Archives

Bart Dziubinski



Bart accepts briefs in a broad range of areas including commercial, equity, corporations, regulatory, financial services, insolvency, and taxation law.

Before his call to the bar, Bart was a senior associate at O’Loughlin Westhoff, a boutique litigation firm.  Before that, he was tipstaff to the Honourable Justice RW White of the NSW Court of Appeal, and to the Honourable Justice SG Campbell of the Supreme Court of NSW.  Bart teaches Equity at the University of Technology Sydney.

Bart holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (with Distinction) from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours and University Medal) and a Bachelor of Business (Economics) from the University of Technology Sydney.

Monty Taylor



Monty maintains a broad commercial practice with a specialisation in international arbitration. He has extensive experience representing individuals, corporations, and governments in disputes involving a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, energy, mining, banking and financial services, pharmaceuticals, and shipping.

Prior to joining the Bar, Monty was a partner in the London office of a major US law firm. In that role, he acquired nearly a decade of oral advocacy experience in complex and high-value disputes conducted under the major arbitral rules, including ICSID, UNCITRAL, LCIA, and ICC. Monty previously served as Legal Counsel at the World Bank (ICSID) in Washington, DC, and worked as a disputes solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons in Sydney.

Selected Rankings

Chambers & Partners UK Guide 2024 (International Arbitration) – “He is really excellent…He has a very good commercial head on him.” “Monty is incredibly dedicated to what he does. He is very well prepared and is a very articulate speaker.”

The Legal 500 UK 2024 (International Arbitration) – “Monty Taylor has great cross-examination and advocacy skills…He has tremendous experience in commercial and investment arbitrations, despite his still relatively young age.”

Chambers & Partners Global Guide 2023 (Dispute Resolution (International Arbitration – UK)) – “He’s not a man you want to be against – he’s thorough, knows the law and zealously represents his clients.”

Chambers & Partners UK Guide 2020 (International Arbitration) – “Monty Taylor is ‘among the very top of his generation,’ according to interviewees.”

Michael Gvozdenovic



Michael was admitted to practice in 2019 and called to the Bar in 2023.  He accepts briefs in all areas of law, with a particular focus on commercial, competition and consumer, intellectual property, and corporations law.

At the Bar, Michael has advised and appeared, both led and unled, for commercial and public sector clients in State and Federal Courts, including in class actions, appellate, and regulatory matters.  Before being called to the Bar, Michael practised at Herbert Smith Freehills, Clifford Chance, and Clayton Utz, and in 2020 was the Associate to the Hon Justice Wigney of the Federal Court of Australia.

Michael has an extensive academic background.  He holds a Master of Laws (James Kent Scholar) from Columbia Law School, where he studied on a Fulbright Scholarship, and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney, where he remains an Adjunct Senior Lecturer.  His academic writing, including a two-volume competition law text, Current Issues in Competition Law (The Federation Press), has been cited by the Federal Court of Australia.

Michael is recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Recommended Competition Law Junior Counsel, Australia (2024).

Christopher Chiam



Christopher accepts briefs in all areas of law, with a particular interest in commercial, corporations, equity and public law.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Christopher was tipstaff to the Honourable Justice AJ Meagher of the NSW Court of Appeal and practised as a solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills, where he worked primarily on complex commercial litigation. Christopher has also been a Teaching Fellow at the University of New South Wales.

Christopher holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales with First Class Honours and the University Medal, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) with Distinction. He also holds a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney, where he was awarded the Judge Samuel Redshaw Prize for administrative law. He has also published a number of articles in peer-reviewed law journals, including on the areas of administrative law, statutory construction, equity, and insolvency.

Maggie Kearney



Maggie accepts briefs in all areas of law, with a particular interest in commercial, corporations, equity, media and intellectual property law.

Maggie regularly appears both led and unled in NSW courts, the Federal Court, Tribunals and investigations and inquiries.

Maggie was admitted as a solicitor in 2018 and called to the Bar in 2022. Before coming to the Bar, Maggie was a Senior Associate in commercial litigation at Corrs Chambers Westgarth.  Maggie was previously tipstaff to the Hon. Justice Hammerschlag.

