Government & Public Law · Newcastle & Hunter
1 administrative & government law firm in Newcastle & Hunter, New South Wales, including Newcastle, Maitland, Cessnock, Singleton.
1 firm
Morisset, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
Kate Lilly provides legal services in Morisset, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Traffic Offences.
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.
Newcastle and the wider Hunter cover city, suburban and regional settings. If your issue involves a business, workplace or rural property, describe the activity and ownership structure rather than simply asking for a general lawyer.
For administrative & government law, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant NSW experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Newcastle & Hunter. 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 New South Wales, most criminal and minor civil matters start in the Local Court, with more serious matters in the District Court and Supreme Court. Tenancy, strata, consumer and guardianship disputes usually go to NCAT. Solicitors are licensed by the Law Society of New South Wales, and complaints about lawyers go to the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner.
Good to know
A court review of whether a government decision was made lawfully.
Most matters start in the Local Court. More serious cases go to the District Court or the Supreme Court of NSW. Family law matters are heard by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
Practising certificates in New South Wales are managed by the Law Society of New South Wales. You can check a solicitor's status on its public register or by contacting it directly.
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.