Joshua practices primarily in public and administrative law. He also maintains a commerical law practice and has appeared on behalf of the Office of Public Prosecutions.
He accepts briefs to advise and appear in merits and judicial review proceedings (including migration, privacy and statutory insurance and compensation matters) and in general and appellate criminal and civil matters, including trade practices, media and intellectual property matters.
Joshua also accepts pro bono briefs.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Joshua practised extensively in administrative law as a lawyer and solicitor-advocate at Sparke Helmore. He advised government and private sector clients in relation to social security and statutory compensation schemes, including Comcare and military compensation schemes. He appeared before the Mental Health Tribunal as part of Sparke Helmore’s pro bono practice and was seconded to the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Before Sparke Helmore, Joshua was associate to Deputy President P E Hack SC and Senior Members Regina Perton OAM and Graham Friedman at the AAT, obtaining experience in a wide variety of administrative law matters.
More recently, Joshua was a registry lawyer at the Victorian Court of Appeal, where he prepared summaries of and managed appeals to hearing, gaining valuable procedural and substantive experience in both the civil and criminal appellate jurisdictions.
He has also worked for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Queensland).
Joshua holds a Juris Doctor (Hons) and received the Dean’s List Award for academic excellence while completing his Master of Laws.
Joshua read with Graeme Hill SC.
Recent cases:
Kaur v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FedCFamC2G 1176
Kumar v Minister Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FedCFamC2G 1020
Raja v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FedCFamC2G 934
DAM18 v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FedCFamC2G 942
Desai and National Disability Insurance Agency [2023] AATA 3004
Kupke and National Disability Insurance Agency [2023] AATA 2830
CLB18 v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FedCFamC2G 585
Bu (Migration) [2023] AATA 2354
Gadzikwa and Comcare (Compensation) [2023] AATA 951
DFFG and National Disability Insurance Agency [2023] AATA 264
EMQ17 v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2022] FedCFamC2G 947
Mercado and National Australia Bank Limited (Compensation) [2022] AATA 2136
QTDM and National Disability Insurance Agency [2022] AATA 3826
ECA17 v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2022] FedCFamC2G 659
Kaur v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2022] FCA 670
Mercado and National Australia Bank Limited (Compensation) [2022] AATA 2136
Kaur v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2021] FedCFamC2G 42
KCCD and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs (Migration) [2020] AATA 5145
Publications:
Jacqui Ewart; Mark Pearson; and Joshua Lessing, ‘Anti-terror laws and the news media in Australia since 2001: how free expression and national security compete in a liberal democracy’ (2013) 5(1) Journal of Media Law 104.