Maggie holds a Master of Laws with distinction from the University of Sydney, where Maggie was awarded the Ross Waite Parsons Scholarship, and a Juris Doctor with distinction from the University of New South Wales. Maggie received the 2022 Peteris Ginters Prize for achieving the top score for the Ethics Exam in the 2022 Bar Readers’ course.

Christopher Marshall



Chris has a broad commercial practice, including consumer law, equity and trusts, contractual disputes, property law, and commercial arbitration. He was admitted to the legal profession in 2016 and called to the Bar in 2021.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Chris was a Senior Associate in the commercial litigation practice group at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, where he worked on commercial disputes across the Supreme Courts of New South Wales and Western Australia, and the Federal Court of Australia. Chris’ matters also included administrative and public law disputes, and two appeals to the High Court of Australia.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) from the University of Sydney.

Timothy Smartt



Tim accepts brief in all areas of law, but the focus of his practice is commercial and defamation matters.

Before coming to the Bar, Tim was tipstaff to the Hon Justice Brereton AM RFD of the Supreme Court of NSW, the Associate to the NSW Attorney General and a solicitor in the commercial litigation team at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. He has also lectured criminal law at the University of Sydney and is currently a contributor to Robson’s Annotated Corporations Legislation.

Tim holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) and Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Plan II Honours) with Highest Honours from the University of Texas at Austin. At university, Tim won a number of academic prizes, including the Governor-General’s Prize in 2016.

Bradley Smith



Bradley has a broad practice and accepts briefs in all areas of civil law.  He has particular experience in commercial law, corporations law, insolvency, real property, equity, insurance law and inquests.  He was admitted to the legal profession in 2018 and called to the Bar in 2020.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Bradley was a solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons where he worked on a wide range of commercial disputes, with a focus on corporate insolvency.  In 2017, Bradley was Tipstaff to the Honourable Justice Rowan Darke, the Real Property List judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.  At university, Bradley won a number of prizes including first place in corporations law and evidence law, as well as best oralist in the Australian rounds of the Jessup Moot.

Bradley holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney.

 

 

Julian Brezniak



Julian accepts briefs in all areas of law. He was admitted in New South Wales in 2014 and New York in 2018.

Before coming to the bar, Julian was at Quinn Emmanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New York where he worked on significant commercial litigation in State and Federal courts. Prior to that he practiced as a solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills in Sydney, where he focused on white collar crime and competition law. In 2015, Julian was Tipstaff to the Hon Justice F Gleeson in the New South Wales Court of Appeal.

Julian holds a Masters of Law from New York University, a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Economics (Distinction) from the University of New South Wales.

Christine Ernst



Christine was admitted as a lawyer in 2013 and called to the Bar in 2019. She accepts briefs in commercial and public law.

Before being called to the Bar, Christine was Counsel Assisting the Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth. Christine was previously a Senior Legal Officer in the Commonwealth Attorney‑General’s Department, and a Lawyer at Allens specialising in commercial litigation and competition and consumer law. She was also an Associate to the Honourable Justice Susan Kiefel AC of the High Court of Australia.

Christine holds a Bachelor of Civil Law with Distinction from the University of Oxford, and a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Economic and Social Sciences from the University of Sydney.

Amy Campbell



Amy accepts briefs in all areas of the law, and specialises in commercial, competition and intellectual property law.  Amy lectures in corporations law at the University of New South Wales.

Before coming to the Bar, Amy practised in disputes at Gilbert + Tobin and Minter Ellison. Amy was an associate in the Federal Court of Australia.

Amy received the Christopher Gee QC Memorial Prize for Advocacy for the September 2018 Bar Practice Course.

She is recognised in Best Lawyers 2025 as “One to Watch” in the areas of Class Action Litigation, Commercial Law and Corporate Law.

Simon Snow



Simon has over 20 years’ experience advising on contentious and non-contentious matters, with a particular focus on competition, regulatory and consumer law issues.  Simon has advised clients from a wide range of industries, including transport, retail, financial services, telecommunications, building products and utilities.

In addition to advising and acting on a broad range of commercial matters, Simon has substantial experience in acting for clients in contentious competition and consumer law matters including between private parties as well as proceedings instituted by regulators.  Simon also has experience managing investigations by regulators in relation to competition and consumer matters, including criminal and civil cartel matters, misuse of market power allegations and advising in relation to immunity and leniency applications.

Simon is a member of the Competition and Consumer Committee of the Law Council of Australia and the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association.

