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Experience

Lachlan practices in revenue, foreign investment and commercial law. He specialises in taxation and the foreign investment (FIRB) regime.

He frequently acts for the Commonwealth as well as private clients.

Lachlan has appeared in a wide range of disputes in the High Court, Full Federal Court, Federal Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as Royal Commissions.

Lachlan practices in Australian foreign investment law (FIRB) matters, having been involved in drafting the current Act, is the co-author of Thomson Reuters' "Foreign Investment Law" publication, appeared in all recent Federal Court cases involving FIRB breaches and advised on many hundreds of FIRB application and compliance matters.

He has appeared in many taxation trials and appeals in Australia, including in the High Court. He specialises particularly in anti-avoidance and transfer pricing matters, tax treaty disputes and other international tax matters.

He advises on commercial and corporations law matters, including equity and trust law, contract, oppression and ASIC regulatory disputes.

Immediately before coming to the Bar, Lachlan was in the Commonwealth Treasury Portfolio, covering taxation, foreign investment (FIRB) and corporations law. He was involved with the development of Commonwealth legislative reforms, including the development of the Multinational Anti-avoidance Law and Diverted Profits Tax to counter avoidance schemes.

Prior to that he was a solicitor at an international firm advising on taxation and commercial disputes in Australia.

He has graduated with two Masters with Distinction from the University of Oxford (including winning the prize for best overall performance in the Masters of Taxation; and prize for best tax research paper). He has a Bachelors in Laws and Engineering from the University of Melbourne. He was a Pegasus Scholar.

He is the Treasurer and an executive board director of the Law Council of Australia and has been a member of the Victorian Bar Council.

Lachlan has a deep interest in heritage and heritage law and is Chair of the National Trusts of Australia and Chair of the National Trust of Victoria, two community organisations.

He is a Senior Fellow of the Law School of the University of Melbourne, teaching corporations and taxation subjects in the Masters of Law and Juris Doctorate programs, including the Tax Avoidance masters subject taught jointly with former justices Hon Tony Pagone AM KC and Hon Jennifer Davies KC. He also takes the tax subject in the Bar Readers' course.

Lachlan is a member of Lincoln's Inn, London; and maintains chambers there at Field Court Tax Chambers, one of the world's highest ranked tax law sets.

Lachlan read with Eugene Wheelahan QC and Allan Myers AC QC.

Recently published cases in which Lachlan has appeared:

Commercial and equity/trust matters

Keybridge Capital Limited v WAM Active Limited [2023] FCAFC 194

M C Wholesaling v Zheng [2024] VSCA 248

Parker v Auswild; Bergmuller v Auswild [2022] VSCA 8; (2022) 403 ALR 111

Cant v Mad Brothers Earthmoving Pty Ltd [2020] VSCA 198; 63 VR 222

Watkins v Tatana [2023] FCA 248

Porter & Anor v Mulcahy Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors (No 6) [2024] VSC 6

Re Legal Super Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 545

Ultra Tune Australia Pty Ltd v Cole & Anor [2023] VSC 700

Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises Pty Ltd (No 10) [2023] VSC 524

Bignaches Pty Ltd v Access Strata Management Pty Ltd (Costs) [2022] VSC 793

In the matter of Access Strata Management Pty Ltd & Ors [2022] VSC 639

Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises (No 3) [2022] VSC 499

Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises (No 7) [2022] VSC 549

Ian Morris v Victorian Farmers Federation [2022] VSC 407

Rita Troiano v Ross Voci & Ors [2021] VSC 851

Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 572

JAB Nominees (Aust) Pty Ltd v Auswild [2021] VSC 275; (2021) 152 ACSR 618

JAB Nominees (Aust) Pty Ltd v Auswild & Ors [2020] VSC 731

Porter v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd [2020] VSC 430

Ran Bi v Yingde Investments Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 324

Troiano v Voci [2019] VSC 859

In the matter of Erfanian Developments Pty Ltd [2018] VSC 342

Wildorm Pty Ltd v Greg Hocking Altona Pty Ltd & Ors [2024] VCC 96

Carlig v M H Heath & M P Jones (t/as Allmand Jones & Partners) [2019] VCC 1175

Taxation and revenue matters

Sharpcan v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] HCA 36; (2019) 269 CLR 370

Watson v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] HCASL 224

Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCAFC 197; (2021) 114 ATR 1

Victoria Power Networks Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCAFC 169; (2020) 281 FCR 318

Watson v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCAFC 92; (2020) 277 FCR 253

Hart v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCAFC 179; (2020) 272 FCR 612

Clifford v Tax Practitioners Board (No 2) [2024] FCA 557

Hilton International Australia Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2023] FCA 1504

Makrylos v Commissioner of Taxation [2023] FCA 971

Commissioner of Taxation v Balasubramaniyan [2022] FCA 374

Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCA 108; (2021) 112 ATR 752

Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation (No 2) [2021] FCA 267

Watson as trustee for the Murrindindi Bushfire Class Action Settlement Fund v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 228; (2019) 109 ATR 794

Paule v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 394

Ammouche v Chief Commissioner of Police [2018] FCA 1703; (2018) 266 FCR 430

Premier Bay Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue [2024] VSC 447

Jeff Lunn and Gregoriades Sofocleous & Associates Pty Ltd and Tax Practitioners Board [2025] ARTA 2654

Auz Taxation and Tax Practitioners Board [2025] ARTA 1711

PCQT and Commissioner of Taxation [2025] ARTA 1873

Lunn and Tax Practitioners Board [2025] ARTA 697

Hall and Commissioner of Taxation [2025] ARTA 600

Shugai and Commissioner of Taxation [2024] AATA 3619

Clifford and Tax Practitioners Board [2023] AATA 2068

Bolton and Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2021] AATA 5293

From 03 May 2018, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.