Public law
The Public Law Committee monitors all matters related to this area and represents the Law Society and its members on policy and practice issues arising from it.
Our priorities include:
- Identifying opportunities to improve review frameworks in relation to administrative decisions (eg, greater provision of internal review, external merits review etc);
- Matters that affect the powers and independence of investigative and oversight bodies (e.g. ICAC, LECC);
- Counter-terrorism and national security legislation;
- The resilience of public institutions and the role of the rule of law;
- Monitoring the changing relationship between areas of public law and private law.
Learn more about committees
Current committee members
How to join a committee
Recent policy submissions
Letter to Premier - Public health order fines and impact on vulnerable groups - 27 April 2022
Letter to Law Council of Australia - COAG Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 - 17 September 2021
Letter to Law Council of Australia - ALRC Judicial Impartiality Consultation Paper - 21 June 2021
Letter to NSW Law Reform Commission - Open Justice Review - Consultation Paper - 4 March 2021
Letter to Portfolio Committee No. 3 – Education - Parental Rights Bill 2020 - 25 February 2021
View Public Law policy submissions archive
2023 Committee list
Mr Andrew Chalk (Chair), Mr Graeme Johnson (Dep Chair), L. Crawford, J. Farrell, R. Heinrich, M. Keenan, A. Mojtahedi, M. O'Brien, A. Reeve, G. Rohan, H. Sims, D. Smith, K. Smith, M. Smyth, A. Tsacalos, T. Vi La, A. Zekanovic.
How to join a committee
Law Society Committees have powers, authorities and tasks delegated by the Council. Consisting of dedicated volunteers, each committee focuses on a particular area of law, pooling together specialist skills and experience in order to scrutinise legislation, court decisions and other government policies.
There are three broad categories of committees:
- Regulatory committees – perform statutory duties under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW)
- Liaison committees – linked to other professions or organisations
- Policy committees
By drawing on the insights of committees, the Law Society can meet its statutory duties and act as a major player in law reform and policy debates.