Profile

Significant matters undertaken as a solicitor include:

› Acting for a Northern Territory Senior Counsel in an ongoing multi-faceted matter featuring disciplinary investigation, a claim for costs payable personally, intervention at appellate level before a specially constituted Court, an application for recusal for actual/apprehended bias, and possible criminal charges arising from the barrister’s involvement on a pro bono basis for a high profile politician before a Commission of Inquiry.

› Successfully defending a leading Queen’s Counsel in relation to a disciplinary complaint and investigation arising from counsel’s role before a major national Royal Commission.

› Successfully defending to trial a Perth barrister facing a number of disciplinary charges including allegations of fraud, with the Tribunal determining that the barrister was entitled to succeed on all grounds.

› Acting for a ‘senior’ junior family law barrister in concurrent defence of a civil claim (wrongly instituted in the Family Court), and a disciplinary investigation including allegations of overcharging, deficient costs disclosure, uplift fees and breach of fiduciary duties.  After a five year investigation, succeeded in having the civil claim struck out with indemnity costs, and the complaint wholly dismissed.

› Reviewing and finalising the proposed submissions of an individual to whom the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program issued a notice of proposed adverse findings.

› Attending with counsel at a coronial inquiry to represent the interests of a thoracic physician whom it was suggested had misdiagnosed an infectious disease upon the patient’s return from Papua New Guinea.

› Acting on behalf of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon facing disciplinary action in respect of a spinal manipulation performed on a patient, including appearing with Queen’s Counsel before the Dental Board at hearing.

› Successfully defending an insurance broker against a professional negligence claim from an insured denied cover on the basis of fraud, which denial (and allegation of fraud) was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court of Queensland.

› Acting for a firm of engineers alleged to have negligently installed the air conditioning system in a major suburban shopping centre.

› Obtaining judgment at trial (including orders for costs) in favour of a firm of mortgage brokers alleged to have made misrepresentations or acted negligently by having forwarded to the financier a client’s fraudulent application for finance.

› Conducting wholly successful defences of a number of applications against barristers in Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and the Federal and Family Courts for orders for costs payable personally.