Dispute Resolution and Litigation

The Office of General Counsel - Dispute Resolution and Litigation (GC-DRL), within Defence Legal, was established in January 2015. GC-DRL provides legal services in relation to matters referred to it by the Defence Legal Executive. Referred matters are designated as strategic, complex, significant and/or highly sensitive. Current referred matters are: Legal issues associated with the Defence estate – the current focus is on providing support to the Defence National PFAS Investigation and Management Program Management of class actions and other litigated and non-litigated claims against Defence in relation to PFAS Civil claims for compensation by survivors of abuse Support to Defence responses to the work of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse GC-DRL is staffed by Defence Special Counsel (SES Band 1), Deputy Defence Special Counsel (EL2 Lawyer and a core team of legal officers and administrative support. Additional resources are allocated and/or sourced depending on the matters referred by Defence Legal Executive.