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Experience

Michael practises primarily in commercial, regulatory and public law.

Before being called to the bar, Michael practised as a solicitor for 10 years, initially at Lander & Rogers, and most recently as the General Counsel of Litigation for one of Australia’s largest companies.

Michael has experience acting in a broad range of commercial disputes as well as in competition law, employment, property, insurance and product liability matters.

Michael also brings to his practice, significant ‘front end’ commercial experience, having led a broad range of M&A and other corporate transactions.

Michael is a co-author of The Laws of Australia: Breach of Contract and is currently undertaking a Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne. Michael holds a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism & Public Relations) from RMIT University. Michael has also studied German at the Freie Universität in Berlin as the recipient of a full scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service.

Michael read with Jonathan Kirkwood SC and his senior mentor was David Batt KC.

Some of Michael’s current and recent matters include:

Commercial matters

Thousand Hills Property Pty Ltd v LBA Capital Pty Ltd [2025] VSCA 115; [2024] VSCA 312; [2024] VSC 597 (unled, instructed by GPZ Legal)

Briefed for the defendant at first instance, to oppose declaratory relief that the defendant had repudiated a contract for the development and sale of land.

Subsequently briefed to resist an appeal by the plaintiff and to seek security for costs in the appeal.

Hillman v Mayne Pharma Group Ltd [2024] VSC 786 (led by J Kirkwood SC, instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills)

Briefed for Mayne Pharma in a class action relating to allegations that Mayne breached its continuous disclosure obligations and engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct in connection with information about alleged price-fixing in the United States.

Golden Plains Resources Pty Ltd v Rimfire Pacific Mining Ltd [2024] VSC (led by J Thomson SC, instructed by King & Wood Mallesons)

Briefed for the defendant, initially, to resist a grant of urgent injunctive relief. Subsequently briefed in arbitration of the substantive dispute.

AHG WA (2015) Pty Ltd v Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 1022 (led by T Castle SC and Dr C Parkinson KC, with others, instructed by HWL Ebsworth)

Briefed for the owners of Australian Mercedes-Benz franchises who alleged Mercedes-Benz had engaged in unconscionable conduct in terminating dealership agreements and implementing a direct to customer sales model.

In the matter of FTX Australia Pty Ltd (Administrators Appointed) [2023] VSC 788 (led by D Guidolin SC, instructed by Ashurst)

Briefed for parties seeking to be recognised as creditors of FTX entities in administration.

Re Roxton Commercial Builders Pty Ltd [2024] VSC 289 (unled, instructed by JHK Legal)

Briefed for a plaintiff seeking to wind up a company, which application was opposed on the basis that service of a statutory demand had not been properly effected. The Court accepted, inter alia, that there had been effective informal service of the demand and ordered that the company be wound up.

Fan v Yao [2022] VCC 509 (unled, instructed by Herald Legal)

Briefed for the plaintiff to enforce a loan agreement entered into in China, against a borrower domiciled in Australia.

Burwood Council v Visy Paper Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC (led by N Bender SC, instructed by Arnold Bloch Leibler)

Briefed for Visy in relation to a dispute over the interpretation of a commercial contract.

Baroud Nominees Pty Ltd v Mereland Technology Pty Ltd [2022] VCAT 516 (unled, instructed by Bentleys)

Obtained declaratory relief for a landlord in relation to the proper interpretation of rent review provisions of a commercial lease.

Employment law matters

Harvey v Palcove Pty Ltd [2025] FedCFamC2G 915 (unled, instructed by PricewaterhouseCoopers)

Defending claims made by a former employee that the Respondent: (a) engaged in adverse action in contravention of section 340 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth); and (b) engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct in contravention of section 18 and 31 of the Australian Consumer.

Geotesta Pty Ltd v an Employee [2022] VSC (unled, instructed by Hicks Oakley Chessell Williams)

Obtained urgent injunctive relief against a former employee in connection with confidential information obtained in course of the employment relationship.

Regulatory matters

Fair Work Ombudsman v House of Hoi An Pty Ltd [2022] FedCFamC2G 133 (unled, instructed by Aitken Partners)

Briefed for an employer company and director in a penalty hearing relating to contraventions of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).

From 21 October 2021, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.