Menu
Alex Brown
2006, LLB (UNSW)
2003, BCS (UOW)
Alex has a broad practice but focuses primarily on criminal law, inquests and inquiries, appellate law and regulatory enforcement. Alex also has experience in the areas of public and administrative law, equity, professional negligence claims and family law (appearing for Independent Children’s Lawyers).
Alex has appeared in a range of State and Federal jurisdictions including the High Court, Court of Criminal Appeal, Supreme Court (NSW and Northern Territory), Land and Environment Court, Federal Court, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, NCAT, District and Local Courts and the State Parole Authority. Alex has also appeared as Counsel Assisting the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in both public and private hearings and as Counsel Assisting the Coroner.
Alex is regularly briefed to appear and advise in matters by a range of government departments including the Commonwealth DPP, the Crown Solicitor’s Office, the Department of Regional NSW, the Department of Planning and Environment and the Inner West Council. In addition, Alex has had regular involvement in inquests and inquiries both at ICAC and the Coroner’s Court and frequently prosecutes environmental offences before the Local Court, often in regional locations.
Before coming to the Bar, Alex worked at the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for more than a decade. He worked in a range of roles, including four years as Senior Legal Adviser to the Director. In his time at the ODPP, Alex appeared extensively in the Supreme, District and Local Courts.
2019 (Barrister)
2007 (Solicitor)
Operation Keppel –Public Inquiry conducted by the ICAC into allegations concerning former State MP Daryl Maguire and former Premier, Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP (as Counsel Assisting the ICAC with S. Robertson SC)
Operation Aspen – ongoing investigation conducted by the ICAC (as Counsel Assisting the ICAC) (unled)
2023 Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Mrs Nadire Sensoy (2019/70789) – coronial inquest (as Counsel Assisting with M. Johnston SC)
Court of Criminal Appeal
Namoa v R [2020] NSWCCA 62 (junior counsel to S. McNaughton SC for the respondent in an appeal against conviction in a terrorism matter – consideration of whether spousal immunity applies to conspiracy offences under the Criminal Code)
Jackson v R [2020] NSWCCA 230 (junior counsel to J. Single SC for the respondent in an appeal against sentence arising out of an importation of 547kg of pure cocaine)
Mohindra v R [2020] NSWCCA 340 (junior counsel to S. Dowling SC for the applicant in an appeal against sentence – consideration of s 5 threshold in a sentence involving multiple offences)
ZZ v R [2019] NSWCCA 286 (junior counsel to S. Callan SC for the respondent in an appeal against sentence – assistance to authorities; timing of assistance)
Supreme Court
Bathurst Regional Council v Natural Resources Access Regulator [2022] NSWSC 846 (junior counsel to Z. Heger for the respondent; judicial review proceedings concerning the proper construction of an approval for a dam issued under the Water Management Act 2000)
Greyhound Racing New South Wales v Leslie [2019] NSWSC 1591; 1706 (junior counsel to S. Robertson for GRNSW; litigation relating to the “Dapto Dogs” racetrack; question of validity of appointment of administrator; construction of interlocutory regime)
State of New South Wales v Sittczenko (Final) [2021] NSWSC 1092 (application for Extended Supervision Order under the Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006) (unled)
State of NSW v Leddin (Preliminary) [2022] NSWSC 1112 (application for preliminary orders under the Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006) (unled)
Land and Environment Court
Bathurst Regional Council v Department of Planning, Industry and Environment trading as Natural Resources Access Regulator [2021] NSWLEC 109 (junior counsel to Z. Heger for the respondent in judicial review proceedings; question of jurisdiction of the LEC)
Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer Natural Resources Access Regulator v Lidokew Pty Ltd [2021] NSWLEC 53 (junior counsel to H. El-Hage for the prosecutor in proceedings alleging duplicity in summonses issued for water-take offences)
Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer Natural Resources Access Regulator v David Littore; Jindalee Road Wines Pty Ltd (ongoing) (unled)
District Court
Operation APUS (as prosecutor in CDPP prosecutions relating to a multi-million dollar fraud on the National Disability Insurance Scheme by Alaedine Rifai, Amal Hilmi & others) (unled)
R v Laxale [2022] NSWDC 398; and R v Laxale (No 2) [2022] NSWDC 533; (as prosecutor for the CDPP in proceedings concerning the consequences of a finding of unfitness under the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) and the approach to be taken to fixing the length of any period of detention under s 20BC(2)) (unled)
Jimenez v Watson [2020] NSWDC 419 (junior counsel to S. Robertson for the applicant in proceedings concerning the scope of advocate’s immunity).
R (Commonwealth) v Fielder [2022] NSWDC 689 (unled)
R (Commonwealth) v Hamilton [2022] NSWDC 677 (unled)
Federal Court and Family Court
Australaw v Minister for FaSS [2020] FCA 227; 274 FCR 628 (junior counsel to S. Robertson for the applicant; statutory interpretation; administrative law)
NSW Commissioner of Police & Bowers [2022] FedCFamC1F 526 (appearing for NSW Commissioner of Police in an application seeking release from any implied Harman obligation attaching to affidavits filed in Family Court proceedings) (unled)