Kate Harrison

Partner
Sydney

Biography

Kate is a partner in our Disputes and Investigations group.

She advises on a wide range of corporate and commercial litigation, inquiries and investigations, administrative law, electoral law, and IP advice and litigation.

Kate has represented parties in disputes in the Federal Court, the NSW Supreme Court, and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, as well as before Royal Commissions and Inquiries.

Kate also has experience as a ministerial advisor, working with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Defence Minister John Faulkner, and Attorney General Michael Lavarch in the Keating Government. In these roles she worked closely with Commonwealth Departments and Agencies on a range of legal and policy issues and legislation.

Kate’s experience has seen Gilbert + Tobin consistently appointed to roles in all recent Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries, including the Robodebt, Aged Care, Defence and Veteran Suicide, Disability and Banking Royal Commissions.

Kate is recognised as a leading lawyer in major legal directories.

Kate Chairs the Copyright Agency board, and is on the Advisory Committee for the UNSW Australian Human Rights Institute.

Kate holds a Bachelor of Laws from UNSW, a Master of Laws from Columbia Law School, and a Doctorate in Government from Sydney University.

Experience

Kate’s experience includes advising: 

  • Bernard Collaery, the former Attorney-General of the ACT and lawyer for Timor Leste, in defending criminal charges involving national security issues.

  • The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence in relation to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

  • The Commonwealth of Australia as Solicitors Assisting the Robodebt Royal Commission, involving the extensive investigation of the Government’s use of legal services, decision-making processes, and litigation approach.

  • The Commonwealth of Australia (and its departments and agencies) on its response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. 

  • Unions NSW in the High Court on a constitutional claim involving electoral law. This decision affirms the importance of the implied freedom of political communication in Australian democracy.

  • A hotel chain in relation to the Victorian Board of Inquiry into the COVID-19 quarantine program.

  • Westpac in relation to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.

  • Acting for the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department and the Office of the Royal Commission in assisting to conduct the public inquiry into the alleged mistreatment of children at youth detention centres in the Northern Territory. 

  • The Catholic Church in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. In this capacity, she has managed a team including, at times, up to five partners/special counsel and ten lawyers. 

  • Music industry collecting societies (ARIA and PPCA) in Copyright Tribunal hearings seeking determination of rates for the use of commercial music in nightclubs, gyms, and in pay TV broadcasts.

Awards and Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in Australia 2026

    Recognised for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Defamation and Media Law, Entertainment Law, Government Practice, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation and Public Law

  • Doyle’s Guide 2023

    Recommended for Contentious Intellectual Property

  • Chambers Asia-Pacific 2019

    Recognised for IP, Trademark & Copyright law

Testimonials

Client first thinking

Dynamic, practical, strategic and detail-oriented.

Chambers Asia-Pacific

Brilliant intellect and capacity for undertaking massive workloads.

Chambers Asia-Pacific
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