I specialise in complex and sensitive commercial litigation and investigations, with experience in both Australia and the UK acting in contractual disputes, administrative review proceedings, competition law, financial crime advisory and regulatory matters, including claims brought by the ACCC and ASIC.

I also have particular experience in administrative law proceedings, having acted for various Victorian Government departments in complex judicial and merits review proceedings and in important and high profile Court proceedings requiring sensitive management of interests of various State and public stakeholders.

During my time in the UK, I was a litigator in a magic circle law firm and completed a 9 month secondment to Morgan Stanley where I was the acting financial crime counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Career highlights

• Expertise in defending prosecutions involving insider trading, fraud, bribery and corruption, directors’ duties, and continuous disclosure matters.
• Insight as in-house counsel having completed a 9 month secondment at Morgan Stanley where Phil acted as financial crime counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
• Recipient of the BRD Clarke Prize for best overall performance in the Masters of Law program at Cambridge University.
• Citibank executive: Acting in defence of cartel proceedings alleging cartel conduct in the context of a capital raising.
• Cryosite: Acting in the ACCC's first 'gun-jumping' proceedings (noting, MinterEllison did not advise Cryosite on conduct that was the subject of proceedings).
• Various State Government Departments: Judicial review, merits review and commercial litigation matters across a number of areas, including disputes in relation to licence obligations, public safety, freedom of information and public inquiries, predominantly in the energy and resources and health sectors. Many of these matters involve contribution and collaboration with multiple government departments and external stakeholders.

• Significant developments in Victorian mining and extractive industry regulation
  

  The Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Bill 2023 (Vic) proposes a suite of reforms which present a significant transformation to how exploration, mining and extractive industries are currently regulated in Victoria.

• Sanctions by Australia against Russia and certain Ukrainian regions
  

  Australian and New Zealand autonomous sanctions, including recent Russia/Ukraine sanctions, have increasing scope and a broad reach. All businesses with financial or supply chain exposure to Russia need to consider the impacts.

• Foreign bribery - Australia raises the bar with new laws
  

  Federal Parliament has expanded the scope of Australia's foreign bribery offence – is your organisation ready for the new 'failure to prevent' bribery offences?

• MinterEllison's Guide to the National Anti-Corruption Commission
  

  A practical guide for public officials and private companies who interact with the Commonwealth government to understand the scope of the NACC.