- Mintz Colette
Colette practises primarily in public and commercial law.
Before coming to the Bar, Colette served as Associate to Justice Edelman of the High Court of Australia.
Earlier, she practised as a solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons, predominantly in competition law, and served as Associate to Justice Katzmann of the Federal Court of Australia.
Colette holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, with first class honours, from Monash University and a Master of Laws from Columbia University, which she attended on a scholarship and where she was named a James Kent Scholar.
Colette has served as a Fellow at Melbourne Law School, where she lectured in constitutional law. She has also published work in the Public Law Review.
A selection of her recent matters is as follows:
Commercial law
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Taxi Apps Pty Ltd v Uber Technologies Inc (Supreme Court of Victoria, reserved) (conspiracy to injure, breach of confidence): for the plaintiff in 26-day trial, led by Michael Hodge KC, with Kane Loxley and Kalia Laycock-Walsh.
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Slea Pty Ltd v Connective Services Pty Ltd (No 9) [2022] VSC 136 (oppression, directors’ duties): for the successful plaintiffs, following a 52-day trial, led by Michael Hodge QC, with Kathleen Foley and Geoffrey Kozminsky; and on appeal: Millsave Holdings Pty Ltd v Connective Group Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 326.
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Lees v Connective Services Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 143 (statutory construction, Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)): for the successful respondents, led by Catherine Button QC, with Geoffrey Kozminsky.
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Jones v Waller Legal Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of Victoria, ongoing) (negligence, misleading conduct): for defendant, proceeding declassed following successful application, led by Philip Solomon KC.
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Selak v National Tiles Co Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 446 (legal professional privilege, misconduct exception): for plaintiff, with Geoffrey Kozminksy.
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iSignthis Limited v ASX Limited (Federal Court of Australia, resolved) (challenge to decision to suspend applicant’s securities from quotation on the ASX): for the ASX, led by Neil Young KC, with Brendan Lim.
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Andrianakis v Uber Technologies; Taxi Apps Pty Ltd v Uber Technologies [2022] VSC 643 (legal professional privilege, misconduct exception): for successful respondent, led by Tony Bannon SC, with Robert Yezerski.
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Flash Lighting Company Ltd v Australia Kunqian International Energy Co Pty Ltd [2021] HCASL 50 (contract): for successful respondent, led by Jonathon Moore QC, with Geoffrey Kozminsky.
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Salter Brothers Asset Management Pty Ltd v Hendry (contract, employment): for respondents, obtained order for summary dismissal of proceedings (McElwaine J, Federal Court of Australia, unreported, 10 June 2022), unled on dismissal application; otherwise led in proceeding by Robert Craig QC, with Franceska Leoncio.
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Townshend v Fendall Farms Pty Ltd (Federal Court of Australia, ongoing) (oppression, fiduciary duties): for defendants, unled. See, relatedly, Townshend as Legal Representative for the Estate of Mervyn Townshend v Fendall Farms Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 848 (application for derivative leave, led by Ian Waller KC).
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ACCC v TasPorts (Federal Court of Australia, resolved) (proceeding under s 46 of Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)): for the ACCC, led by Wendy Harris QC and Nick De Young QC, with Chris Tran.
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In the Matter of Grand Land Property Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of Victoria, resolved during trial) (oppression, misleading conduct): for defendants, led by Robert Craig KC, with D’Arcy Hope.
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Thexton v Mialls Gun Shop (Supreme Court of Victoria, resolved during trial) (negligence, misleading conduct): for defendants, led by Richard Attiwill QC.
Public law
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COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry: for Department of Premier and Cabinet, led by Richard Attiwill QC.
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Ridd v James Cook University [2021] HCA 32 (construction of enterprise agreement): for appellant, led by Stuart Wood QC, with Ben Jellis.
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Plaintiff M1/2021 v Minister for Home Affairs [2022] HCA 17 (administrative law): for plaintiff, led by Richard Knowles QC.
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Santos v Tipakalippa [2022] FCAFC 193 (administrative law): for successful respondent, led by Claire Harris KC, with Nick Baum.
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Dhu v State of Western Australia (Federal Court of Australia, ongoing) (discrimination, constitutional law): for respondent in class action, led by Robert Craig KC.
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Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Chauhan (County Court of Victoria, reserved) (proceeds of crime, unexplained wealth): for AFP Commissioner in application for unexplained wealth order, led by Robert Craig KC.
