Profile
Year of Call:
2007Year of Silk:
2024Overview
Christopher has a broad commercial practice in State and Federal Courts, with a particular focus in the areas of insolvency, equity, trade practices and intellectual property.
He has expertise in sports law and has advised athletes and ASADA in respect of anti-doping matters and has appeared for ASADA in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. He has also assisted Australian athletes in appeals against selection for Commonwealth Games and Olympic teams, and has appeared in various tribunals in respect of disciplinary matters.
Christopher previously worked as a solicitor with Malleson Stephen Jaques and Clayton Utz in Sydney and with Clifford Chance LLP in London and the Middle East. Since 2015, he has appeared each year in Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Profession where he has been described as a preeminent, leading or recommended junior in commercial litigation & dispute resolution and insolvency & restructuring. He was nominated as a preferred counsel by Chambers Global during his employment with Clifford Chance in the Middle East.
He is also an Officer in the RAAF and appears in military tribunals (including courts-martial) and inquiries.
Experience
In addition to the cases referred to above, Christopher has advised on various corporate restructures including court approved Schemes of Arrangement and Deeds of Company Arrangement. He also provides specialist corporate advice to a number of listed entities.
Recommendations
Australian Financial Review’s Best Lawyers
- 2021-25 – Listed for Insolvency & Reorganisation and Litigation
- 2018-2020 – Listed for Insolvency & Reorganisation
Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Profession
Insolvency & Restructuring
- 2018-2024 – ‘Leading’ junior (Queensland)
- 2017 – ‘Recommended’ junior (Queensland)
- 2016 – ‘Leading’ junior (Queensland)
- 2016 – ‘Recommended’ junior (National)
- 2015 – ‘Leading’ junior (Queensland)
- 2015 – ‘Recommended’ junior (National)
Commercial litigation & Dispute Resolution
- 2024 – ‘Leading’ junior (Queensland)
- 2023 – ‘Leading’ junior (Queensland)
- 2022 – ‘Leading’ junior (Queensland)
- 2021 – ‘Leading’ junior (Queensland)
- 2020 – ‘Recommended’ junior (Queensland)
- 2019 – ‘Recommended’ junior (Queensland)
- 2018 – ‘Recommended’ junior (Queensland)
- 2017 – ‘Recommended’ junior (Queensland)
- 2016 – ‘Recommended’ junior (Queensland)
- 2015 – ‘Recommended’ junior (National)
- 2015 – ‘Preeminent’ junior (Queensland)
Appointments
2011-present Reserve Legal Officer, Royal Australian Air Force (currently posted to HQ82Wing)
2020-present Appointed as an inaugural member (part-time) of the National Sports Tribunal
Member
Australian Bar Association
Queensland Bar Association
Australia and New Zealand Sports Law Association
Australia and New Zealand Banking Law Association
Career
2018 Nationally Accredited Mediator
2011-present Reserve Legal Officer, Royal Australian Air Force (currently posted to HQ82Wing)
2010-present Ad hoc adjunct associate professor University of Queensland lecturing in Sports Law; Evidence Law; Banking and Finance Law; Equity and Commercial Law
2007 Admitted as a Barrister Supreme Court of Queensland; High Court of Australia
2006 Solicitor at Clayton Utz (Sydney): specialising in insolvency litigation
2004 Admitted as a solicitor England & Wales
2000-2006 Solicitor/Senior Associate at Mallesons Stephen Jaques (Sydney); Clifford Chance LLP (London and Middle East) specialising in finance law and commercial arbitration
2000-2002 Solicitor at Public Interest Advocacy Centre; Mallesons Stephen Jaques (Sydney)
1998-2000 Associate to the Honourable DK Derrington (Supreme Court of Queensland); Associate to the Honourable JA Dowsett AM, Federal Court of Australia
1994-1998 Associate to Honourable DK Derrington (Supreme Court of Queensland)
1990-91 Associate to the Honourable P De Jersey AC (Supreme Court of Queensland, now Governor of Queensland)
Education
BA(Hons) LLB, LLM
Degree in Military Law from the Australian National University