Previous experience:

  • Partner in the Competition & Regulation Group, Gilbert & Tobin, 2004-2017
  • Senior Lawyer, Gilbert & Tobin, 1999-2004
  • Senior Associate and Lawyer, Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst), 1995-1999

Simon is listed in Doyle’s Guide; Leading Competition Law Junior Counsel – Australia, 2022.

Matthew Darke SC



Matthew appears in and advises on a range of complex commercial, regulatory, insurance, and intellectual property matters.  He has significant experience in class actions and civil penalty proceedings.

Matthew is recognised by:

  • Chambers & Partners, in Band 1 of their Asia-Pacific senior counsel rankings for 2023;
  • The Legal 500, in Band 1 as a leading silk in commercial disputes;
  • Doyle’s Guide 2023/2024, as a Leading senior counsel in Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property litigation, and Class Action litigation;
  • Best Lawyers Australia 2025, in its lists for Class Action Litigation, Commercial Law, Insurance Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Litigation; and
  • Who’s Who Legal: Commercial Litigation, as a leading litigation legal figure.

Matthew’s past and current clients include Westpac, NAB, IOOF, KPMG, Qantas, Virgin, AMP and Nuix.

Notable recent and current matters include:

  • representing Nuix in a $183 million claim by its former CEO, Eddie Sheehy, in relation to certain share options: Sheehy v Nuix Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 56;
  • representing insurers in resisting a claim for indemnity by SunWater in relation to its liability in the Queensland Floods class action: Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v SunWater Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1582 (first instance); SunWater Limited v Liberty Mutual Insurance Company [2022] NSWCA 273 (appeal);
  • representing Virgin Australia Holdings in ongoing class action proceedings brought on behalf of purchasers of unsecured notes: Matheson Property Group Pty Ltd (Trustee) v Virgin Australia Holdings Limited [2022] FCA 1243;
  • representing JLT Risk Solutions in class action proceedings brought on behalf of NSW local councils alleging breaches of contract, negligence and breaches of fiduciary duties: Richmond Valley Council v JLT Risk Solutions Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1761;
  • representing Westpac in ongoing regulatory proceedings brought by ASIC alleging insider trading and unconscionable conduct;
  • representing Meta in ongoing class action proceedings alleging anti-competitive conduct in connection with Meta’s cryptocurrency advertising ban;
  • representing Katy Perry in ongoing trade mark proceedings brought by an Australian designer styled Katie Perry (judgment reserved);
  • representing Jaguar Land Rover Australia in ongoing product liability class action proceedings concerning the diesel particular filter on certain Jaguar and Land Rover model vehicles sold in Australia.

Mark Speakman SC MP



Mark is presently not accepting briefs, as he is engaged full time as Leader of the NSW Opposition and MP for Cronulla.

Michael Robinson



Memberships of professional associations:
Supreme Court Costs Assessors Rules Committee

The Honourable Ken R Handley AO C STJ KC



The Honourable Ken R Handley AO C StJ KC

Ken Handley retired as a Judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal in January 2012 after 22 years on that Court. This included the maximum possible time as an Acting Judge between 2007 and 2012. While on the New South Wales Court of Appeal he also served as a part time Judge of the Fiji Court of Appeal from 1996 to 2003, and as a part time Judge of Fiji’s Supreme Court from 2003 to 2009.

Prior to his appointment to the bench he practised at the Sydney Bar for 30 years, 17 as King’s Counsel. He was also a member of the English and Fiji Bars. He had a general commercial, equity and appellate practice and appeared in intellectual property, banking, insurance, and shipping cases. He appeared frequently in the High Court of Australia, and in many cases in the Privy Council between 1967 and 1986 in appeals from Australia and Fiji. He also acted as an arbitrator and appeared in domestic arbitrations.

He is the author of three legal text books published in London and many articles and case notes in legal journals. These have ranged over estoppel, election, res judicata, bribery, fraud, tracing, and negligence. His publications and decisions have been cited by the High Court of Australia, the English Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court, the Privy Council and appellate courts in other jurisdictions including Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cyprus, and South Africa.

Click this link to visit Ken Handley’s website –www.handleykenqc.com

The Honourable Roger Gyles AO KC



Professional Appointments (Current)

Life member – New South Wales Bar Association
Fellow – Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA)
Member – Asia International Arbitration Centre (Panel of Arbitrators)
Mediation Panellist – Australian Disputes Centre (ADC)
Member – ACICA Mediation Panel

Mr Gyles KC is recognised in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 for his practice in Alternative Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration.

