Max Gao

Max is a Partner in our Australian Government Team.

Max specialises in government and administrative law, with expertise in statutory interpretation, judicial and merits review. He represents a broad range of government agencies in advisory work and litigation across various courts and tribunals, frequently appearing as a solicitor advocate.

Experience & expertise

Max has extensive experience in handling judicial review and merits review matters governed by intricate and complex legislative regimes, including the Migration Act 1958, Patents Act 1990, Corporations Act 2001, Aged Care Act 2024.

He is a trusted advisor to various government departments, in particular, the Department of Home Affairs and Services Australia. He is responsible for managing and progressing high-volume and time sensitive litigation with efficiency and care, often appearing as solicitor advocate at interlocutory and final hearings. He also regularly provides advice on interpretation of statutes, privacy and freedom of information requests.

Max understands the legal environment in which various government agencies operate, and offers insightful and tailored advice to government agencies on legal and non-legal issues. Max has also used his expertise in obtaining the best possible outcome for his non-government clients.

Max Gao has been a particularly good lawyer to work with. His advice is precise, highly technical and addresses the Department’s needs well. I look forward to working with him again in future matters.

I also found Max Gao to be really helpful in those matters. In particular, they have made a real effort to understand the strategic implications of the arguments we were putting and understand the operational requirements of running such matters.

Max is not only a technically skilled lawyer but his client skills are outstanding. He manages to remain calm, measured and friendly when dealing with his instructors, even at the most trying of times in high pressured/high-stake matters. I continue to look forward to working with Max in the future.

Most of my work with the firm in this period has been with more senior staff, who display excellent knowledge and professionalism. In particular, it is always a pleasure to work with Max Gao.

Work highlights

Providing advice to the Minister for Immigration in relation to the extensive immigration caseload, including numerous merits and judicial review proceedings in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Federal Circuit and Family Court, Federal Court and High Court
Providing advice to Services Australia on the interpretation of various statutes that it administers, such as the Aged Care Act 2024
Providing advice and preparing draft statement of reasons for various government agencies in relation to requests made under the FOI Act and GIPA Act
Advising the Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency in merits and judicial review proceedings in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and Federal Court
Advising the NSW Commissioner of Police in reviews of decisions relating to firearms licence in NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Acting for the Commissioner of Patents and Registrar of Trademarks in patent and trademark disputes in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Federal Court
Advising the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in review of decisions to impose sanctions in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Acting for the Attorney-General in matters involving claims for child support made by foreign nationals against Australian citizens
Representing and advising a private company in relation to a decision by ASIC to cancel its Financial Services Licence.