Personal Injury, Medical Negligence, Product Liability.
Matt is an experienced trial and appellate advocate, and practices extensively in the Supreme Court (including the Court of Appeal) and County Court in the following areas:
Qualifications - Legal
Qualifications - Other
Work History
ANZ Banking Group Ltd, Melbourne (Capital markets).
Phillips Fox Adelaide - Clerkship.
Fisher Jeffries Adelaide - Clerkship.
HWL Ebsworth Adelaide (formely Kelly &Co) - Articles/lawyer.
Barrister @ Vic Bar since 1997 and @ SA Bar 2018
Read with James Peters AM, KC.
Bar Positions Present
Bar Positions Past
Readers/Mentorship
Mentor to 8 readers.
Stewart Pinkstone, Ramon Fowler, Gary Taylor, Peter Haddad,
Glenn Worth, Robyn Harper, Jacqueline Lontos, Ian Lloyd.
Chambers
From 10 August 2011, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Nicholas practises in commercial and tax law.
He has advised and appeared in matters involving: financial services (both for ASIC and for regulated entities); directors’ duties; oppression; equity and trusts; insolvency; professional negligence; property law; and direct and indirect tax (both for the Commissioner and taxpayers).
Before coming the Bar, he served as a Senior Adviser in the Corporate and International Tax Division at the Commonwealth Treasury.
Earlier, he practised as a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team at Mallesons Stephen Jaques (as it then was). Matters included: M&A disputes; property disputes; and a major construction arbitration.
He graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), winning several prizes. He also holds a Bachelor of Science (majoring in mathematics) and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Melbourne. He has completed ARITA’s Insolvency Education Program.
Nicholas read with Albert Dinelli and his senior mentor is Neil Young QC.
Matters in which he has acted since coming to the bar include:
Commercial law
Tax law
Nicholas also has an advice practice, in which he provides written and oral advice on commercial, tax and private international law issues, alone or led. He has been led by various silks, including Allan Myers AC KC; Jim Peters AM KC; Jeff Gleeson KC; Philip Crutchfield KC; and Eugene Wheelahan KC.
From 03 May 2018, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Stephen obtained his LLB from Melbourne University with honours, and in 2010 was awarded a Master of Laws from there with an H1 average across the following subjects: The Insurance Contract, Professional Indemnity Insurance, Insurance Litigation, Advanced Litigation, Proof in Litigation, Trial Advocacy, Advanced Evidence and Shareholders' Rights and Remedies.
Before coming to the Bar, Stephen spent more than a decade in Middletons' commercial litigation department acting for clients like Qantas, AAMI and Esso, and professional indemnity insurers such as the LPLC. He has conducted commercial and insurance litigation in every Victorian Court, the Federal and High Courts, and in VCAT and the Legal Profession Tribunal, and has published and presented widely on insurance law, professional liability, practical evidence, proportionate liability, and professional ethics.
Stephen has an expertise in relation to general insurance law on which he has published widely. He was until 2010 the editor of the Commercial Bar Association's Insurance and Professional Negligence newsletter. He also has a general commercial litigation practice.
Since coming to the Bar, Stephen has also continued to specialise in professional-client disputes, with a particular emphasis on the law relating to lawyers, including fee disputes and the professional negligence of solicitors, barristers, environmental consultants, accountants, insurance brokers, mortgage brokers, and estate agents, typically in VCAT's Civil List and Legal Practice Lists, the County Court's and Supreme Court's Commercial Lists, and the Costs Court. Stephen also specialises in professional discipline. He regularly represents lawyers in investigations by the Legal Services Commissioner and Law Institute. He appears in professional discipline prosecutions, particularly in VCAT's Legal Practice List, as a result of which he has a keen interest in lawyers' ethics. In relation to these specialisations, Stephen publishes the Australian Professional Liability Blog.
From 01 Jul 2008, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Judicial Background
The Hon Marilyn Warren AC QC is the former Chief Justice of Victoria (2003-2017).
At the time she stepped down she was the longest serving of the then state and
federal Chief Justices.