Amelia Smith



Amelia was admitted to practice in 2011 and called to the Bar in 2017. She accepts briefs in a wide range of practice areas.

Prior to joining the Bar, Amelia was a foreign pupil at Outer Temple Chambers in London, and before that a Senior Associate at Arnold Bloch Leibler, where she worked for six years. As a solicitor, Amelia worked on commercial, white collar crime, insolvency and reconstruction, competition and trade practices matters as well as a number of class actions. Since joining the Bar, Amelia has acted for major Australian and international corporate clients as well as smaller corporations and individuals before State and Federal Courts. She has also acted for clients before commissions of inquiry and in regulatory matters. In 2010, Amelia was the Associate to Justice McKerracher at the Federal Court of Australia.

Education

Flinders University; Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice (Hons I) and Bachelor of International Studies
University of Sydney; Master of Laws (High Distinction)

Amelia is recognised in the 2025 Best Lawyers Australia rankings for her practice in Litigation (2024 “Lawyer of the Year”), Alternative Dispute Resolution, Class Action Litigation, Commercial Law, Litigation and Corporate Law. She is also included in Doyle’s Guide; Leading Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Barrister Rankings, NSW 2023.

Rico Jedrzejczyk



Rico Jedrzejczyk (pronounced “Yen-Jay-Chik”)

Rico was called to the Bar in 2012 and has a broad commercial and taxation practice. He appears in the Doyle’s Guide 2023 to the legal profession as recommended junior counsel for Technology, Communications and Media matters. He is also listed in Best Lawyers 2025 for Information Technology Law.

Rico’s recent experience includes:

  • Acting for GetSwift Ltd in proceedings brought by ASIC and related shareholder class action.
  • Acting for the successful taxpayer, Mr Andrew Greig, in a Full Court appeal considering the application of the Myer Emporium principle to trading in listed shares.
  • Acting for insurers in proceedings arising out of a claim for indemnity in excess of $1 billion by parties involved in the Queensland floods class action litigation.
  • Appearing for the Seven Network in various matters, including proceedings arising out of the termination of the Yahoo!7 joint venture.
  • Acting for reinsurers in litigation concerning a $750 million claim by the National Australia Bank in respect of losses incurred in selling interest rate hedging products in the United Kingdom.

Rico regularly appears for taxpayers and the ATO in taxation matters.

Rico completed his law degree at Sydney University and has a Master of Laws from Columbia University in New York.

Manu Jaireth



Manu has a broad commercial practice.  He appears in matters involving competition and consumer law, corporations law, criminal law, equity and trusts, financial services, insolvency, professional negligence and sports law.

Manu has particular experience in large commercial disputes (including class actions), regulatory investigations and civil enforcement and criminal proceedings.

Before being called to the Bar, Manu was an Associate in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group at Allens in Sydney and prior to that, Tipstaff to the Hon. Justice D.J. Hammerschlag of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Manu was named by Best Lawyers Australia 2025 as “One to Watch” in Sports Law, and previously in both Sports Law and Commercial Law.


Education
Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (ANU)
Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) (UC)

Francis Douglas KC



In his time at the Bar, and since he took silk, Mr Douglas has been involved in a wide range of work at the highest level in constitutional and other fields of public law including public international law, and commissions of inquiry. He has been involved in cases such as the Nuclear Test Case in the International Court, and the Tasmanian Dams Case in the High Court. He was also Senior Counsel for the Applicants in both challenges to the cross-vesting legislation in the High Court. He has appeared as counsel in arbitrations in India, and sat as an arbitrator in the London Court of International Arbitration (“LCIA”) and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“SIAC”).

