Barrister Information

Profile

Serena is a barrister practicing primarily in planning and environment, land acquisition, administrative law and native title. She has over 20 years’ experience as a lawyer, including more than eight years at the Bar. She read with Emily Porter SC and her senior mentor is Nicholas Tweedie SC.

Serena has particular depth in major infrastructure projects, mining and resources, water law, cultural and built heritage, and matters affecting First Nations people. She also appears and advises on land valuation, covenants and easements, building and construction, and public law. Her appearance and cross-examination experience spans complex technical disciplines including valuations, hydrology, air emissions, acoustics, traffic, structural engineering, building compliance, heritage, urban design and planning.

Serena accepts briefs in:

  • Planning and Environment Law: judicial and merits review in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal Court, Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), Planning Panels Victoria, Heritage Council of Victoria. She advises on those areas as well as Development Facilitation Projects (DFP)
  • Inquiries, Advisory Committees and Royal Commissions: particularly matters involving environmental, planning, climate change, water or First Nations issues
  • Native title and Aboriginal cultural heritage: advice and proceedings under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), Aboriginal Heritage Act2006 (Vic), Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 (Vic) and the Statewide Treaty Act 2025 (Vic)
  • Property Law and Land Acquisition: land acquisition, compensation and land valuation
  • Building and Construction: County Court, Supreme Court and VCAT
  • Public and Administrative Law: matters involving complex regulatory frameworks, statutory interpretation and First Peoples' rights
  • advises and appears on administrative law matters, particularly those involving complex regulatory frameworks, statutory interpretation and First Peoples

Serena is a member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association (VPELA), the Women Barristers Association (WBA) and on the executive for the Commercial Bar (planning and environment division).  From 2020 to 2024 she was a member the Victorian Bar Indigenous Justice Committee, including two years as Co-Chair. She was previously on the board of the Australian Music Centre.

Serena graduated from the University of Wollongong with first class honours in law (Bachelor of Laws) and honours in music composition (Bachelor of Creative Arts). Her honours theses examined native title (2002) and semiotics (2000). She has worked as a classical composer, sound artist and journalist in print and radio.

In 2003 she was an associate to the Hon Justice Peter Young AO (Chief Judge in Equity, Supreme Court of NSW). She was subsequently a solicitor at Ashurst and Freehills in Sydney and Best Hooper in Melbourne and has significant government experience, including five years with the Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria).

Cases

She appears both led and unled before the Federal Court, Supreme Court, VCAT, Planning Panels, Inquiry and Advisory Committees and the Heritage Council on behalf of government and private sector clients.

Serena appears both led and unled and accepts direct briefs where permitted under the Barristers Rules. Recent cases include:

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister's clerk have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.

Admitted

28 May 2004

Victorian Bar

10 May 2018

Areas of Expertise

    Appellate 2 Areas

    • Appellate
    • Civil Appeals

    Corporations Law 1 Areas

    • Charities and Not-for-Profits

    Commercial 4 Areas

    • Commercial Appellate
    • Commercial Class Actions
    • Contractual Disputes
    • Intellectual Property

    Inquests Inquiries 1 Areas

    • Commissions or Tribunals and Other Inquiries

    Environment and Planning 7 Areas

    • Compulsory Acquisition of Land and Compensation
    • Environment and Planning
    • Environment and Planning Appellate
    • Local Government
    • Merit Appeals
    • Mining
    • Valuation of Land - Rating and Taxing Appeals

    Public Administrative 7 Areas

    • Constitutional Law
    • Judicial Review and Administrative Law
    • Liquor Licensing
    • Merits Review
    • Native Title
    • Privacy or Freedom of Information
    • Public Administrative Appellate

    Technology and Media Law 2 Areas

    • Defamation
    • Telecommunications

    Energy and Resources 1 Areas

    • Energy and Infrastructure

    Government 2 Areas

    • Gaming Industry Regulation
    • Industry Regulations

    Equity 1 Areas

    • Real Property

To Engage With Serena Armstrong
Call us on 03 9225 7777 or Enquire Below