Government & Public Law · Canberra
6 administrative & government law firms in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, including Canberra City, Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong.
6 firms
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
NBC LAW PTY LTD provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Immigration & Visas.
They advise on merits review, judicial review and freedom of information.
Government decisions affect licences, benefits and rights. Review can correct errors and unfair outcomes.
Federal decisions can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal and, for legal errors, by the Federal Court. States have their own tribunals and judicial review processes, plus freedom of information laws.
Understand the next step
Identify the decision-maker, decision and date of notification. Ask whether the issue concerns merits, procedure, legal authority or a service complaint.
A complaint and a formal review may have different effects and deadlines.
A Canberra address does not automatically mean ACT law is the only law involved. Commonwealth decisions, workplace matters and transactions involving nearby NSW can require different experience and procedures.
For administrative & government law, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant ACT experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Canberra. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
Keep the complete notice, reasons and review information. Record when and how the decision was received.
Ask whether internal review, a tribunal, complaint or court process is available. The Administrative Review Tribunal reviews specified Commonwealth decisions, not every government matter.
Identify evidence relevant to the disputed findings and ask how the agency file can be obtained. Clarify the result the reviewer can provide.
Clarify charges for advice, submissions, appearances and reports. Ask about legal aid or specialist assistance where appropriate.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Give the decision and receipt dates immediately. A general complaint may not preserve an opportunity to seek formal review.
In the ACT, the Magistrates Court and Supreme Court share the caseload without an intermediate court. Tenancy, discrimination, planning and guardianship disputes go to ACAT. Canberra also hosts many federal bodies, so public law and Commonwealth employment matters are common. The ACT Law Society regulates practitioners and handles complaints.
Good to know
A court review of whether a government decision was made lawfully.
Most matters start in the Magistrates Court. More serious cases go to the Supreme Court of the ACT. Family law matters are heard by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
Practising certificates in Australian Capital Territory are managed by the ACT Law Society. You can check a solicitor's status on its public register or by contacting it directly.
Braddon, ACT · Canberra
Colquhoun Murphy provides legal services in Braddon, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Defamation.
Yarralumla, ACT · Canberra
Topaz Legal provides legal services in Yarralumla, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Strata & Body Corporate.
Deakin, ACT · Canberra
David Healey Solicitors provides legal services in Deakin, ACT. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Administrative & Government Law and Health & Medical Practitioner Law.
Griffin Legal provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Not-for-Profit & Charity Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Canberra City, ACT · Canberra
McKenna Taylor provides legal services in Canberra City, ACT. Listed practice areas include Administrative & Government Law.
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.