Over the course of his career he has also been involved in a wide range of cases at first instance and on appeal in most fields of commercial law, in all of the States and Territories of Australia, and in the Federal and High Courts. He is primarily interested in appellate work and work in the field of alternative dispute resolution including arbitration and mediation. He has received recognition in Best Lawyers for ADR and Commercial Litigation since 2013, and is included in Doyle’s List 2019 as a leading mediator in New South Wales. Who’s Who Legal will recognise him as among the world’s leading commercial arbitration experts for 2021. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Mr Douglas is listed in Best Lawyers in Australia 2025 for his work in:

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Commercial Law
  • Litigation


Education

BA LLB Qld;
LLB (Cantab);
Diploma International Law (Cantab);
FCIArb (Fellowship Chartered Institute of Arbitrators)

David Studdy SC



David Studdy has a broad commercial practice predominantly acting for companies in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the Federal Court of Australia involving a wide range of issues. His trial practice has included trials in the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Supreme Court of Western Australia, appearing before arbitrators, in inquiries and in liquidators’ and other examinations. In addition, he has represented individuals in complex civil penalty proceedings brought by the ACCC and ASIC and has also acted for the regulators.

Brendan Sullivan SC



Memberships of professional associations:

  • NSW Bar Association
  • Taxation Institute of Australia

Mr Sullivan is listed in Chambers & Partners 2024 Asia-Pacific rankings for Tax Law, and Doyle’s Guide 2024 as Preeminent Leading Tax Barristers Senior Counsel NSW.
He is also recognised in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 for his work in Tax Law, and was named Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year for Tax Law in 2023.
The Legal 500 lists him as Leading silk Band 1 in Commercial Disputes for 2023.

Frances St John



Ms St John specialises in intellectual property, including copyright, patents, trade marks, designs, breach of confidence, and false advertising. She regularly appears, led and unled, in the High Court, Federal Court, Supreme Court, Federal Circuit Court, and IP Australia. She is recognised as one of Australia’s leading IP junior barristers by Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Profession, Best Lawyers, and Chambers & Partners.

Prior Experience

  • Intellectual property litigation groups in two major commercial law firms (2010-2015)
  • Federal Court of Australia, Associate to Justice Greenwood (2009)


Education
Australian National University: Master of Laws (First Class) (2014)
University of Queensland: Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (2007)

Ms St John is recognised in Chambers & Partners 2024 Global and Asia-Pacific rankings for intellectual property. Doyle’s Guide 2023 has listed Ms St John as “Preeminent” junior counsel in intellectual property and “Leading” junior counsel in technology, media & telecommunications. She is also named in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 for intellectual property.

Dean Stretton



Professional Associations
New South Wales Bar Association

Prior Experience
Dean was admitted to practice in 2006 and worked as a Lawyer at Mallesons Stephen Jaques (now King & Wood Mallesons) in Canberra and as a Senior Associate at Henry Davis York in Sydney before being admitted to the NSW Bar in 2012.

Experience at the Bar
Dean appears regularly in interlocutory and substantive hearings in the Local, District, Supreme and Federal Courts across a range of practice areas including contract, tax, equity, negligence, misleading and deceptive conduct, and family provision.

Publications
“The Birth Torts: Damages for Wrongful Birth and Wrongful Life” (2005) 10 Deakin Law Review 319
“Wrongful Life and the Logic of Non-Existence” (2006) 30 Melbourne Law Review 972

Jason Spinak



Jason has a broad commercial practice. He has extensive experience in contractual and equity disputes as well as matters involving the Competition and Consumer Act, appearing on behalf of domestic and international litigants.

Education

University of NSW: Bachelor of Laws (Honours equiv.)

  • Butterworths Prize for Best Performance in Constitutional Law
  • UNSW Academic Paper Prize
  • First place in Contemporary Legal Theory

University of Sydney: Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours in History)

Previous Experience

Prior to commencing practice at the Bar, Jason worked as a lawyer at Gilbert +Tobin; as a Tipstaff/Researcher to the Hon. David Ipp AO QC, former Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of NSW; as a member of the Secretariat of the Commonwealth Review of the Law of Negligence; and as lecturer in law at the University of NSW Law School.
Jason also completed studies in Comparative and International Law at the Sorbonne, Paris.

