Dr Joshua Aird

Special Counsel | Brisbane, Australia
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Profile

Dr Joshua Aird is a Special Counsel in our Brisbane office, specialising in disputes, investigations, and ESG matters. He works with private and public sector clients operating in high profile sectors that receive considerable public interest and attention. Joshua acts in contentious regulatory matters across a range of sectors, including financial services, insurance, infrastructure, transport, and energy and resources.

Joshua’s practice involves assisting clients in litigation, regulatory investigations, Royal Commissions, and investigations. He has extensive experience advising on ESG legal risks, including Australia’s climate-related financial disclosure regime, ‘soft law’ standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (including investigations into potential human rights abuses), sanctions compliance, and bribery and corruption matters. He regularly advises on ESG policy development, greenwashing investigations and mitigating greenwashing risks (including through internal compliance audits).

Joshua holds a PhD in constitutional law and human rights from the University of New South Wales and regularly lectures on constitutional law and human rights issues at universities throughout Australia and New Zealand. Joshua is a member of the NSW Law Society’s Human Rights Committee. 

Qualifications and admissions

Qualifications

  • PhD (Law) | University of New South Wales | 2025
  • LLB (Hons) | Victoria University of Wellington | 2016 

Admissions

  • High Court of Australia | 2018
  • Supreme Court of New South Wales | 2018
  • Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand | 2016

Market recognition

  • Thought Leadership Award | ESG Mondaq | 2023

Work highlights

  • Greensill Litigation: acting for BCC Trade Credit Pty Ltd following the collapse of Greensill and in respect of subsequent insurance claims.
  • Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes: Acting for the NSW Police in all aspects of the Inquiry leading a large team of senior lawyers and counsel.
  • Aurizon: Acting for Aurizon at first instance and successful appeal in respect of a judicial review over regulatory licenses.
  • Big Four Bank:  Advised on an application by a shareholder for access to books and records in respect of compliance with ESG commitment.
  • Magnetic South:  Acting for Magnetic South in an objections hearing to the Gemini metallurgical coal mine leading on all aspects of human rights compliance and assisting with litigation strategy.
  • Renewable Energy Producer: Appointed for a three year period to conduct compliance audit in respect of ESG issues reporting to local subsidiary and international parent company.
  • Human Rights Investigations:  Undertaken a number of investigations and due diligence in respect of allegations of human rights abuses (including modern slavery).

Services

Sectors