Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has lodged a notice of appeal with the Federal Court after a ruling that on the balance of probabilities he did rape Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in 2019.

Mr Lehrmann had tried to sue Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over an interview with Ms Higgins on The Project, in which she alleged she was raped.

The interview did not name Mr Lehrmann, but he claimed their description still identified him, which sparked his defamation proceedings.

Mr Lehrmann's criminal trial for the alleged rape was abandoned due to juror misconduct, leaving no criminal findings against him. He has always maintained his innocence.

His defamation case was launched last year and last month ultimately failed, when the Justice Michael Lee found Network Ten had proved its truth defence. 

Federal Court Justice Michael Lee said in his judgment he was satisfied to the civil standard of proof that Mr Lehrmann did rape Ms Higgins in the office of Senator Linda Reynolds.

In his judgment Justice Lee referenced the fact that Mr Lehrmann had already been through a criminal trial for the alleged rape in the ACT Supreme Court.

"Having escaped the lion's den, Mr Lehrmann made the mistake of coming back for his hat," Justice Lee said.

The Federal Court has awarded costs against Mr Lehrmann, meaning he will have to pay both Network Ten and Ms Wilkinson.

After a legal battle of their own in February, Network Ten conceded it was responsible for paying for Ms Wilkinson's defence lawyers in the defamation case.

The total costs in Mr Lehrmann's failed defamation case are yet to be determined, but earlier this week the court heard Ms Wilkinson was seeking $1.8 million from Network Ten.

Mr Lehrmann lodged a notice of claim for his appeal on Friday afternoon, but no court date has been set.