Experience at the Bar

Cases of note include:

  • Appearing for Prysmian Power Cables & Systems Pty Ltd, the world’s largest electrical cable manufacturer in defending cartel and bid rigging proceedings brought by the ACCC: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Olex Australia Pty Ltd & Ors [2017] FCA 222.
  • Appearing for major wine producer Wine Insights in a dispute over a contract of supply: Wine Insights Pty Ltd v. OneBev Pty Ltd [2016] VCC 1603.
  • Appearing for Aldi Foods Pty Ltd in Supreme Court proceedings in 2014 for breach of contract arising from a development agreement: Aldi Foods Pty Ltd v Ifould Pty Ltd.
  • Appearing for global foreign exchange company the Change Group International Plc in a passing-off and misleading and deceptive conduct case against a competitor: Change Group International Plc v City Exchange Mart Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 1048; The Change Group International Plc v City Exchange Mart Pty Ltd [2012] FCA 1188.
  • Appearing for the plaintiff in a dispute over the sale and dissolution of a joint venture maritime business: Antzen Pty Ltd v Mastercraft Marine Pty Ltd and Ors [2013] NSWDC 124.
  • Appearing for Lifehealthcare Distribution Pty Ltd in Supreme Court proceedings for damages for breaches of the Fair Trading Act 1987 and breach of warranty arising from the sale of shares in a medical device supplier: LifeHealthcare Distribution Pty Ltd v Stewart Nicholas and Ors [2011] NSWSC 661.
  • Appearing for Aldi Foods Pty Ltd in Supreme Court proceedings for alleged breaches of s 52 the Trade Practices Act 1974 arising from failed lease negotiations with a supermarket developer: BBB Constructions Pty Ltd v Aldi Foods Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 1352 and on appeal BBB Constructions Pty Ltd v Aldi Foods Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 224.
  • Appearing for a Federal Member of the House of Representatives against whom injunctive relief was sought pursuant to s 383 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, to restrain the distribution of postal voting application material during the 2010 Federal Election: Peebles v Honorable Tony Burke [2010] FCA 838; Peebles v Honorable Tony Burke (No 2) [2010] FCA 861.
  • Appearing for the NSW Trustee and Guardian in respect of the liability of an incoming tutor for the costs associated with the previous tutor’s tenure: Al Mousaway bht Imelda Margaret Dodds v Howitt Stevens Construction Pty Ltd & Ors (No 2) [2010] NSWSC 1398.
  • Appearing in the NSW Court of Appeal, in an appeal against a finding that during negotiations for the sale of a magazine business the appellant vendors engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct: Culligan and Anor v Aco Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 290.
  • Appearing for a national real estate agent in a dispute over an agent’s authority to accept less than a 10% deposit on a Contract for Sale of Land: Markson v Cutler and Anor [2007] NSWSC 1515; (2007) 13 BPR 25,127; and on appeal to the Court of Appeal: Vameba Pty Ltd v Markson [2008] NSWCA 266.
  • Appearing for a discretionary beneficiary seeking to prevent the dissipation of trust assets arising from a complex securitization scheme: Crossman v PILT Nominees [2009] NSWSC 393; Crossman v PILT Nominees Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 557; PILT Nominees v Baltarna [2009] NSWSC 656.

Publications
“Common Law Liability of Clubs for Injury to Intoxicated Patrons”: Cole v South Tweed Heads Rugby League Football Club Ltd” (with Rosalind Dixon) University of New South Wales Law Journal, Vol 27 No 3 2004 pp 816-825. (Cited by the High Court in Roncevich v Repatriation Commission (2005) 222 CLR 115.)

Julian Sexton SC



Mr Sexton is listed in Doyle’s Guide 2023 within NSW Leading Professional Indemnity Senior Counsel and 2021 Recommended Insurance Law Senior Counsel New South Wales.

He is also recognised in Best Lawyers in Australia 2025 for his work in:

  • Insurance Law
  • Litigation
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Shipping and Maritime Law

Richard Scruby SC



Mr Scruby has a broad ranging practice with a focus on commercial, insolvency, corporations and taxation (State and Commonwealth) matters.  He regularly appears in appeals, trials and commercial arbitrations.  In 2015 he was counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Trade Union Corruption.  Before coming to the bar, he worked as an associate to Justice Callinan in the High Court of Australia.  He has a BCL and MPhil from Oxford University and a BA (hons 1st class and university medal in English) and LLB (hons first class) Sydney University.  Mr Scruby has adopted the national equitable briefing policy and was a member of the Diversity and Equality Committee of the New South Wales Bar Association from 2016 to 2018.  He has published a number of articles in academic journals on corporations and commercial law.  Mr Scruby is listed in Best Lawyers 2025 in the area of Litigation.

