Government lawyers assist with Royal Commissions, Inquests and Inquiries at all levels of government and in different capacities. In this panel session, attendees will hear from experienced counsel and the ACT Coroner on their reflections, tips and strategies for government lawyers working in the inquisitorial space. Topics discussed include ethical obligations, briefing counsel, submissions, witness management and common mistakes and missteps.
CORONER KEN ARCHER
Ken Archer is a Magistrate and Coroner in the ACT. He was appointed in 2022 after 20 years of practice at the ACT Bar. Prior to that he was the Deputy DPP for the ACT.
His advocacy practice at the Bar included roles as Counsel Assisting and acting on behalf parties in inquest proceedings including deaths in custody, deaths in a hospital setting and the ACT Bushfire Inquiry.
As the ‘dedicated Coroner’ for the ACT, Coroner Archer has investigated many hundreds of deaths referred to the coroner, including deaths in custody and deaths arising from medical care in Territory hospitals.
KATE EASTMAN AM SC
BARRISTER I NEW CHAMBERS
Kate Eastman AM SC is a Sydney barrister working in the fields in human rights, discrimination, employment and public law. She has appeared in several Royal Commissions, including as Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability between 2019 - 2023. She has conducted recent inquiries, including an independent inquiry into media allegations about the Merivale Group and in March 2025, she was appointed a special ministerial commissioner to inquire into the workplace culture of the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian. Kate also serves as NSW Law Reform Commissioner.
MICHAEL FORDHAM SC
BARRISTER I 12 WENTWORTH SELBORNE CHAMBERS
Michael was admitted to the Bar in 1996 and appointed senior counsel in 2012. He has extensive experience in medical negligence, historical institutional abuse, inquests, Royal Commissions, Commissions of Inquiry, including most recently appearing for the Commonwealth in the Defence and Veteran Suicide RC and as Counsel Assisting and for Commonwealth, ACT and NSW in various ACT and NSW Inquests.. Significant clients include the State of New South Wales, the Commonwealth and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as statutory authorities, insurers and private individuals.
Michael has a substantial practice as a mediator in his fields of specialty. Much of Michael’s practice involves long term strategic advice, appearing in and managing teams of lawyers for inquiries and large-scale litigation involving numerous plaintiffs suing government and non-government institutions.His work also involves complex psychiatric issues. These issues include liability questions arising out of care, treatment and supervision, and complex questions of causation and damage arising out of treatment, bullying and assaults. Michael is regularly appointed to produce binding findings in apportionment disputes between insurers. He has conducted investigations for New South Wales Government Agencies, such as NSW Land and Housing (as it then was). Michael is currently on the board of The Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales.
DETAILS
- This is an on-demand webinar you can watch at anytime - a link and password will be sent to you when you register
- Cost: Members - $50, Non-members $70
- CPD: Members will earn 1 CPD point in core area 1
- This event was recorded on Wednesday 15 September
- This recording will expire on 31 December 2025
Registration
| Member | $50.00(GST incl.) | Register |
| Non-Member | $70.00(GST incl.) | Register |
