EL
Brisbane CBD
Government & Public lawyers in Brisbane CBD
Public law lawyers challenge government decisions and help with NDIS, Centrelink, discrimination, veterans' claims, education and health practitioner matters.
14 firms
Brisbane CBD
Public law lawyers challenge government decisions and help with NDIS, Centrelink, discrimination, veterans' claims, education and health practitioner matters.
14 firms
Spring Hill, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Empire Legal provides legal services in Spring Hill, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
WKB Lawyers provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include TPD & Superannuation Claims, Property & Conveyancing and Personal Injury.
Herston, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Vocare Law provides legal services in Herston, QLD. Listed practice areas include Not-for-Profit & Charity Law, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Spring Hill, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Wickham Lawyers provides legal services in Spring Hill, QLD. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Administrative & Government Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Rin Kim Law provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP, Personal Injury and Public Liability.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Berrill & Watson Lawyers Brisbane provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include TPD & Superannuation Claims, Class Actions and Insurance Law & Disputes.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Clements Fitzgerald Lawyers provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Health & Medical Practitioner Law, Family Law and Criminal Law.
Petrie Terrace, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Wickham Lawyers provides legal services in Petrie Terrace, QLD. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Coronial Inquests.
Brisbane, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Caxton Community Legal Centre provides legal services in Brisbane, QLD. Listed practice areas include Human Rights & Discrimination, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Elder Law & Aged Care.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Gilshenan & Luton Legal Practice provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Health & Medical Practitioner Law, Coronial Inquests and Criminal Law.
Fortitude Valley, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Shop Distributive & Allied Employees' Association (Qld Branch) provides legal services in Fortitude Valley, QLD. Listed practice areas include Health & Medical Practitioner Law.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Wallace O'Hagan Lawyers provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Domestic Violence & AVOs, Criminal Law and Mental Health & Guardianship Tribunal.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Broadley Rees Hogan Lawyers. provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Spring Hill, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Franklin Athanasellis Cullen Pty Ltd provides legal services in Spring Hill, QLD. Listed practice areas include Health & Medical Practitioner Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Employment 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.
In Brisbane CBD, compare the individual lawyer’s practice and the proposed scope of work. A commercial firm, family team and criminal defence practice may all be centrally located but provide very different services.
For government & public law, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant QLD experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Brisbane CBD. 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.