Ray is an experienced lawyer, having practised as a barrister for more than nine years, and as a solicitor prior to coming to the Bar. 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 a variety of other matters, particularly administrative law and employment law matters.
Ray has particular experience in claims for psychiatric injury, and acts for clients in statutory entitlement schemes and the common law area including historical abuse matters. He has significant 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.
Ray has been the Treasurer of the Compensation Law Bar Association since 2015. He has acted as reviewing author for the LexisNexis legal publication Court Forms, Precedents and Pleadings Victoria.
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)
- 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
- Davis and Australian Postal Corporation [2021] AATA 30
- Chung and Secretary, Attorney-General's Department [2021] AATA 4804
- Sestan v Hollow Core Concrete [2022] VCC (21/9/22, a jury trial, led by T Tobin)
- Palin and National Disability Insurance Agency [2023] AATA 94
For a full list of decisions in cases where Ray appeared, please contact him directly.