Luke Geary

NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact

Luke has a particular expertise assisting institutions in responding to claims of child sexual abuse under a restorative justice framework and in accordance with best practice principles identified by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. In this regard, Luke appeared as a legal advisor in a number of public hearings before the Royal Commission, he participated in many of the Royal Commission’s roundtables (both public and private) for the development of policy positions and has appeared before the Australian Senate Committee and worked with the Commonwealth Redress Taskforce in its design of the National Redress Bill (which is anticipated to provide assistance in justice outcomes for approximately 60,000 Australians). Luke is regularly briefed by major institutions in the most sensitive and significant common law abuse claims and assists in their delicate resolution in a trauma-informed way. Additionally, Luke acts for survivors of abuse in claims against State government institutions, assisting them to obtain either common law or redress justice outcomes compassionately and giving them assistance in finding healing in their lives.

For over 10 years Luke has been recognised as one of Australia’s leading lawyers representing victims of human trafficking and labour exploitation. Luke has advised in and run a variety of cases across a range of jurisdictions and novel areas of law, to help victims obtain justice through civil proceedings against their offenders. In 2015, Luke acted for the successful plaintiff in Jane Doe v Linda Howard, Australia’s largest ever verdict in a case of human trafficking, obtaining an award of damages in excess of US$3.5m.

The large majority of Luke’s Chambers and Partners recognised practice involves litigated claims, both defending and prosecuting, concerning intentional torts giving rise to complex physical and psychiatric injuries. In most of the cases in this area (Luke has done over 200), the cases involve:

• Serious physical and sexual assaults

• Trespasses upon the person / batteries

• False imprisonment

• Complex psychiatric injuries

Luke was named one of Australia’s Best Lawyers for Non-Profit/Charities Law in the 2026/2027 Best Lawyers list for the twelfth consecutive year, including in both 2020/2021 and 2023/2024 being named as Australia’s Non-Profit/Charities ‘Lawyer of the Year’. Luke is also recognised by Best Lawyers for Insurance Law since 2025/2026 and continuing. In 2017, Luke was admitted to the Order of Distinguished Auxiliary Service. Additionally, Luke was recognised as one of the 10 Most Innovative Lawyers in the Financial Times Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers 2016 awards. He was included in Pro Bono Australia’s ‘Impact 25’ most influential people in the Australian social sector in 2015. In 2013, Luke was awarded Managing Partner of the Year in the Australian Law Awards, he was Australia’s Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 2012 and in 2010 he received an Anzac of the Year award for service to the legal profession and the community.