Earlier she was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1998-2003) including
sitting as the Judge in Charge of the Commercial List and the Corporations List (now
combined as the Commercial Court). She presided over hundreds of commercial
trials and appeals.
Arbitrations
The former Chief Justice presently sits as a domestic and international arbitrator.
She is a member of the Dawson Chambers Senior Arbitration Group.
She is co-author with Croft and Stamboulakis of the major arbitration text,
International and Australian Commercial Arbitration (LexisNexis 2021).
As a former elite athlete (Squash), and former sports appellate tribunal member, she
also sits on international and national sports arbitrations and mediations.
Academia
She is a Vice Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow of Monash University and a member
of the Monash University Global Leaders’ Summit.
As a Professor, she is involved in teaching advanced commercial law, international
arbitration and transnational dispute resolution in the Monash University Faculty of
Law postgraduate programs.
She was the Judge in Residence 2020-21 at the University of Melbourne Law
School.
Professional Life
The former Chief Justice has been a member of the Victorian Bar since 1985. She
was appointed a Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 1997. At the Bar she practised in
commercial and administrative law including environmental, town planning and local
government law.
Appointments
Lieutenant Governor of Victoria (2006-2017)
Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)
Former Chair: Courts Council of Victoria; Judicial Commission of Victoria; Judicial
College of Victoria; Victoria Law Foundation; Council of Legal Education; and
Council of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine
Founding Member of the Board of Governors of the Asian Business Law Institute
Contact c/- Dever’s List, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers, 205 William St, Melbourne,
Victoria, Australia, 3000; telephone +61 3 92257999;
email jdever@vicbar.com.au or pdever@vicbar.com.au
James is a specialist in large, complex litigation and is regularly briefed in technical, engineering, and construction disputes, insurance matters and class actions.
James advises and appears in bet-the-farm litigation and arbitration for commercial parties , achieving the very best results. He is approachable, diligent and deploys strategic nous to gain advantage for his clients over the real issues in dispute. He is regularly briefed in technical disputes for contractors, principals and consultants.
Prior to the Bar, James was an Associate at Allens in the construction disputes and commercial litigation teams. His practice included advising construction and engineering clients on complex construction and technical disputes and the administration of major projects.
Prior to his legal career, James worked as a mechatronics engineer in construction, industrial and consulting environments. As an engineer, James was involved in the construction of a major arterial transport link and consulted in relation to the design, installation and commissioning of a diverse range of bespoke robotics in various industrial settings.
James read with Simon T Pitt and his senior mentor is Jeremy Twigg QC.
Recent matters include:
Other commercial law matters:
James is member of:
From 6th May 2016, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Huw has substantial experience with international and domestic commercial disputes. His practice at the bar incorporates general corporate and commercial law, insolvency, building and construction and international/domestic arbitration matters. He appears in all jurisdictions in Australia and in domestic and international arbitrations.
Commercial Disputes
Huw acts in all areas of commercial law. He has recently been briefed in:
Commercial Arbitration
Huw is a fellow of ACICA and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is listed as an arbitrator across the Asia Pacific region. He teaches International Dispute Resolution at Keio University (LLM program).
Huw is also a member of the Vicbar International Arbitration Committee and the International Committee of the Australian Bar Association. He is involved with efforts to improve the uptake and education in respect of arbitration throughout Victoria through Arbitration Victoria (a new low cost arbitration scheme).
Huw has recently been involved in:
Huw is recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2022 and 2023 as a leading Junior Counsel in International Arbitration in Australia.
Huw speaks fluent Japanese and often runs matters with issues relating to foreign language evidence.
Lachlan is a Fellow of the Tax Institute of Australia and a member of LAWASIA.
'Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.'
Aaron Weinstock appears and advises in commercial disputes, focusing on banking and finance, energy and resources, corporations and securities.
Before coming to the Bar, Aaron practised as a solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons.
Aaron was educated at the Universities of Melbourne and Cambridge; at Cambridge, he came equal top of his class.
"From 1st July 2011, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation."
