I am known by my clients for delivering a practical, strategically insightful and efficient approach to resolving disputes in any commercial context. My unique skill set and background has enabled me to work with clients on high value and technically complex matters, especially within the land valuation, manufacturing, engineering and franchising sectors. Another key aspect of my practice is working with Victorian Government departments and agencies on private and public law matters.

I pride myself on providing commercial and practical dispute management advice to my clients. I am known for my calm, solutions-focused approach to litigation, often in technically difficult or complex settings.

I am experienced in acting for clients in high profile and strategically important litigation matters, as well as in a variety of smaller scale disputes. In all cases, I focus on delivering clients commercially sensible and effective outcomes.

In 2016, I was recognised in the Doyle's Guide of Australian Litigation & Dispute Resolution Rising Stars.

Career highlights

• Acting for Port of Melbourne Corporation and a group of its tenants, including Asciano, DP World and Toll, in a landmark land tax challenge to the site value of the Port of Melbourne. The outcome of this challenge was a decrease of the annual taxable value of the land by more than $400m.
• Acting for the operator of the Southern Cross Station in a land tax dispute against the State Revenue Office in VCAT and on appeal in the Supreme Court of Victoria, where we successfully reduced the total taxable value of the land by over $70m.
• Advising McConnell Dowell in a $20m share sale warranty dispute in the Federal Court arising out of the sale of a subsidiary in 2015.
• Advising a large European safety consulting organisation in a substantial arbitrated dispute over the acquisition of an Australian company. The dispute involved alleged breaches of warranties and misleading conduct about EBITDA and cash flow projections.
• Advising VicRoads in an on-going dispute concerning the Western Highway duplication project, including acting in an administrative law challenge commenced by local residents in the Supreme Court of Victoria seeking to have environmental and planning approvals set aside.
• Acting in various ACCC Australian Consumer Law regulatory proceedings concerning allegations of misleading or deceptive conduct, including for clients such as Heinz and Optus.
• Acting for Crown Casino in the successful defence of a substantial pre-lease misrepresentation claim, which was ultimately resolved in Crown Casino's favour on appeal in the High Court of Australia.
• Acting for various Victorian Government departments and agencies in a variety of disputed / litigious matters across areas including development, administrative law, energy regulation and land valuation. In particular, I have acted for Development Victoria (formerly Places Victoria) in providing strategic dispute management advice in relation to a number of development projects in the CBD and across the state.
• Advising Pacific Shopping Centres in relation to a rent review expert determination dispute with a major tenant at Epping Plaza Hotel.
• Acting for Treofan, a German-based plastic manufacturing company, in a restraint of trade and patent infringement dispute over the sale by Treofan of its Australian manufacturing operations.

• Administrative law 2021: key takeaways for decision-makers
  

  We discuss recent administrative law cases and outline the key takeaways for government decision-makers.

• ACCC spot check of contracts reveals UCT concerns
  

  The ACCC raises concerns about franchising sector's compliance with the unfair contract terms (UCT) regime and warns of legal action.

• Court finds reliance on legal advice by decision maker waives privilege
  

  This case highlights the real risk of relying on legal advice when making a decision being later held to involve a waiver of privilege – and being required to hand that advice over as part of any subsequent administrative law challenge.