Haroon is an experienced and highly effective advocate. He works collaboratively with his instructors and clients to resolve disputes.
He is often briefed to appear in superior courts and specialist tribunals in complex and high-profile litigation. His clients include publicly listed corporations, governments, statutory authorities as well as private companies and individuals.
He acts for clients in trials, appeals, royal commissions, statutory inquiries, parliamentary inquiries, compulsory examinations and regulatory investigations.
Royal Commissions and Inquiries
Matters in which Haroon has been briefed include:
Alternative Dispute Resolution
He is a nationally accredited mediator and welcomes briefs to mediate disputes in his areas of practice.
Administrative, Public & Regulatory Law
Haroon routinely acts for the Commonwealth, the State of Victoria, local government, public sector agencies, statutory authorities, corporate entities and individuals in matters at first instance, on review (both judicial and merits) as well as on appeal. He has also served as counsel assisting in a number of statutory inquiries. He has extensive experience acting for and advising public sector clients that exercise regulatory functions and powers. He is regularly sought out to provide strategic advice on matters of statutory interpretation, privilege claims, governance and regulatory issues.
His experience spans a broad range of fields including: aged care, aviation, building regulation, disciplinary proceedings, education, energy & resources, environment, freedom of information, firearms, health, liquor & gaming, pharmaceuticals, privacy & data protection, sports as well as technology, media and telecommunications.
He is currently a sessional member of the Tennis Australia Disciplinary and Integrity Tribunal.
Commercial Law
Haroon has appeared in significant commercial disputes before State and Federal courts and tribunals. This includes acting as counsel in disputes concerning high value contracts, shareholders rights, directors duties, restraints of trade, industrial disputes, copyright, breach of confidence, trade marks, domain names, data breach, privacy, information technology, energy law, competition and consumer law, corporate insolvency, tax and class actions.
Planning, Environment & Local Government Law
He has experience in planning, environmental, development and regulatory disputes as well as regulatory prosecutions. This includes acting and advising in panel and advisory committee hearings in respect of major infrastructure developments and projects.
Technology, Media & Telecommunications Law
Haroon routinely advises private and public sector clients on defamation, contempt, privacy, reputation management, pseudonym and suppression orders, confidentiality and regulatory issues. He is often briefed in matters arising under the Open Courts Act 2013 or involving access to court records and exhibits.
He has represented many of Australia's leading publishers, broadcasters and content producers (including the ABC, The Age, News Corporation, Nine, Screentime Australia and Seven). He has also appeared as counsel for ".auDA" (Australia's domain name regulator) in a number of disputes. Over the course of his career he has acted for Oscar and Grammy award winning artists, elite athletes and other prominent individuals.
Haroon has over 25 years experience in the law, having worked in Australia and internationally.
Prior to being called to the Victorian Bar he worked as a judicial associate to the Hon. Justice John Perry AO in the Supreme Court of South Australia (1998) and subsequently to the Hon. Justice Mary Gaudron in the High Court of Australia (2000).
He was a member of the South Australian Bar (2004 -2005) where he enjoyed a broad civil and commercial practice. He has also had extensive experience as a solicitor, principally in litigation and dispute resolution, in Adelaide (2001-2004), London (2006-2008) and Melbourne (2009-2013). In addition to his legal experience he served as the Head of Media Relations for a Fortune 500 company based out of London and Luxembourg.
Haroon has degrees in Arts (1993) and Law with Honours (1998) from the University of Adelaide. In 2003 he completed a Master of Laws at Columbia University in New York where he graduated as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.
He has been an adjunct faculty member at The University of Adelaide, Flinders University and The University of Melbourne.
Haroon currently serves as:
He has previously served: