Top Melbourne Lawyers
Complex legal problems require Top Melbourne lawyers that have the background, experience and skill necessary to achieve superior solutions. At Joseph Burke Law, we know that experience counts and can mean the difference between a great result and a catastrophe.
Who are Joseph Burke Law?
The principal, Joseph Burke, holds degrees in Science, Arts and Law from the University of Melbourne. He understands the legal structure underpinning Melbourne well, having a background as a parliamentary intern with a state government member of the legislative assembly prior to working with multiple law firms.
Since its establishment in 2013, Joseph Burke Law has been involved in some significant legal cases, including the following:
| Director of Public Prosecutions v Hall [2024] VSC 791 (19 December 2024) | This was a Supreme Court Application for Judicial Review brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions in an attempt to overturn the result of an alleged drink driving case that was won by Joseph Burke Law in the Magistrates Court. The application for Judicial Review was refused, and the accused remains lawfully acquitted of all charges. |
| [An Insurance Company] v Fair Work Ombudsman [2024] FCA 1366 (28 November 2024) | An appeal was lodged with the Federal Court on behalf of an insurance company defended by Joseph Burke Law in order to appeal an excessive fine that was imposed by the Federal Circuit and Family Court. It was held the fine was excessive, and the fine was reduced. |
| DPP v Kandel [2021] VCC 2183 (30 November 2021) | Joseph Burke Law acted on behalf of an accused who pleaded guilty to Dangerous Driving Causing Death in the County Court of Victoria. Under normal circumstances jail would be expected in such a situation, but the accused was sentenced to a Community Correction Order and imprisonment was no imposed. |
| Hinch (a pseudonym) v The Queen [2021] VSCA 214 (5 August 2021) | This was an appeal to the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria in relation to a jury finding into a sexual offence. It was held that the decision made by the Jury was not open to the Jury given the admissible evidence in the matter, and the client was acquitted of the most serious charges. |
| DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd v Hado (No 3) [2021] FCCA 59 (19 January 2021) | A Federal Circuit Court matter which involved an application for a sequestration order resulting from a debt that wasn’t contested in the Magistrates’ Court but was denied by our client in accordance with the principles of Ramsay Health Care which allowed the court to look behind the Magistrates’ Court judgement. The sequestration order was set aside. |
| Director of Public Prosecutions v Dalgliesh (a pseudonym) [2017] HCA 41 | This highly cited case, which is now in criminal textbooks, is one which required representation from Joseph Burke Law all the way from the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to the High Court of Australia. This case is authority for the proposition that Contemporary Sentencing Practice is one factor to be taken into account in sentencing but is not to be taken as the determinative sentencing criterion. |
What are your areas of practice?
As described by our cases above, we practice generally in both the criminal law and civil law areas of law.
What can I expect at an initial appointment with a lawyer?
Your appointment will be with an experienced lawyer who will ask about the issues in your case and discuss the merits of your options and provide you with an estimate of costs to proceed with your matter. It is up to you to decide whether you wish to continue to engage the solicitor at the rate they estimate it will cost.
Costs
The policy at Joseph Burke Law is to not charge for initial appointments. Fees will only be charged for legal services once they have been agreed to in advance of providing the service.
