Greg McIntyre SC

Professional Information

Greg McIntyre commenced practice with the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia in 1976 in Kalgoorlie, having completed his Articles of Clerkship with the Crown Solicitor of Western Australia. The bulk of the first 6 years of his practice was in Criminal Law with the ALSWA in Kalgoorlie and Perth and in Cairns with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service of Queensland and the Njiku Jowan Legal Service.

In 1976 he attended the second meeting of the Pitjantjatjara Council and participated in it becoming incorporated and commencing its campaign for land rights in the Central Desert. In 1978 he attended the second meeting of the Kimberley Land Council and, inspired by those experiences, in the second half of 1978 he obtained a grant from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies to conduct research on the topic of ‘Aboriginal Land Rights at Common Law’. He spent 1979 as Community Adviser to the Warburton Community in the Central Desert of Western Australia.

In 1980 he completed his research, which became the basis of a presentation he gave to a conference on Land Rights and the future of Australian Race Relations at James Cook University, Townsville, which resulted in him being instructed to conduct the case of Mabo v Queensland between 1982 and 1992 and he has had a practice in native title arising out of that case.

Between 1980 and 1988 Greg had conduct of the file of John Koowarta, resulting in the case of Koowarta v Bjelke Petersen confirming that the Racial Discrimination Act is a valid exercise of the external affairs power and he has had a practice since then in Racial Discrimination, including racial vilification as well as other human rights and discrimination cases.

Between 1984 and 1988 Greg had a sole practice as a Solicitor in Cairns, Far North Queensland with a practice whch was a mix of Criminal law and family law, in addition to the matters described above.

From 1988-90 Greg was Principal Legal Officer of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia. A significant case he argued in the High Court during that period was Bropho v Western Australia, which confirmed that the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA) is binding on the Crown. His practice has continued to include cases involving protection of heritage and the environment.

Following a period between 1990 and 1992 when Greg was exposed to a general practice at Corser & Corser Solicitors, he went to the Independent Bar in Western Australia, practising primarily in the areas mentioned above. In 1999 he founded John Toohey Chambers in Perth, along with his colleague Pat McIntyre, who established a companion John Toohey Chambers in Darwin. In 2020 he has chosen to establish Michael Kirby Chambers in Western Australia with a group of like-minded colleagues.

Lectures/Orations

John Huelin Memorial Human Rights Day Lecture, 1991, Aboriginal Heritage: Bropho v Western Australia    

2016 Sir Ronald Wilson Lecture, The High Court: legal answers to contemporary political, social ad administrative issues

The 2017 John Toohey Oration, The Toohey Legacy: Rights and Freedoms, Compassion and Honour

Moderator, 2019 Sir Ronald Wilson Lecture Panel

Appointments

Adjunct Professor, College of Law, University of Notre Dame Australia, 2001 to present; Adjunct Associate Professor, 2000

Adjunct Professor, School of Law, University of Western Australia, 2016 to present    

Inquirer, Local Government Act 1995 (WA), City of South Perth 2001/02

Inquirer, Local Government Act 1995 (WA), City of Joondalup, 2004/05

Participation in Professional organisations

Executive Member, Law Council of Australia

Immediate Past President, Law Society of Western Australia

President, International Commission of Jurists, WA Branch