Neil Murray SC



Neil specialises in intellectual property law and chiefly practises in patent, copyright, trade mark, confidential information, consumer protection and other commercial/equity matters.  He has appeared in some of Australia’s leading intellectual property cases including:

  • Apotex v sanofi-aventis (patentability of methods of medical treatment, High Court)
  • Northern Territory v Collins (indirect patent infringement, High Court),
  • AstraZeneca v Apotex (patent obviousness, High Court)
  • Roadshow Films v iiNet (liability of ISPs for copyright infringement, Full Federal Court)
  • EMI v Larrikin (the Down Under/Kookaburra case, reproduction of a substantial part of a well-known children’s song in a famous rock song, Full Federal Court)
  • Apple v Samsung (the Australian chapter of multinational patent litigation over smartphone and tablet technology, Federal Court).

Neil appears for, and advises, clients across a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals (originator and generic), mining, information technology, telecommunications, music, consumer goods, liquor, gaming, finance and local government. He appears chiefly in the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney and Melbourne, and elsewhere as required.  He also appears in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Patents Office, the Trade Marks Office, and the Copyright Tribunal; and at mediations.

Before joining the Bar, he was a senior associate specialising in intellectual property disputes in a leading Australian-based multinational law firm. He was admitted as a legal practitioner in 1998.

Information about Neil’s listings in the legal rankings, guides and directories identifying leading counsel may be found in his CV, which can be downloaded below.

James Lockhart SC



James Lockhart is an experienced commercial silk, representing a broad range of clients in trials and appeals. James is recognised as a leading commercial silk in:

  • Chambers & Partners 2023 (Asia-Pacific and Global) barrister rankings for Dispute Resolution
  • Best Lawyers Australia 2025 list published by the Australian Financial Review in the Commercial Law, Litigation, and Class Action Litigation categories
  • the Legal 500 as a leading silk in commercial disputes.

James regularly appears in superior courts and tribunals for clients including banks, insurance companies, liquidators, superannuation trustees, and major multinationals. His clients past and present include Qantas, KPMG, Westpac, ANZ, Ramsay Health Care, Hancock Prospecting, Deloitte, REST Super, Allianz, AON and liquidators (e.g. Bell Group, HIH group and Babcock & Brown).

Practice areas include: complex commercial disputes; competition and regulatory; corporations (including schemes of arrangement); insolvency; professional liability; and property and equity disputes.

He regularly conducts cases at trial level as well as on appeal. He has experience in class actions, as well as in private arbitrations.

Examples of current and recent proceedings can be found via the CV link below.

James Lee



James was called to the Bar in May 2013 after working for 18 months as tipstaff to the Honourable CRR Hoeben AM RFD, both in the Court of Appeal and in the Common Law Division of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

James practices largely in common law and insurance.

Angus Lang SC



Experience

  • Barrister, Tenth Floor Selborne/Wentworth Chambers; 2006 – present
  • Freehills (2000 – 2006), Senior Associate, Intellectual Property
  • Judge’s Associate, Hon. Justice Lehane, Federal Court of Australia (1999)


Teaching
Guest lecturer, Comparative Intellectual Property Law, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin; Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Germany (2007-present)
Friedrich-Schiller- Universität Jena, Germany (2017-present)


Publications
(2008) 75 IP Forum 42
(2008) 21 International Journal for the Semiotics of Law 1
Bar Brief No. 140 May 2007, 7
(2001)14 Aust. Intellectual Property Law Bulletin 1
(1999) 7 Journal of Law and Medicine 53


Professional memberships
Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand
Law Council of Australia Intellectual Property Committee; Europe Focus Group
Deutsch-Australisch-Pazifische Juristenvereinigung e.V.

 

Education
New South Wales Bar Examinations, 2006 (P. Lashki Prize)
Humboldt Universität, Berlin, LLM (University Medal) (2004-2005)
University of Sydney, BA (1st Class Honours, University Medal), LLB (1st Class Honours) (1992 – 1997)
TER 100.00
NAATI qualified translator, German-English

Mr Lang practises in commercial and intellectual property matters. He is recognised in Chambers & Partners 2023 Asia-Pacific rankings for Intellectual Property Law. Doyle’s Guide 2023 has named him as Recommended Intellectual Property senior counsel for NSW, and he is also listed in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 for his work in Intellectual Property Law. Legal 500 2023 also recognises him as a leading silk in Intellectual Property.