Eugene practises principally in tax law. He has acted for both taxpayers and the Commissioner of Taxation in leading cases in the High Court and Federal Court.
Eugene advises and acts in disputes involving issues such as consolidation, transfer pricing, the CFC rules, thin capitalisation, double tax treaties, capital gains tax, the debt/equity rules, capital/revenue distinctions, losses, GST, taxation of trusts and Part IVA. He acts for clients in the mining, infrastructure, telecommunications and financial services industries, among others, providing opinions and assisting them in their dealings with the Commissioner during reviews, audits, objections and litigation.
Eugene has a Master of Tax from the University of Melbourne where he is a Senior Fellow of the Law Faculty lecturing in the subject Tax Litigation and, previously, Tax Avoidance and Planning.
He is the immediate past President of the Tax Bar Association and a Fellow of the Tax Institute of Australia.
Eugene is consistently recognised in publications such as Doyles Guide, Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific, Who's Who Legal and Best Lawyers.
Recent or significant cases in which Eugene has appeared as silk include (client in bold):
From 24/07/2008, Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
Since coming to the Victorian Bar, Justin has practised primarily in criminal, civil, commercial and family law matters including the provision of advice in native title, banking & finance, OH&S and environment protection matters. Appearing regularly for the Defence and the Crown in both State and Commonwealth matters in the Victorian Court of Appeal, Supreme, County and Magistrates' Courts conducting appeals, bail applications, pleas, appeals, subpoena hearings, committals, IVO and IVO appeals, interlocutory appeals, special hearings, ground rules hearings, contests and trials. Justin has also appeared in coronial inquests, civil contests, commercial matters including winding up applications in the Federal and Supreme Courts and VCAT's, administrative and civil divisions in the review and regulation, retail tenancy, human rights, owners corporation, residential tenancy and guardianship and administration lists.
More recently, Justin has been appearing in the Sydney and Melbourne registries in both property and parenting matters, to conduct interim applications and trials for all types of property matters involving partnerships, companies, trusts, spousal maintenance, relocation, recovery orders and litigation funding hearings in the Family and Federal Circuit Court, and has acted as a Court appointed mediator and an Independent children's lawyer in family law matters. He has also been appearing in the County and Supreme Court, in relation to occupational health and safety appeals instituted by the DPP, drug importations, sexual offences, murder and assault trials including fitness to be tried Special Hearings pursuant to the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act . He has conducted out of hours emergency bail applications in the Supreme Court's criminal division and has appeared in the Court of Appeal, criminal division to present appeals against conviction and sentence and interlocutory appeals. Justin has also appeared in the commercial division of the Supreme Court to conduct property disputes and in the judicial review and appeals list.
Since the pandemic commenced, Justin has maintained a practice online, and in person in the commercial, criminal and family law jurisdictions to conduct interim applications, mediations and trials, including appearances in the Federal Court of Australia to conduct Bankruptcy matters and the provision of advice in relation exclusion and restraining orders, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime legislation.
Justin completed his articles of clerkship as a prosecutor, with the Office of Solicitor to the Environment Protection Authority in 2006 and then spent a year working as a native title solicitor in the Yamatji (Midwest) region of Western Australia with the Yamatji Land and Sea Council. In 2007, he practiced as a solicitor advocate, in the criminal law division of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service regularly appearing in the Koori Court. In 2008, Justin worked as a commercial solicitor in Melbourne at two boutique commercial law firms. Justin has also practised in the Children’s Court in child protection matters and worked as a volunteer solicitor with the Western Suburbs Legal Service. In 2009-2010, Justin practised in Broome with the Kimberley Land Council on native title, criminal and commercial law matters.
Prior to embarking on a legal career, Justin spent some years working in the Australian and Japanese hospitality industry, which culminated in a variety of positions as a Japanese interpreter, translator and tour guide. Justin worked as an interpreter and translator for CBS television at the Nagano Winter Olympic Games in 1998 and for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the World Exposition in, Nagoya in 2005.
Justin holds a current Indictable Crime Certificate.
