Arthur Moses is one of the few Australian barristers who has been as visible in the courtroom, as a leader in his profession, and in public policy work. He works at New Chambers in Sydney and has been involved in big cases. He has also been President of the New South Wales Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia. He is now a well-known commentator on issues like justice reform, prison policy, and access to legal representation.
This article talks about Arthur Moses’s career, how he got to the bar, his most famous work, and how his influence is growing in discussions about the rule of law and the justice system in Australia.
The Early Legal Journey of Arthur Moses
Arthur Moses has worked at the New South Wales Bar for more than 25 years, according to biographies published by the NSW Bar and the Law Council. He became a barrister in the early 1990s and was named Senior Counsel (SC) in 2008 because of how well he did in complicated litigation and appellate advocacy.
From the beginning, his practice has included a wide range of public and commercial law, including:
- Law about the government and the Constitution
- Relations between workers and employers
- Prosecutions for work health and safety (WHS)
- Coronial inquests and commissions of inquiry
- Corruption and money made from crime
- Disputes over business and equity
Profiles of Arthur Moses say that he has worked in every Australian court, including Commonwealth, state, and territory courts. He is also often briefed on cases involving public authorities, regulators, and big businesses.
Inside the Courtroom – Practice Areas and Advocacy Style of Arthur Moses
Arthur Moses in Public and Administrative Law
Arthur Moses has worked on judicial review cases, tribunal appeals, and constitutional challenges in the fields of administrative and public law. Biographical information focusses on his work on coronial inquests, corruption investigations, and native title lawsuits. For example, he filed submissions in the High Court of Australia on behalf of the Gumatj clan in the case of Commonwealth of Australia v. Yunupingu.
In those submissions, Arthur Moses began by acknowledging the death of clan leader Yunupingu, noting that he had been “the senior landowner of the Gumatj Clan and Dalkarra, the senior ceremonial leader” for decades. This shows that Moses was willing to put legal arguments in their cultural and historical context.
Arthur Moses in matters of employment, industrial relations, and WHS
A big part of Arthur Moses’s work is in employment, industrial relations, and workplace safety. Doyle’s Guide lists him as one of the best senior lawyers in employment law in both New South Wales and the rest of Australia. He is known for his work on workplace disputes, union issues, and WHS prosecutions.
One review in Legal 500 calls Arthur Moses “very smart,” “very detail-oriented,” and “very good at strategy” when it comes to proceeds of crime and regulatory issues. This matches what lawyers say about his style of advocacy.
Arthur Moses in High-Profile, Complex Crime, and Regulatory Litigation
Arthur Moses isn’t a criminal defence attorney in the traditional sense, but he often works on complicated regulatory and criminal-adjacent cases, such as corruption investigations and white-collar crime. In this area, he combines his knowledge of evidence, statutory schemes, and administrative law.
Arthur Moses was a natural choice for parties looking for experienced lawyers in cases where officials, corporate officers, or public authorities are accused of wrongdoing because he had both public and regulatory experience.
Leading from the Front – Major Professional Roles of Arthur Moses
The NSW Bar Association’s President
From May 2017 to November 2018, Arthur Moses was the President of the New South Wales Bar Association.
During that time, he sent messages to members stressing the importance of being polite, professional, and respectful to staff. In a 2018 note about bar standards, then-President Arthur Moses said, “Rudeness, aggression, abuse, and hostility towards the staff of the Bar Association will not be tolerated.” This was a clear reminder that being polite is important for keeping a healthy professional culture.
He also used his time as president to push for more diversity at the bar. Arthur Moses said on International Women’s Day that “we can do better” to help women barristers. He said that the justice system needs a bar that reflects the community it serves.
The National Debate and the Law Council Leadership
Arthur Moses became the head of the Law Council of Australia, the highest national body for lawyers, in 2019.
Arthur Moses, the president of the Law Council, spoke out on:
- How important it is to have access to justice and legal aid that is properly funded
- The necessity for an autonomous and specialised family law framework
- Concerns about plans to combine the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court
- The importance of the rule of law and judicial independence
In a press release responding to a federal investigation into the family law system, Arthur Moses said that reform “requires proper consultation, evidence-based policy, and a focus on safety and fairness for families in crisis.”
Arthur Moses spoke at the National Press Club
One of the most well-known times he was president of the Law Council was when he spoke at the National Press Club in 2019. Arthur Moses said in that speech that access to justice is a national issue, saying, “It is a matter that is important to all Australian citizens… all who call our nation home.”
He said that not giving enough money to legal aid and community legal centres for a long time can make people lose faith in the legal system, making it a “two-tier” system where only those with money can properly defend their rights.
