Dempsey, Fiona

Fiona is Deputy Chief Solicitor for Review in the Dispute Resolution practice area. She has extensive experience in advising on and managing litigation, particularly in merits/judicial review and administrative law. Fiona has experience in a range of other areas relevant to government including commissions, employment, entitlements (including Defence members’ and veterans’ entitlements), superannuation, military discipline and justice, regulation and enforcement, tax, WHS, migration, governance and extradition.

She has acted for, advised on, and managed complex judicial review and other litigation for a wide range of Commonwealth clients, such as the Department of Defence, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Australian Taxation Office. Exhibiting her extensive experience in the Commonwealth legal context, Fiona has more recently co-led the team managing the Commonwealth’s response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. She has also acted as the General Counsel at the Australian Financial Security Authority where she provided strategic leadership and legal oversight of regulatory, personal insolvency and personal property securities advice and litigation.

Fiona has managed significant and precedential matters before a range of forums, including the High Court and Federal Court. Examples include Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs v Moorcroft [2021] 273 CLR 21 (migration, statutory construction) and Commissioner of Taxation v Douglas [2020] 282 FCR 204 and associated proceedings (statutory interpretation, taxation, superannuation). She also has extensive experience in managing matters and appearing before the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Fiona has extensive experience in providing strategic advice to Commonwealth clients to manage risk and resolve complex/significant matters and disputes, including money/tortious claims and entitlements. She also has experience in briefing and engaging with all levels of Government and extensive experience in successfully managing legal teams.