A list of reported cases Justin has appeared in can be obtained from Austlii.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister's clerk have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.
Daryl Williams AM KC has an extensive practice in courts and tribunals throughout Australia, in relation to:
He has appeared in numerous leading cases in the High Court of Australia and especially the Victorian Court of Appeal, and has appeared at appellate level in every Australian State and in the ACT. He is frequently retained to advise on potential appeal grounds and prospects.
His expertise in corporate insolvency has been recognised numerous times in Doyles’ Guide, most recently by being Recommended in the category Victorian Insolvency & Restructuring Senior Counsel in 2023.
Daryl is also an accredited mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation System, and has an active mediation practice focusing on the resolution of substantial commercial disputes. As a mediator, he is sought out because he actively engages with the parties and their advisers to ensure that each faces up to the key issues and risks arising in their particular case, and the uncertainties of litigation generally; he sees no value in simply being a passive transmitter of offers.
Daryl came to the Bar in 1991 after spending three years (including Articles) working in commercial litigation at Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst Lawyers) in Melbourne. He took silk in 2010.
Outside the Bar, Daryl is committed to supporting the work of a range of charitable and not-for-profit entities. He has been a Board Director of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and of its philanthropic fundraising entity Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation Limited. He is presently a Board Director of Anglicare Victoria and Mental Health Foundation Australia.
From 1st July 2008, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Tyson was admitted to practice in 1998 and signed the Bar Roll in 2005. He conducts a broad commercial litigation and advisory practice. A selection of matters in which Tyson has been briefed are referred to in the 'Cases' tab.
Areas of particular interest include:
He has substantial experience in litigation involving estate agents, medical practices and non-English-speaking clients. He has recently acted in a substantial dispute involving a cryptocurrency exchange.
Tyson is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He holds a Masters Degree in Bioethics, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance & Investment and has completed the Company Directors Course.
Outside his practice at the Bar, Tyson is:
Before coming to the Bar Tyson practiced as a solicitor (with Piper Alderman Lawyers and with Phillips Fox / DLA Piper) and was an executive in the technology industry. He was co-founder of an Internet-based financial services company.
Tyson has a strong interest in medical & scientific ethics and related issues. He spent 14 years as a member of the Ethics Committee of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, retiring in December 2020.
Cases:
From 07 Aug 2008, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Keith practises in commercial and public law.
He remained a Member of the Bar while serving as the Federal Member for Menzies (2022-2025), during which he sat on the Economics and National Anti-Corruption Commission Committees. Before coming to the Bar in 2010, he was a solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons and Ashurst.
From 03/06/2010, Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
Owen has a broad commercial practice with a focus on complex disputes primarily encompassing issues of contract and misleading or deceptive conduct, as well as proceedings in respect of superannuation, commercial leasing and professional misconduct. Experience includes injunctive relief, mediation, trials and appeal proceedings in Victoria and the Federal Court. Owen also regularly advises on commercial issues and manages interlocutory proceedings.
