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Experience

SCOPE OF PRACTICE

Appearance and advice work in all areas of appellate work; constitutional and public law; commercial and equity; building and construction, energy and resources; company and insolvency; insurance; professional negligence; trade practices; royal commissions and inquests.

APPELLATE WORK

Appearance and advice in all aspects of appellate work; eg Foots v Southern Cross Mine Management Pty Ltd (2007) 234 CLR 52; Attorney-General v Lawrence [2014] QCA 220; Grocon Constructions (QLD) Pty Ltd v Juniper Developer (No 2) Pty Ltd [2015] QCA 291; Monadelphous Engineering Pty Ltd v Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal Pty Ltd [2015] QCA 290; Witness JA v Scott [2015] QCA 285; BM Alliance Coal Operations Pty Ltd v BGC Contracting Pty Ltd [2013] QCA 394; McCarthy v St Paul International Insurance Co Ltd (2007) 157 FCR 402; (2007) FCAFC 28; Legune Land Pty Ltd v Northern Territory Land Corporation [2013] NTCA 7; Heavy Plant Leasing Pty Ltd v McConnell Dowell Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd [2013] QCA 386; Filmana Pty Ltd v Tynan [2013] QCA 256; Anderson & McIntosh [2013] Fam CAFC 200.

CONSTITUTIONAL AND PUBLIC LAW

Appearing in a variety of constitutional cases eg. Kuczborski v Queensland (2014) 254 CLR 51; [2014] HCA 46; Pollentine v Bleijie (2014) 253 CLR 629; [2014] HCA 30; PT Bayan Resources TBK v BCBC Singapore Pte Ltd (2015) 325 ALR 168; [2015] HCA 36; CEPU & Ors v Queensland Rail & Anor (2015) 318 ALR 1; [2015] HCA 11. Advice work on a range of matters. Counsel for Cr Grosse in Grosse v Purvis (2003) Aust Torts Rep 81-706; [2003] QDC 151;

COMMERCIAL AND EQUITY

Appeared in many trials and appeals over the full range of commercial disputes involving all aspects of contract law, negligence, equitable relief and trade practices legislation, eg. AG (CQ) Pty Ltd A&T Promotions Pty Ltd [2011] 1 Qd R 306; [2011] QCA 83;Fig Tree Developments Ltd (formerly Village Life Ltd) v Australian Property Custodian Holdings Ltd [2009] FCA 390; AAShi Pty Ltd v Avbar Pty Ltd (No. 2) (2010) 186 FCR 148; [2010] FCA 427; Shannon v ANZ Banking Corporation [1994] 2 Qd R 560; 563; Fused Electrics Pty Ltd v Donald [1995] 2 Qd R 7; Darveniza v Darveniza [2014] QSC 37.

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

Involved in all aspects of major building and construction disputes in superior courts, eg. Patrick Stevedores Operations Pty Ltd v Aecom Australia Pty Ltd, extensive multiparty litigation about failed pavement at the Port of Brisbane with many international paving experts; Baulderstone Hornibrook Pty Ltd v Broen Australia Pty Ltd [2003] 2 Qd R 577; [2003] QSC 158; Leighton Contractors v Western Metals litigation, Suncorp v Conrad & Gargett litigation, experience in claims regarding production plants, eg. arbitration concerning a major metallurgical plant on behalf of the owner against the builder, an international engineering company.

Particular involvement in litigation regarding the Building Construction Industry Payments Act, e.g. Gambaro Pty Ltd as Trustee for Gambaro Holdigns Trust v Rohrig (QLD) Pty Ltd; Rohrig (QLD) Pty Ltd John [2015] QCA 288;Holland Pty Ltd v Coastal Dredging & Construction Pty Ltd [2012] 2 Qd R 435; [2012] QCA 150; Reed Constructions (Qld) Pty Ltd v Martinek Holdings Pty Ltd [2011] 1 Qd R 28; [2009] QSC 345; Simcorp Developments & Constructions v Gold Coast Titans Property Pty Ltd (2010) 27 BCL 272; [2010] QSC 162.

ENERGY AND RESOURCES

Involved in a wide range of advice and litigation regarding resources projects, e.g.Australia Pacific LNG Pty Ltd v Golden [2013] QCA 366; Velvet Glove Holdings Pty Ltd v Mount Isa Mines Ltd(2012) 28 BCL 351; [2011] QCA 312; D’Aguilar Gold Ltd v Gympie Eldorado Mining Pty Ltd [2008] 1 Qd R 56; [2007] QCA 158

PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE

Appeared in many trials and appeals concerning professional negligence and breach of professional duty, eg. White Industries (Qld) Pty Ltd v Flower & Hart (1998) 156 ALR 169; [1998] FCA 806 on appeal (1999) 87 FCR 134; [1999] FCA 773; Hamcor Pty Ltd v State of Queensland [2015] QSC 170; Scottsdale Homes Pty Ltd v Gemkip Pty Ltd (2008) QSC 326; A & D Douglas Pty Ltd v Lawyers Private Mortgages Pty Ltd (2006) ANZ Ins Cas 61-709; [2006] FCA 520.

COMPANY

Wide experience in advising on and conducting cases involving the Corporations Act and allied legislation, eg. Petroleum Nominees Pty Ltd v Central Petroleum Ltd (2012) 90 ACSR 611; [2012] QSC 191; re: Wellington Capital Ltd; Premium Income Fund v Premium Income Fund Action Group (2011) 85 ACSR 51; [2011] FCA 781;the Crusader NL takeover litigation [1996] 1 Qd R 117, Mclean v Lake Como Venture Pty Ltd [2004] 2 Qd R 280; [2003] QCA 562.

INSOLVENCY

Wide experience in all aspects of insolvency litigation, public examinations and removal of liquidator cases, eg. ASIC v Storm Financial Ltd (2009) 71 ACSR 81; [2009] FCA 269; Atlantic 3-Financal (Aust) Pty Ltd v Marler [2004] 1 Qd R 579; [2003] QCA 529; Moloney v Marler & Darvall (a firm) [2004] QCA 310;Re Club Superstores Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) (1993) 10 ACSR 730, 11 ACLC 751, Re Chevron Furnishers Pty Ltd (in liq) [1994] 2 Qd R 475, conducted the Witan/Zarro Group public examinations and litigation on behalf of the various liquidators.

ROYAL COMMISSIONS AND INQUESTS

Appeared for the Brisbane City Council at the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry, and advised various parties in relation to other royal commission, e.g. the Health Inquiry and the Shepardson Inquiry.

Appeared for AusSAR, of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, at major inquests throughout Australia, eg. the missing American divers, Tom and Eileen Lonergan (Cairns, Queensland), the Margaret J (Burnie, Tasmania), Whyalla Airlines (South Australia); the Malu Sara (Torres Strait Islands, Queensland). Also appeared for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in relation to the Transair aeroplane crash (Lockhart River, Queensland), the largest loss of life in a civilian aircraft in Australia since the 1960’s.

INSURANCE

Extensive involvement in both litigation and advice work concerning contracts of insurance for both insureds and insurers, eg Kotku Bread Pty Ltd v Vero Insurance Ltd [2012] QSC 109; Power v Markel Capital Ltd (2007) 14 ANZ Ins Cas 61-742;[2007] QCA 284; QBE Insurance Ltd v Aulich (2003) 152 ACTR 1; [2003] ACTCA 16; Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club Ltd v Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd (2004) 13 ANZ Ins Cas 61-599 [2003] QSC 413.

MEDIATIONS

Extensive involvement in mediation of commercial disputes, including mediations involving extensive expert evidence and over extended periods.