Headline Cases and Major Courtroom Appearances of Arthur Moses
Trial for Defamation Against Ben Roberts-Smith
The Federal Court defamation case brought by former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith against Nine Entertainment over war crimes reporting was one of the most talked-about cases involving Arthur Moses. Moses joined Roberts-Smith’s legal team in the later stages of the long trial.
Arthur Moses attacked the credibility of key witnesses called by the publishers during his closing arguments in 2022. He called two of them “plain and simple liars and perjurers” and said that Nine’s truth defence was based on “conjecture and speculation” instead of solid evidence.
Even though the Federal Court threw out Roberts-Smith’s claims, the case showed how hard Arthur Moses works during cross-examination and closing arguments in high-stakes cases involving reputation, media freedom, and serious misconduct allegations.
Native Title and Work for Indigenous Justice
Arthur Moses has worked on more than just high-profile defamation cases. He has also worked on issues related to Indigenous land rights and justice. His arguments for the Gumatj clan in the Yunupingu case show that he cares about both legal principles and respecting cultural authority.
He has also talked about issues that affect Indigenous people in public. Arthur Moses wrote an opinion piece on prison reform with Karly Warner, the CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Service. In it, he said that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are over-represented in prisons and that the system is “failing to keep communities safe, failing victims, and failing those who offend.”
A Voice for Change – Justice Reform, Prison Policy and Public Commentary
Arthur Moses Talks About Australia’s Prison Problem
Arthur Moses wrote a well-known op-ed about prison that said Australia “has a prison problem.” He pointed out that higher rates of imprisonment don’t always make communities safer. He pushed for targeted funding for rehabilitation and diversion programs, saying that “jail is not the answer.”
He is the National Patron of the Justice Reform Initiative.
Arthur Moses on Getting Legal Help
Another common theme in Arthur Moses’s public advocacy is making it easier for people to get legal help. He and the President of the Law Society of NSW made a joint statement in which they criticised comments made by then-immigration minister Peter Dutton that seemed to downplay the role of lawyers in refugee cases. They said that representation “must be available to all, not a select few.”
Court Culture and Judicial Behaviour
Arthur Moses has also written about bullying in the courts and the culture of the courts. In a paper published by the NSW Bar Association, he looked at how inappropriate behaviour by judges can affect lawyers and clients, and how proper complaint procedures and training can keep the system fair.
Global Engagement – Arthur Moses in International Legal Networks
Cross-Border Legal Dialogue
As Law Council president, Arthur Moses represented the Australian legal profession internationally, discussing proposed foreign lawyer restrictions in jurisdictions such as Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Tribunals, LAWASIA and Human Rights Advocacy
Biographical information shows that Arthur Moses has served on the executive of LAWASIA, co-chairing its Human Rights Committee, and spoken at conferences about tribunal independence and rule of law issues in the region.
Community, Philanthropy and Public Causes of Arthur Moses
Vinnies CEO Sleepout and Homelessness
Outside the courtroom, Arthur Moses is a regular participant in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout. Promotional material notes that he chooses to sleep outside in cold Sydney conditions to highlight the reality faced by rough sleepers.
Arthur Moses in Legal Education
Arthur Moses frequently speaks at bar events and conferences on legal ethics, WHS prosecutions, apprehended bias applications and employment restraints of trade, reinforcing professional development in the legal community.
In the Media – Opinion Writing and Commentary from Arthur Moses
Arthur Moses as a Media Commentator
Arthur Moses has appeared on ABC Radio National and written opinion articles on anti-corruption commissions, investigative agencies, tribunal design and constitutional powers.
Key Themes in the Public Work of Arthur Moses
Across speeches and commentary, recurring themes include:
- Rule of law and independent institutions
- Funding for legal aid and access to justice
- Rehabilitation and reducing reliance on prisons
- Diversity and inclusion within the profession
Personal Profile and Public Interest in Arthur Moses
Biographical articles describe Arthur Moses as a high-profile Sydney barrister occasionally attracting public attention. Verified sources focus largely on his professional life rather than personal information.
His responsibilities also include:
- Royal Australian Air Force Specialist Reserve service
- Community fundraising involvement
- Participation in legal policy groups and initiatives
The Enduring Influence of Arthur Moses on Australian Law
The trajectory of Arthur Moses shows how a senior barrister can shape legal systems beyond individual cases. Through his leadership roles and reform work, he has contributed to national debate on family law, justice reform, court culture and equality at the bar.
As long as questions of incarceration, access to justice and rule of law remain central in Australian politics, Arthur Moses will continue to be an influential voice in legal discourse and institutional reform.
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