Rabea Khan

Contact Details

Rabea accepts briefs in criminal, regulatory and administrative law. She also accepts briefs in other areas of law that intersect with criminal law.

Areas of Expertise

• Criminal Law
• Appellate
• Common Law
• Commercial Law
• Industrial Relations & Employment Law
• Public Law & Administrative Law 
• Environment Law & Planning Law
• Inquests, Inquiries, Tribunals & Commissions

Professional Background

Rabea has extensive experience appearing in indictable criminal matters in both Victoria and NSW. She has also appeared in coronial inquests, planning enforcement proceedings and therapeutic jurisdictions such as the Drug Court, the Mental Health Tribunal, the Neighbourhood Justice Centre and the Koori Court.

Prior to joining the Bar, Rabea:

• Worked at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) from 2009-2016, regularly appearing as a senior advocate in contested criminal matters, and instructing in complex jury trials;
• Practised as a criminal defence lawyer with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and received Cultural Awareness Training from the Koorie Heritage Trust;
• Practised as a Senior Lawyer at IBAC,  regularly appearing as Counsel Assisting in IBAC private examinations, prosecutions and warrant applications in the Magistrates’ and Supreme Courts, and the AAT; and
• Practised as a Senior Advocate with the Office of Public Prosecutions in Melbourne. 

Rabea has a particular interest in Counter-Terrorism Law. She was a contributing editor to the publication, "Anti-Terrorism Laws: ASIO, the Police and You’” (4th Edition, 2017) and has appeared in public hearings before the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.

Rabea is a member of the Indigenous Justice Committee, a previous member of the Bar Council, and an instructor at the Leo Cussen Centre for Law. She is also currently on the Review Advisory Committee for the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts. She is fluent in Urdu and Hindi. 

Rabea read with Simon Moglia. Her Senior Mentor is Dr Ian Freckelton QC.

Recent cases:

• Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System (briefed by the Commission)
• Inquest into the death of Taniela Ahokava [2020] COR 2016 4157 (acting on behalf of the family in an ongoing coronial inquest into Mr Ahokava's death from a police shooting.)
• Minister for Home Affairs v Benbrika [2020] VSC 888 led by Brian Walters QC and Simon Moglia, representing the defendant in the first application for a continuing detention order for a terrorism offence under the Criminal Code Act 1995.