Work Australia

Property and commercial law advice, legal services and drafting is provided in the following areas

Land Planning and Environment

• Land and planning
• Environment, including heritage and tree protection
• Water and natural resources
• Land sales and acquisitions, including compulsory acquisitions
• Property transactions, commercial leasing and licensing

• ACT Land Law including Crown leases and unit titles

Commercial and Government Business

• Intergovernmental agreements
• Competition law and trade practices
• Intellectual property advice including copyright, moral rights and trademarks
• Government business enterprises including governance and Territory owned corporations
• Health law and services
• Grants and sponsorships

Procurement and Contracting

• Major Government procurements and projects
• Probity advice and services
• Procurement and contracting advice and drafting
• Service funding agreements
• IT and ICT procurement and contracts

Infrastructure and Construction

• Construction and capital works
• Government infrastructure including utilities and transport