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Since coming to the Bar in 2011, Nick has worked almost exclusively in Personal Injuries including Workcover, TAC and Public Liability claims in the Magistrates, County and Supreme Courts and at VCAT. He also has experience in  Coronial Inquests.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Nick worked at Galbally & O’Bryan from 2002 to 2011. He worked in Commercial Litigation and then in Personal Injuries. He was made a Senior Associate in 2005.

Prior to joining Galbally & O’Bryan, Nick worked as a refugee lawyer for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Cambodia in 2000.

Stella’s practice focuses on the areas of personal injury, administrative law (medical panels) and equal opportunity.

Stella has appeared alone and led in matters including personal injury jury trials, appeals, serious injury applications, statutory benefits hearings, judicial review, interlocutory applications, VCAT review, and in discrimination claims. Stella also gives advice, appears at mediations and prepares paperwork in all of her listed areas.

Stella was listed in the 2018 Doyles Guide as a recommended insurance barrister. Stella graduated with first class honours in law, and has been awarded various academic prizes including at a Masters level for Administrative Law and also for her published research.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Millicent was a Judge’s Associate at the County Court of Victoria.

Mr Panayi is an appellate specialist, who predominately acts for government in appeals pertaining to judicial review, administrative law, statutory interpretation, constitutional law, human rights and criminal law.  He is lead Counsel in Victorian Government appeals in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and preferred Counsel to the Department of Justice and Community Safety.

Mr Panayi’s trial work includes government, administrative, commercial, criminal, and family law litigation; principally in the Supreme, Federal and Family Courts, VCAT and often before juries.  He has extensive experience before Military Courts, Military Inquiries and Royal Commissions.

Mr Panayi has also appeared before International Courts, including on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia, together with the Solicitor-General and Chief General-Counsel of Australia, before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, in Russian Federation v Australia (Re Volga) 11 ITLOS 2002.

Mr Panayi was first called to the Bar in 1995 and practiced as a Barrister from 1995 to 1998.  He then served as an Australian Diplomat from 1998 to 2004 including overseas and domestically as Director International Law, Director Maritime Law, Executive Director Treaties Secretariat, Acting Assistant Secretary and Senior Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.  Mr Panayi is a member of the International Commission of Jurists and holds a Commission as Lieutenant Commander, Royal Australian Navy.

 

Experienced in commercial and common law matters with an emphasis on employment and administrative/regulatory law.

In-house, corporate procurement and private practice pre-Bar background.

Accepts direct briefs and instructions from in-house counsel.

Regularly acts and advises pre-court/non-court matters on strategy, commercial objectives and dispute resolution.

Appears in most forums including Alternative Dispute Resolution forums such as mediations.

Regularly drafts/settles all manner of pleadings, letters, correspondence, affidavits, witness statements, Notices and other documents.

Provides a flexible, modern and tailored range of legal services including general and specific advice as required, as well as advice on litigation and dispute resolution strategy.

Approved Worksafe Counsel.

Member of the Victorian Bar Pro Bono Scheme.  He also has a long-standing association with the arts.

In 2009 and again in 2012 he was a recipient of Arts + Law’s Print Commission Award in recognition of the pro bono support he provided to Arts + Law for those years.

Holds a CASA Part 61 Private Pilot Licence (Aeroplane) with retractable undercarriage, constant speed unit and tailwheel endorsements.  He also holds an aerotow endorsement and an Instrument Rating.

 

The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Lennon’s List Barristers nor The Victorian Bar Inc have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.

Ray’s been a lawyer for over a decade, and a barrister for more than five years.  He has a broad practice, reflecting a desire to be a well-rounded advocate.  He works primarily in personal injury law, but also appears regularly in administrative law, employment law and commercial law matters.  He appears in Victoria and interstate.

Ray has an interest in claims for psychiatric injury, and acts for clients in statutory entitlement schemes and the common law area.  He has particular expertise in handling all types of claims under the Commonwealth workers’ compensation system (‘Comcare’ work).

Ray was awarded the Public Interest / Justice Innovation Pro Bono Award in 2016, as part of team of three barristers, for work on the Hazelwood Mine Fire Board of Inquiry (report dated 2/12/15).

He’s been the Treasurer of the Compensation Law Bar Association since 2015.

Ray completed degrees in Arts and Law (with Honours) at Monash University and then undertook articles at Sparke Helmore Lawyers.  He practised at that firm for a number of years until he took up a position at one of Australia’s best-known companies, where he worked for several years before coming to the Bar.

Ray is pleased to accept e-briefs or conventional hard-copy briefs.

Some notable and recent cases in which Ray appeared include:

• Goulburn Valley Suns FC, 2015 FFV Tribunal (TA15022)
• Tye and Tase 0508 P/L [2016] FWCFB 8733
• Arumugam and TNT Australia P/L [2017] AATA 2660
• Halliday v Pomare & Pazzan [2017] MCV (21/6/17, a bailment case)
• Hill and Comcare [2018] AATA 670
• Gates v Robinson [2018] VCAT 40
• KR v BR & Anor [2018] VSCA 159 (led by I Fehring)
• Gropel v Comcare [2018] FCA 1146 (led by N Horner)
• Li v West Sands P/L & Gao [2018] MCV (20/11/18, a civil penalties case under the Fair Work Act 2009)
• Courtney v Ray & State of Victoria [2019] VSC 175
• Barnes and Victorian Building Authority [2019] AATA 4796

For a full list of decisions in cases where Ray appeared, please contact him directly.