Matters that Owen has been briefed on since coming to the bar include:
Whirlpool (Australia) Pty Ltd v Castel Electronics Pty Ltd, for Castel (with Andrew Bailey, led by Leslie Glick KC) (settled)
FSS Trustee Corporation v Eastaugh [2016] VSC 636, for Alfred Health (with Hamish Austin)
Cargill Australia Limited v Viterra Malt Pty Ltd [2022] VSC 13, for Viterra and Glencore (led by Allan Myers AC KC, Suresh Senathirajah KC and Stephen Parmenter KC) (judgment delivered January 2022 after a trial of 113 days)
Marton v Australian Taekwondo including in the Court of Arbitration for Sport 2021/A/7945 (led by Paul Hayes KC)
Tansley v Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, for Mr Tansley MD FRCS (with Stephen Moloney, led by Allan Myers AC KC) (settled)
Jieyun International Investments Pty Ltd v Toorak Development Group Pty Ltd [2022] VSC 387, for Jieyun (led by Paul Hayes KC)
Teico Investments Pty Ltd v WA Blue Gum Limited, for Teico (led by Peter Cawthorn KC) (settled)
Davis v Department of Health [2022] VCAT 718, for the Honourable David Davis (unled)
Scheme of arrangement for Security Matters Limited. Hearings included (No 3) [2023] FCA 140, for Security Matters (led by Carl Moller SC, with Monique Hardinge)
Nottingham v Australian Financial Complaints Authority [2023] FCA 58, for Australian Super (unled)
Tratter v Aware Super [2023] FCA 491, and on appeal Tratter v Aware Super [2023] FCAFC 36, for Aware Super (unled)
Merkon Constructions Pty Ltd v Residence Company Pty Ltd & another, for Merkon (led by Michael Galvin KC) (ongoing)
In the Cargill Australia matter, in addition to appearing at trial and on appeal Owen was also closely involved with numerous interlocutory matters including:
Plus hearings as to final orders and appeal rulings in the Cargill Australia matter:
Prior to coming to the bar, Owen was a solicitor with Herbert Smith Freehills where he acted for companies across banking, investment, mining, electricity, and retail. Owen is experienced in advising companies who are defending complex claims brought in contract, negligence, or breach of statutory obligations. Owen also worked on a number of class actions, acting for large listed companies in shareholder claims, as well as for the electricity distributor in the Victorian bushfires claims.
In 2013, Owen joined the Office of Crown Counsel in the Victorian Government where he advised the Attorney-General and the Department of Justice on policy implementation, policy development, human rights compatibility, and other general legal matters.
Owen’s academic achievements include first-class honours in law from Monash University, where he won the subject prize for Restrictive Trade Practices.
Owen read with Stephen Parmenter KC, and his senior mentor is Philip Solomon KC.
From 30 Oct 2015, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
In her practice as a barrister, Amy predominately appears in personal injury related matters. She appears both on her own and with senior counsel, in all jurisdictions in which such matters are litigated. As well as appearing in personal injury matters, Amy also accepts briefs to advise and draft paperwork, including but not limited to, "Serious Injury" Applications, Interrogatories and Medical Panel Referrals.
Amy has a particular interest and ability in sporting tribunal work, coronal inquests and summary crime, and since coming to the Bar she has provided advice and appeared in these areas in various matters.
Amy is an accredited mediator.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Amy was the Associate to His Honour Judge Hicks at the County Court of Victoria. As an Associate, Amy acquired a wealth of experience in both the personal injury and criminal law jurisdictions (including the Racing Appeals Tribunal). Prior to working as a Judge's Associate, Amy worked for a boutique commercial law firm and a prior to that, with a criminal law sole practitioner.
Amy is a member of the Compensation Law Bar Association and the Criminal Law Bar Association.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Sarah practises primarily in commercial and public law. Sarah also accepts briefs in law enforcement, quasi-criminal and some common law matters.
Sarah is regularly briefed to advise and appear in trials, appeals and other hearings within those fields, including in competition and consumer, financial services, constitutional and statutory interpretation matters. In 2018, Sarah was part of the team of counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.
Before coming to the Bar, Sarah was an Associate to the Hon Justice Stephen Gageler AC at the High Court of Australia. Sarah also worked as a Trial Division Researcher at the Supreme Court of Victoria, a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team of King & Wood Mallesons, and a sessional lecturer in the JD program at Melbourne Law School.
Sarah holds undergraduate degrees in Arts and Law (with First Class Honours) from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School.
Recent matters in which Sarah has been briefed include:
Commercial and regulatory law
Sarah also has experience in: other aspects of Part IV of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), including misuse of market power (Federal Court of Australia, led by R Orr KC, with D Roche) and informal merger clearances (led by P Collinson KC with S Hogan and S Rajanayagam); the Australian Consumer Law (led by M Hodge KC); and proceedings under the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth).
Constitutional law
Sarah also has experience in matters relating to ss 51(xxxi) (High Court of Australia, led by R Orr KC, with T Goodwin), 90 (High Court of Australia, led by K Walker KC, Solicitor-General for Victoria, R Orr KC and C Young SC) and 109 of the Constitution (Supreme Court of Victoria, led by P Hanks KC).
