Notable representative matters
- Secured record defamation judgment for former Queensland government minister after a high profile trial.
- Represented one of Queensland’s largest insurers and largest club on the legal matters arising from the Queensland floods disaster, including advice and representation regarding insurance claims, policy interpretation, disaster response and regulatory issues.
- Represented a foreign government and minister in proceedings concerning political immunity issues in the Supreme and High Courts.
- Acted for and represented clients in a number of commissions of inquiry including the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry, Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry, the Queensland Rail Train Crewing Practices Commission of Inquiry and the Commission of Inquiry into New Generation Rollingstock Trains.
- Represented founding shareholder in high-profile Supreme Court litigation and lengthy trial involving claims in excess of $40 million against major financial institutions.
- Represented the owners of Makepeace Island in long-running building and construction litigation in the Supreme Court of Queensland over payment claims and defects.
- Represented an international construction and machinery manufacturing concern in Supreme Court litigation involving novel PPSA issues (NSW and Queensland) to successfully recover a multi-million drilling rig.
- Acted in numerous shareholder/stakeholder disputes cases for significant businesses securing favourable resolution terms without litigation.
Commercial litigation
- Acted in many commercial litigation matters including contract disputes; disputes between business partners; negligence cases; distributor disputes; and product liability, professional liability, misleading conduct and misrepresentation cases.
- Acted for founding shareholders of national merchandising business in a multi-million dollar governance dispute securing favorable exit terms without the need for litigation.
- Advised large Australian financial institution on multi-million dollar employee fraud, resulting in full recovery of assets remaining in the possession of the employee without litigation.
- Represented founding shareholders of major Queensland electricity retailer in litigation over ownership interests.
- Represented executor to successfully resolve a claim against the estate’s interests in a $26 million Queensland farming operation.
- Represented private company in a $10 million excise duty investigation by the Australian Customs Service and Australian Federal Police, resulting in no prosecution.
Regulatory matters
- Acted to advise and represent corporate clients, directors, officeholders and private individuals in many regulatory matters and investigations involving federal and state investigating bodies and regulators across a wide range of industries.
- Acted for corporate organisations to provide representation and make submissions in response to ASIC regulatory notices, successfully resolving many matters without prosecutorial proceedings.
- Acted for one of Australia’s largest organisations in response to notices issued ACCC’s Northern Australia Insurance Inquiry instigated in 2017 to produce documents that involved a review of millions of documents.
- Acted for a number of RTO (Registered Training Organisations) to successfully resolve regulatory proceedings brought by ASQA.
- Acted for organisations to provide representation and submissions in relation to regulatory proceedings instigated by the FOS (Financial Ombudsman Service), including responding to systemic breach notices, successfully resolving those investigations without any prosecutorial action.
- Acted for organisations and officeholders in regulatory proceedings involving the QBCC, including winning a lengthy trial in QCAT to overturn QBCC regulatory decisions.
- Acted for a corporate client to successfully resolve without penalty a customs and excise investigation undertaken by Australian Customs Service (ACS) and Australian Federal Police (AFP).
- Acted in numerous Commissions of Inquiry including Royal Commission matters (see notes above).
Building and construction disputes
- Acted in many building and construction disputes on major projects (e.g. Kestrel Mine Extension Project, Hay Point Coal Terminal, Gateway Bridge Duplication Project, Mt Crosby Water Treatment Plant, Goodwill Bridge, and Western Corridor Recycled Water Project).
- Acted for contractors and principals in security of payment claims and responses, including litigation defending and challenging adjudicator determinations.
- Represented regional construction group in proceedings against QBCC on regulatory issues.
Insolvency and debt recovery
- Acted for and advised commercial clients on insolvency issues and claims including enforcement issues, external administration processes, restructuring, and director liability issues.
- Represented liquidators in the conduct of preference claims.
- Handled the Queensland debt recovery portfolio involving high volume debt recovery and insolvency proceedings for a wholly owned subsidiary of one of Australia’s largest companies.
- Advised one of Queensland largest insurers on insolvency issues arising from the collapse of one of its largest contractors.
Property and leasing disputes and litigation
- Acted for and advised clients on disputes and litigation involving property transactions, lease defaults, contract disputes and termination, and contract interpretation matters.
- Advised a landlord of CBD high-rise on litigation issues and claims arising from major property damage incident affecting numerous tenancies.
- Represented numerous shopping centre owners in lease default actions, possession proceedings and related litigation.
- Represented one of the world’s largest restaurant chains in lease interpretation proceedings in relation to one of its prominent Queensland locations.
- Represented Queensland based property developer in multi-million dollar negligence case arising from failed property development in Rockhampton.
Defamation
- Secured record defamation judgment for former Queensland government minister after a high profile trial.
- Acted in defamation litigation, claims for breach of confidentiality or privacy, and other cases associated with risk to reputation or confidential information.
Intellectual property litigation
- Represented one of Australia’s largest organisations to defend Federal Court patent infringement proceedings arising from its release of a mobile app and website.
- Represented Australian subsidiary of an international carpet manufacturer to successfully defend Federal Court proceedings involving allegations of copyright and design infringement and misleading and deceptive conduct.