Devereux is a member of the Queensland Bar, a professor of law at the University of Queensland and a member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal. He has held a variety of academic positions around the world, including roles as a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore, Marquette University in Wisconsin and Boston University. He has also served as a law reform commissioner for Queensland and a defence force magistrate.

He also served with the Australian Defence Force in Iraq and was awarded a Bronze Star by the United States armed forces.

He takes up his new position with the Australian Catholic University in January 2010.