Other public law matters
Law enforcement and quasi-criminal matters
Sarah also has experience in foreign bribery matters (led by R Orr KC, with M Keks).
Common law
Sarah was a reporter for the Commonwealth Law Reports from 2016-2022.
From 27 Oct 2016, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
A. Overview of Court and Mediation practice
Greg came to the Bar in 1995 following 5 years as a corporate advisory and transaction lawyer with Freehills (now Herbert Smith Freehills).
Over his 29 years at the Bar, Greg has acted in a broad range of commercial and corporate law matters.
Greg is a specialist in schemes of arrangement and has acted in some 45 schemes of arrangement to effect corporate takeovers, mergers, demergers and internal corporate restructures. Greg also teaches in this area as part of the Melbourne Law Masters program and regularly gives seminars to national law firms on recent developments in this field of the law. Greg is often retained where the proposed scheme of arrangement or trust acquisition proposal is complex or novel or where shareholder activism is anticipated. Further details are set out below regarding Greg’s practice in this area.
Greg is also a nationally accredited mediator. Over the course of his career at the Bar, Greg has acted in numerous mediations across all State Courts and the Federal Court for both plaintiffs and defendants involving a broad spectrum of commercial and corporate disputes. This has included acting in multi-party mediations (often over several days). Greg brings this extensive experience and understanding to his role as mediator. Further details are set out below.
B. Schemes of Arrangement
Overview of expertise
Greg has acted in some 45 schemes of arrangement (and trust acquisition proposals) including schemes to effect corporate takeovers, mergers, demergers and internal reconstructions. These have included schemes of substantial transaction value such as the 2023 $9.5b acquisition by BHP of OZ Minerals Limited (in which Greg acted for OZ Minerals).
For many years Greg has acted and appeared alone in substantial and complex schemes of arrangement. Greg has also led junior barristers in schemes of arrangement. While Greg continues to work, from time to time, with leading silks (from both Melbourne and Sydney, including in some of the schemes referred to below) in schemes of arrangement, he predominantly acts and appears alone in these matters. Greg has acted and appeared in a broad range of schemes of arrangement encompassing takeover (or change of control) schemes, demerger schemes, merger schemes, top-hatting restructure schemes, de-stapling restructure schemes involving share schemes and a trust scheme and internal reconstruction schemes involving orders under section 413 of the Corporations Act. Greg’s experience in this field of the law extends beyond the issues and challenges that commonly arise in schemes and includes navigating schemes through the court process in the context of complex transaction structures, bidding contests, shareholder activism and in one case acting for the acquirers where the target company was the subject of a class action proceeding.
Greg has acted for target companies, acquirers and for ASIC.
Recent schemes (and trust acquisition proposals) in which Greg has acted include the 2025 acquisition of BG&E Group Limited by Systra SA (in which Greg acted for Systra SA), the 2025 proposed acquisition, by scheme of arrangement, of PointsBet Holdings Ltd by MIXI Australia Pty Ltd (in which Greg acted for MIXI Australia - which scheme of arrangement did not proceed to the court approval stage), the 2024 acquisition of Capitol Health Limited by Integral Diagnostics Limited (In which Greg acted for Capitol Health), the 2023 acquisition by BHP of OZ Minerals Limited (in which Greg acted for OZ Minerals), the 2023 acquisition of SILK Laser Australia Limited by Wesfarmers (in which Greg acted for SILK Laser Australia), the 2023 Carbon Revolution Limited scheme (involving a scheme and a “de-SPAC” merger transaction in which Greg acted for Twin Ridge Capital Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company (known as a SPAC) listed on the New York Stock Exchange), the 2022 acquisition of Angel Seafood Holdings Ltd by Laguna Bay (in which Greg advised Angel Seafood in respect of certain aspects of that transaction), the 2021 acquisition by JBS Australia of the shares in Huon Aquaculture Group Limited (in which Greg acted and appeared for Huon and which involved two alternative but concurrently proposed schemes of arrangement, a simultaneous takeover bid and an associated share sale agreement in relation to the major shareholder), the 2021 acquisition proposal by NorthWest Healthcare Australia RE Limited for the units in the Australian Unity Healthcare Property Trust (an unlisted managed investment scheme) in which Greg acted for NorthWest and where the acquisition proposal was opposed by the responsible entity, the 2020 takeover of OptiComm Ltd by Uniti Group Limited (in which Greg acted and appeared for Uniti Group and which involved two competing proposals by Aware Super Pty Ltd) and the 2020 takeover of Village Roadshow Limited by BGH Capital (private equity) (in which Greg acted and appeared for Village Roadshow Corporation Pty Ltd – the largest shareholder in Village Roadshow Limited – which involved two alternative but concurrently proposed schemes of arrangement and an associated share sale agreement in relation to the major shareholder).
