Canberra
Government & Public lawyers in Canberra
Public law lawyers challenge government decisions and help with NDIS, Centrelink, discrimination, veterans' claims, education and health practitioner matters.
18 firms
Canberra
Public law lawyers challenge government decisions and help with NDIS, Centrelink, discrimination, veterans' claims, education and health practitioner matters.
18 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.
Fyshwick, ACT · Canberra
UNITED LEGAL provides legal services in Fyshwick, ACT. Listed practice areas include Public Liability, Medical Negligence and Personal Injury.
Griffith, ACT · Canberra
Emanuel Solicitors provides legal services in Griffith, ACT. Listed practice areas include Military & Veterans Law and Personal Injury.
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.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Canberra Community Law provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Human Rights & Discrimination, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Mental Health & Guardianship Tribunal.
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.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Clayton Utz, Darwin provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Partner & Family Visas, Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Norton Rose Fulbright provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Banking & Finance.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Law Partners Personal Injury Lawyers provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Personal Injury, Partner & Family Visas and Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP.
Belconnen, ACT · Canberra
Mackenzie Workplace Law provides legal services in Belconnen, ACT. Listed practice areas include Employment Law, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
McPherson Christina provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Griffin Legal provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Not-for-Profit & Charity Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Endeavour Legal Enterprises provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Partner & Family Visas and NDIS & Disability Law.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Ashurst provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Business & Commercial Law and Intellectual Property & Trade Marks.
Deakin, ACT · Canberra
Australian Rural Health Education Network provides legal services in Deakin, ACT. Listed practice areas include Agribusiness & Rural Law, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Elder Law & Aged Care.
Canberra City, ACT · Canberra
Mark Fleming Lawyers provides legal services in Canberra City, ACT. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Intellectual Property & Trade Marks.
Canberra City, ACT · Canberra
McKenna Taylor provides legal services in Canberra City, ACT. Listed practice areas include Administrative & Government Law.
When a government agency makes a decision about you, there is usually a way to have it reviewed. Public law lawyers advise on internal review, tribunal appeals and, where the law has been misapplied, judicial review in the courts. They also act in discrimination and human rights complaints, NDIS and Centrelink appeals, veterans' entitlements, mental health and guardianship hearings, and disciplinary matters for doctors, nurses and other registered professionals.
Government decisions affect benefits, licences and rights. Many can be reviewed or challenged.
Review pathways include internal review, the Administrative Review Tribunal, state tribunals, ombudsmen and judicial review in the courts.
Understand the next step
Identify the government decision, the agency and the result sought. A service complaint, merits review and court challenge are different processes. The right pathway depends on the actual decision rather than a general disagreement with an agency.
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 government & public 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.
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.
Good to know
Ask for an internal review first. If you're still unhappy, you can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal. Free advocacy services are available as well as private lawyers.
Yes. Complaints can go to the Australian Human Rights Commission or your state's anti-discrimination body, depending on the type of discrimination and where it happened.
It's strongly recommended. Your response to the first notice can shape the whole process, and many professional indemnity insurers cover the cost of a lawyer.