Rebel Wilson's barrister to probe Trinity Grammar teacher's dismissal

Rohan Brown, the former deputy principal at Trinity Grammar.
Photo: Josh Robenstone

Former Federal Court judge Ray Finkelstein QC and barrister Renee Enbom, who represented actor Rebel Wilson in her recent defamation case, will investigate Trinity Grammar's sacking of its deputy principal Rohan Brown for cutting a student's hair.

The Kew private school announced the appointments on Friday afternoon, saying the investigation would begin immediately.

It came hours before a deadline of 5pm imposed by the Old Trinity Grammarians' Association, which has threatened legal action if remaining members of the school council do not stand down by close of business on Friday.

Three school council members, including its chair, deputy chair and alumni representative, resigned on Wednesday.

It also follows an exclusive report in The Age detailing allegations made by former students and a teacher of bullying and physical assault by Mr Brown while he taught at Erinbank Secondary College in Melbourne's north-west during the 1980s.

Mr Brown denied allegations of assault but conceded he may have scared some students.

His dismissal this month for cutting a boy's hair on school photo day prompted protests by students and calls from the school's alumni and many parents for him to be reinstated.

Raymond Finkelstein, QC, will investigate Trinity's dismissal of Rohan Brown.
Photo: Josh Robenstone

Mr Finkelstein was a Federal Court judge from 1997-2011 and president of the Australian Competition Tribunal from 2008-11.

In 2005 he found Steve Vizard guilty of insider trading and banned him from being a company director for 10 years.

Ms Enbom represented Ms Wilson in her successful defamation case against Bauer Media in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Bauer was ordered to pay a record $4.5 million and costs of $1.4 million. A hearing has been set down for April in the Court of Appeal in which Bauer will appeal the damages awarded to Ms Wilson.

Ms Enbom also appeared for the AFL during the Essendon supplements saga, and has acted in a number of commercial matters including class actions.

The school said the lawyers had agreed to undertake the review on the basis that they had full cooperation of staff and the school council, and access to any documentation they required.

They had also requested that they speak to the parents of the student involved if appropriate.

The lawyers would also seek "the views of any group they think may be able to assist, including the Parents' Association and the Old Trinity Grammarians' Association".