Further details (by category) of some of the schemes of arrangement in which Greg has acted can be found here.
Role extends beyond the Court process
Greg's work in this field extends beyond the court process and includes pre-announcement review of transaction documents, advice on discrete transactional issues, advice and input regarding the structure and content of the scheme booklet, advice regarding recourse to the Takeovers Panel and the consideration of, and proposed response to, issues raised by ASIC.
In addition to being retained by national law firms who practice in this area, Greg is also retained by boutique commercial law firms in these types of transactions.
Complex scheme structures and shareholder activism
Greg is often retained where the proposed scheme of arrangement is complex or where shareholder activism is anticipated).
Lecturing, seminars and submissions to Government and to the Court on potential areas of reform
Greg co-lectures on the subject of "Schemes of Arrangement" (as a senior fellow) in the Melbourne Masters Program (University of Melbourne Law School) (having recently taught the course in 2023 and 2024) and has often given seminars about recent developments in this area to law firms who practice in this field.
Greg was primarily responsible for the preparation of the submission made by the Commercial Bar Association of Victoria to the Treasury in June 2022 in response to the Treasury's consultation paper entitled " Corporate control transactions in Australia: consultation on options to improve schemes of arrangement, takeover bids, and the role of the Takeovers Panel".
Greg also co-authored the joint submission made by the Victorian Bar and the Commercial Bar Association to the Federal Court on its consultation letter dated 15 May 2023 regarding potential changes in the manner in which schemes of arrangement are dealt with by the Federal Court.
Greg is available to act in schemes of arrangement both in Victoria and interstate (noting that Greg has acted and appeared in several schemes of arrangement in Sydney).
C. Mediation
Greg is a nationally accredited mediator and is available to act as a mediator both in Victoria and interstate.
Greg has acted in numerous mediations across all State Courts and the Federal Court for both plaintiffs and defendants involving a broad spectrum of commercial and corporate disputes, including in the following areas - partnership disputes, franchising, Corporations Act oppression proceedings, share sale agreements, misleading and deceptive conduct claims in various contexts, professional negligence claims, investor class actions following a corporate collapse, guarantee claims, insolvency (including preference claims and trading while insolvent claims), rural law matters, contractual disputes (including complex and document heavy disputes), building and construction disputes and Aged Care.
Greg has acted in multi-party mediations and understands the dynamic operating between multiple parties in the context of seeking to reach an overall settlement of a dispute. Greg has also acted in multi-day mediations and mediations which have been adjourned to enable further steps or actions to be taken by one or more of the parties in the context of the mediation process.
Greg brings this extensive experience and understanding to his role as mediator.
D. Committees and Associations
Greg is a member of:
- the Corporations Committee of the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia; and
- the Commercial Bar Association of Victoria.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Fiona has a broad national practice as an advocate and adviser, in private and public law matters.
She practises principally in taxation law (federal and state), commercial law, regulatory law and administrative law, at trial and appellate level.
Fiona has previously been listed as a leading administrative and public law barrister in Victoria in Doyle's Guide.
Fiona is a former Deputy President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2012-2017). She is a member of the International Association of Tax Judges.
Fiona is also a former Senior Fellow at Melbourne Law School (2002, 2004-2005).