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Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department v Bhagwandas [2023] FCA 398 (administrative law, appeal from AAT on question of law): for successful respondent, unled.
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Asmar v Albanese (No 4) [2021] VSC 672; Asmar v Albanese [2022] VSCA 19; Asmar v Albanese [2022] HCASL 71 (proceeding concerning validity of Federal ALP intervention in Victorian Branch of ALP): for plaintiffs / appellants, led by Ron Merkel QC, with Emrys Nekvapil and Katharine Brown.
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Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd v Civil Aviation Safety Authority [2021] FCA 1160; Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd v Civil Aviation Safety Authority (No 2) [2021] FCA 1337 (administrative law, ban on helicopter use during Melbourne protests): for successful applicants, led by Will Houghton QC.
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Melton City Council v Minister for Planning [2021] VSC 700; [2022] VSCA 144 (administrative law): for plaintiff / appellant, led by Emrys Nekvapil.
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Celsius Fire Services Pty Ltd v Magistrates’ Court of Victoria [2019] VSC 835; Celsius Fire Services Pty Ltd v Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (No 2) [2020] VSC 120 (administrative law): for the successful plaintiff, led by Anthony Strahan QC.
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WOTCH v VicForests (Supreme Court of Victoria, resolved while judgment reserved) (environmental law): for plaintiff in long-running litigation, including large trial, led by Richard Knowles KC and Kathleen Foley SC, with Shawn Rajanayagam. See WOTCH v VicForests (No 2) [2020] VSC 99; WOTCH v VicForests (No 3) [2020] VSC 220; WOTCH v VicForests (No 4) [2020] VSC 433; WOTCH v VicForests (No 8) [2021] VSC 268; WOTCH v VicForests (No 9) [2022] VSC 503.
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ABC v Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal [2021] VSC 730 (statutory construction): for successful applicant, led by Alistair Pound SC.
Colette is also regularly briefed to advise government on questions of constitutional law and statutory construction.
Colette read with Kathleen Foley, now SC, and her senior mentor is Wendy Harris KC.
From 3 May 2019, Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
- Alannah Slater
Alannah practises broadly across public law, commercial law and all areas of employment, industrial relations, discrimination and occupational health and safety law.
Before coming to the Bar, Alannah was a Senior Solicitor in the Human Rights team at the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office, where she conducted litigation under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) and advised the Victorian Government on a range of Charter issues.
Earlier, Alannah worked as a Senior Associate in the Workplace Relations & Safety team at Lander & Rogers, where she advised and represented private and public sector clients in general employment, industrial, discrimination and occupational health and safety matters.
Alannah also served as an Associate to the Honourable Justice Richards of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Alannah has a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours from Monash University, where she won prizes for individual subjects and overall performance.
Alannah is reading with Sarala Fitzgerald and her senior mentors are Jonathan Kirkwood SC and Kylie Evans KC.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
- Tom Clelland
Tom specialises in criminal law and accepts briefs in other areas.
Tom has appeared unled and with a leader in jury trials as counsel for the defence, and in numerous summary trials, intermediate appeals, and contested applications.
He commenced his legal career as a solicitor at Galbally & O’Bryan, and worked for a number of years at NAAJA as a solicitor-advocate and the manager of the East Arnhem Land practice. Tom has also worked at Legal Aid New South Wales. Before signing the Victorian bar roll, Tom practised at the Northern Territory bar and was a founding member of Mindil Chambers.
Tom holds a master’s degree from UCLA School of Law where he was a Dean's Fellow.
He was also judicial extern for the Honorable David O. Carter of the Federal District Court of Central California, sitting principally in the civil docket.
Tom also worked as a researcher for Professor Angela Riley, and represented the Native Nations Law & Policy Centre at the United Nations in Geneva as an accredited delegate in relation to his research.
Tom accepts work internationally, most recently spending time in northern Myanmar training local lawyers and advising on strategic human rights litigation for an international non-governmental organisation.
Tom has spent a number of seasons as the reporting officer representing AFLNT in tribunal hearings.
Tom also accepts work in jurisdictions interstate, and is a member of the New South Wales Legal Aid Indictable Criminal Law Barrister Panel, and the Northern Territory Indictable Legal Aid Panel.
He is reading with Anthony Lewis and his senior mentor is Ruth Shann SC.