Patrick Knowles SC



Memberships of Professional Associations:

  • New South Wales Bar Association
  • Australian Association of Constitutional Law


Experience

  • 2009 – Present: Barrister, 10th Floor Chambers
  • 2004 – 2009: Solicitor, Freehills (Commercial litigation group)
  • 2003 – 2004: Associate to the Hon. Justice Beaumont, Federal Court of Australia

 

Education

University of Cambridge – Master of Laws (First class)
Chevening Scholarship
Pegasus Scholarship
University of New South Wales – Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws

John Hennessy SC



Mr Hennessy is recognised as one of Australia’s leading intellectual property silks according to Chambers & Partners, Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Profession and World Trademark Review. He regularly appears in the Federal Court of Australia, both at first instance and on appeal, and has appeared in a number of leading intellectual property cases in the High Court of Australia. He also appears in the Australian Patent Office, the Australian Trade Marks Office, the Copyright Tribunal of Australia and in arbitral proceedings.

Practice areas include: patents, trade marks, copyright, designs, passing-off, confidential information, trade names and misleading advertising, and all other aspects of intellectual property; broadcast and media; information technology; and telecommunications.

Clients for whom Mr Hennessy regularly appears include: inventors, manufacturers, pharmaceutical and technology companies, film studios and production companies, television and radio broadcasters, internet service providers, software designers, content providers, record companies, print publishers, regulatory authorities and industry associations.

Please see attached CV below for list of selected cases.

Mr Hennessy is named in Band 1 of Chambers & Partners 2023 Asia-Pacific Guide for Intellectual Property. Doyle’s Guide 2023 has listed Mr Hennessy as Leading Technology, Media & Telecommunications Senior Counsel and Recommended Intellectual Property Senior Counsel. Mr Hennessy is recognised in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 for his work in Intellectual Property Law. Legal 500 also recognises Mr Hennessy as a Band 1 Leading silk in the areas of Technology, Media & Telecommunications and Intellectual Property.

       

Shereef Habib SC



Shereef has an extensive practice in commercial litigation, including complex multi-party litigation and class actions. Shereef also practices in intellectual property, principally in patent, trade mark and consumer protection. He has appeared for and advised a wide range of clients including major Australian and foreign banks, large international pharmaceutical companies, and major insurers such as NRMA and Hannover.  Shereef’s recent matters include:

  • Appearing for the class in the Supreme Court of NSW in representative proceedings against Suncorp with respect to superannuation fees;
  • Appearing for the class in the Federal Court of Australia in representative proceedings against Nulis (formerly an NAB subsidiary) with respect to superannuation fees;
  • Appearing for the respondent in the Full Federal Court against Avant concerning significant insurance issues relating to the notification of claims. I appeared before the High Court on Avant’s special leave application which was dismissed;
  • Appearing in the High Court for the appellant on novel questions concerning the assessment of damages for the loss of use of motor vehicles;
  • Appearing for Apotex, Alphapharm & Aspen in patent infringement litigation brought by Lundbeck – Federal Court of Australia;
  • Appearing for Apotex prosecuting significant claims on various undertakings as to damages given in patent litigation- Federal Court of Australia;
  • Appearing for the Applicant in an investor class action funded by IMF concerning an alleged misleading prospectus and alleged contravention of continuous disclosure obligations – Federal Court of Australia;
  • Defending NRMA in commercial litigation concerning allegations relating to its preferred repairer programme – Supreme Court of Queensland;
  • Appearing for the Commonwealth in a substantial claim brought by OPEL (an Optus and Elders joint venture vehicle) concerning the roll out of broadband to regional Australia – Supreme Court of NSW;
  • Appearing for a major software integrator in a dispute with Optus concerning its wholesale business – Supreme Court of NSW.

Before joining the bar, Shereef was a visiting scholar at Stanford University Law School in California. After returning to Australia, Shereef was an associate to Wilcox J in the Federal Court of Australia, a solicitor at Freehills in the commercial and intellectual property divisions and for approximately 15 months a prosecutor at the Commonwealth DPP.

Shereef is regularly briefed by the top tier Australian commercial law firms.

Lachlan Gyles SC



Lachlan Gyles is recognised in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 for his practice in Sports Law, Litigation, Commercial Law and Personal Injury Litigation.

He was also named Best Lawyers Australia 2023 Lawyer of the Year in Sports Law.