QUALIFICATIONS
ADMITTED 2011 BAR 2018
CHAMBERS ACK 3001
CLERK CONTACT 03 9225 7999
PHONE 9225 8259
MOBILE 0466 452 298
EMAIL lachlan.molesworth@vicbar.com.au
ENQUIRIES: dever@vicbar.com.au
Lachlan practices in commercial and public law, and specialises in taxation and the foreign investment regime.
He frequently acts for the Commonwealth as well as private clients.
Lachlan has appeared in a wide range of disputes in the High Court, Full Federal Court, Federal Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as the Banking Royal Commission and the Police Informants Royal Commission.
He advises on commercial and corporations law matters, including equity and trust law, contract, ASIC regulatory disputes and foreign investment (FIRB) matters. He frequently acts for ASIC and engages with FIRB.
He advises on direct and indirect tax disputes, including corporate taxation, tax avoidance, international tax matters and state taxes. He frequently acts for the Commissioner of Taxation.
Before coming to the Bar, Lachlan was in the Commonwealth Treasury Portfolio and was a legal adviser to the Commonwealth Government, covering taxation, foreign investment (FIRB) and corporations law. He oversaw the development and introduction of significant Commonwealth legislative reforms.
Prior to that Lachlan was a solicitor, where he practised in taxation litigation and advised on some of Australia’s largest and most complex taxation matters, after experience in commercial law at White & Case.
He graduated with a Masters with Distinction from the University of Oxford, and Bachelors in Laws and Engineering from the University of Melbourne.
He is a board director of the Law Council of Australia and has been a member of the Victorian Bar Council.
He is Chair of the National Trusts of Australia, Depty Chair of the National Trust of Victoria, and a not-for-profit director of Ys Housing; as well as a director of Bromleigh Capital and FIA Australia.
He is a Senior Fellow of the Melbourne Law School of The University of Melbourne, teaching corporations and taxation subjects in the Masters of Law and Juris Doctorate programs, including the Tax Avoidance masters subject taught jointly with former justices Hon Tony Pagone AM KC and Hon Jennifer Davies KC. He also takes the tax subject in the Bar Readers' course.
Lachlan is a member of Lincoln's Inn, London.
Lachlan read with Eugene Wheelahan QC and Allan Myers AC QC.
Recently published cases in which Lachlan has appeared:
Commercial and equity/trust matters
Cant v Mad Brothers Earthmoving Pty Ltd [2020] VSCA 198; (2020) 63 VR 222
Parker v Auswild; Bergmuller v Auswild [2022] VSCA 8; (2022) 403 ALR 111
Keybridge Capital Limited v WAM Active Limited [2023] FCA 339
Watkins v Tatana [2023] FCA 248
Bignaches Pty Ltd v Access Strata Management Pty Ltd & Ors [2022] VSC 639
Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises (No 3) [2022] VSC 499
Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises (No 7) [2022] VSC 549
Ian Morris v Victorian Farmers Feration [2022] VSC 407
Rita Troiano v Ross Voci & Ors [2021] VSC 851
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 572
JAB Nominees (Aust) Pty Ltd v Auswild [2021] VSC 275; (2021) 152 ACSR 618
JAB Nominees (Aust) Pty Ltd v Auswild & Ors [2020] VSC 731
Porter v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd [2020] VSC 430
Ran Bi v Yingde Investments Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 324
Troiano v Voci [2019] VSC 859
In the matter of Erfanian Developments Pty Ltd [2018] VSC 342
Carlig v M H Heath & M P Jones (t/as Allmand Jones & Partners) [2019] VCC 1175
Bolton and Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2021] AATA 5293
Taxation and regulatory matters
Commissioner of Taxation v Sharpcan Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 36; (2019) 269 CLR 370
Watson v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] HCASL 224
Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCAFC 197; (2021) 114 ATR 1
Victoria Power Networks Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCAFC 169; (2020) 281 FCR 318
Watson v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCAFC 92; (2020) 277 FCR 253
Hart v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCAFC 179; (2020) 272 FCR 612
Commissioner of Taxation v Balasubramaniyan [2022] FCA 374
Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCA 108; (2021) 112 ATR 752
Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation (No 2) [2021] FCA 267
Watson as trustee for the Murrindindi Bushfire Class Action Settlement Fund v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 228; (2019) 109 ATR 794
Paule v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 394
Ammouche v Chief Commissioner of Police [2018] FCA 1703; (2018) 266 FCR 430
From 03 May 2018, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.