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Alex Brown

2006, LLB (UNSW)

2003, BCS (UOW)

Called to the bar: 2019

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.

Practice Areas

Administrative and Public Law

Coronial

Criminal Law

Environmental Law

Inquests and Commissions of Inquiry

Regulatory and Compliance Law

White Collar and Corporate Crime

Experience

2019 (Barrister)

2007 (Solicitor)

Selected Cases

Inquests and Inquiries

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 – investigation conducted by the ICAC (as Counsel Assisting the ICAC in compulsory examinations) (unled)

Operation Mantis – ongoing investigation conducted by the ICAC into allegations of misconduct by a former employee and a former contractor of Canterbury-Bankstown Council (as Counsel Assisting the ICAC in compulsory examinations) (unled)

Inquiry into the convictions of the Crotian Six – judicial inquiry into the 1981 convictions of the “Croatian Six” (appearing on behalf of the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions) (unled)

2023 Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Mrs Nadire Sensoy (2019/70789) – coronial inquest (as Counsel Assisting with M. Johnston SC)

2024 Inquest into the death of Paul Thompson – ongoing coronial inquest (as Counsel Assisting) (unled)

Inquest into the deaths of Ljubisa Vugec and Diane Smith in the 2022 Eugowra flood – ongoing coronial inquest (as Counsel Assisting with S. Callan 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)

Land and Environment Court

Natural Resources Access Regulator v Jindalee Road Wines Pty Ltd; Littore [2024] NSWLEC 26 (junior counsel to J. Single SC for the prosecutor in sentence proceedings arising from illegal tap-ins into the infrastructure of an irrigation corporation)

Natural Resources Access Regulator v Littore [2024] NSWLEC 53 (junior counsel to J. Single SC for the prosecutor in interlocutory application claiming summonses laid out of time)

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 concerning the issue of an official caution to the applicant / declarations sought regarding construction of licence conditions; 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)

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)

Appearing unled in numerous criminal trial, sentence, fitness and appeal proceedings on behalf of the CDPP.

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)