Christopher
McDermott

Christopher has a general civil law practice. He has particular experience in matters involving administrative law, employment and industrial law, professional disciplinary proceedings, and Royal Commissions and public inquiries.

Since coming to the Bar, Christopher has been briefed in significant litigation, including:

• Counsel for the Commonwealth of Australia in the Victorian Supreme Court class action concerning the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (led by Christopher Blanden QC)
• Counsel for the Commonwealth of Australia in Fair Work Act ‘general protections’ proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia (Messengers v Commonwealth of Australia & Senator Jacquiline Lambie) (led by Jenny Firkin QC)
• Counsel for the Commonwealth of Australia in an action in tort involving allegations of negligence in immigration detention facilities (Adel Aleshjeravi v Commonwealth of Australia) (led by Ron Williams QC)
• Counsel for the State of Victoria in the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants
• Counsel assisting an Investigating Panel into a formal complaint made against the former State Coroner of Victoria (led by Elizabeth Bennett)
• Counsel for Yooralla in the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (led by Jenny Firkin QC)

Prior to coming to the Bar, Christopher was a Senior Lawyer at the Australian Government Solicitor (AGS), representing a diverse array of Commonwealth departments and agencies in superior courts and tribunals. This included representing the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority during the Essendon Football Club Doping Scandal, and ‘Officer E’ in the Coroner’s investigation into the death of Ahmad Numan Haider.

Prior to joining the AGS, Christopher was Senior Associate to the Hon John Faulks, Deputy Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia.

Christopher read with Catherine Symons. His Senior Mentors are Melinda Richards SC, Victorian Crown Counsel (now Justice Richards of the Supreme Court of Victoria) and Jenny Firkin QC.

Christopher is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has extensive experience as a board director of not-for-profit sector entities, including the Victorian AIDS Council / Gay Men’s Health Centre, Advocacy & Rights Centre Ltd, and Mental Health Victoria Ltd. He is Secretary of the Victorian Bar’s Equality & Diversity Committee and LGBTI Working Group.

From 5 May 2017, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.