David is a Partner in Lander & Rogers' national Pro Bono, Community and Environment practice. David leads two pro bono focus areas for the firm - climate and just transitions and people forcibly displaced. His areas of expertise include litigation - particularly in administrative law, torts law, human rights, environmental law and migration law - and the strategic use of pro bono resources to drive impact.
Experience
David's career has been dedicated to working to protect fundamental human rights, with a strong focus on promoting climate action and the rights of people seeking asylum and refugees. His work has included litigation, individual casework, program development, lobbying and campaigning, and academic publication.
He first joined Lander & Rogers in 2014, where he founded the Asylum Seeker Program. He was later the Legal Director and Principal Solicitor at the Human Rights Law Centre, specialising in refugee rights. David then returned to Lander & Rogers in a dedicated pro bono role.
Career highlights
David's experience includes:
- high-profile public interest litigation in federal and state courts including large-scale environmental judicial review, challenges to immigration detention during the COVID-19 pandemic, and novel tort law claims
- advising leading government and environmental organisations on litigation and statutory duties
- coordinating law firms, barristers, medical experts and social workers in strategic litigation that led to the transfer of more than 150 refugees and people seeking asylum in need of urgent medical treatment from offshore detention to Australia
- strategy, advocacy and political engagement in large-scale campaigns, such as the #KidsOffNauru campaign and the successful passing of the Medevac laws
- organisational design and strategic planning for not-for-profits
- creating a virtual training program in partnership with Victoria Legal Aid and the Legacy Caseload working group that has trained hundreds of pro bono lawyers to assist with legal service delivery
- establishing large-scale coalitions of law firms, civil society organisations, medical professionals and social workers to advise and represent refugees and people seeking asylum. This includes the creation of the Corporate Clinic Program with Refugee Legal, which has now completed thousands of visa applications using pro bono corporate assistance.