Rachel Matulis

Current practice

Rachel practises in commercial, property, and public law including environment and planning. She has a particular interest in statutory interpretation, jurisdictional issues and legislative review. 

She welcomes briefs from in-house counsel, government and private firms to provide written work, including the drafting of pleadings and the provision of advice. Rachel also appears in all areas of VCAT including planning and environment, guardianship and administration, residential tenancies and retail lease disputes.

Her practice extends to regulatory and disciplinary matters. She sits on the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board as an Approved Person under the Veterinary Practice Act 1997 participating in both formal and informal disciplinary hearings and investigations.

Rachel is also a Sessional Academic at Monash University, where she teaches Constitutional Law, and a 2025 contributor to Thomson Reuters Practical Law Australia.

Background

Before coming to the the Bar, Rachel was a senior government lawyer, advising on privacy, statutory interpretation, regulatory issues, and policy development. She also led legislative development projects, including the implementation of federal jurisdiction procedure in the Magistrates' Court following Meringnage v Interstate Enterprises & Ors [2020] VSCA 30.

Rachel was also Associate to the Honourable Justice Quigley during her Honour's tenure as the President of VCAT. Rachel assisted her Honour who presided over a diverse range of matters, including judicial review proceedings in the Supreme Court and major planning cases at VCAT. 

Rachel read with Haroon Hassan and her senior mentor is Kylie Evans SC.