Barristers – Alternative Dispute Resolution

Rebekah was called to the Bar in 2021.

Before coming to the Bar, Rebekah practiced as a solicitor for over 18 Years:

• Originally being admitted as a legal practitioner in Tasmania in 2003;
• Then, after moving to Far North Queensland in 2006, she worked in a range of roles from Associate in a large firm in Cairns to Principal Solicitor at an Indigenous legal service;
• in 2014, Rebekah established her own practice which she successfully ran until she decided to come to the Bar.

​Rebekah’s experience as a solicitor uniquely informs her practice as a barrister.

The areas of law Rebekah accepts briefs include:

• Family Law
• Child Protection
• Domestic and Family Violence
• All types of Civil Matters (including alternative dispute resolution avenues including Mediation and Arbitration
• Criminal
• Inquests and Inquiries

Rebekah has extensive experience acting as an Independent Children’s Lawyer and Separate Representative (Child Protection matters).

Rebekah practices in all jurisdictions and is available, in addition to regionally based matters, to appear in Courts and Tribunals based in South East Queensland and interstate (especially New South Wales).

Gareth’s principle areas of legal expertise, are in the building and construction law area. Included in this area are matters involving professional negligence (involving architects and engineers), and matters involving mining or engineering disputes more generally.

Gareth is also briefed in matters involving professional negligence on the part of solicitors, on behalf of Lexon Insurance.

He works generally in the area of commercial litigation, including disputes over contractual issues and other commercial disputes.

Gareth’s briefers include a number of the largest law firms operating in Australia. Gareth especially enjoys court appearance work in his areas of expertise.  He is also briefed to attend mediations, and appears in arbitrations.

Gareth has been consistently featured in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading King’s Counsel in the area of Construction, most recently:

• 2023 – Leading Construction and Infrastructure Senior Counsel – Australia (leading)
• 2023 – Leading Construction and Infrastructure Senior Counsel – Queensland (pre-eminent)

He has also been featured in Chambers & Partners in the area of Construction & Infrastructure, Australia.

Gareth has practised as a barrister in Brisbane since 1998.

Zoë Brereton was called to the Queensland Bar in October 2021. Zoë has over 24 years’ experience as a lawyer, having previously practiced as a solicitor being first admitted in England and Wales in 1997 and then in Australia in 2006, including as principal of her own private practice.

Zoë practises in a broad range of commercial matters, family law, domestic violence, estate litigation and immigration law.

Zoë is also a nationally accredited mediator (NMAS).

In addition to Zoë’s undergraduate qualifications in Law, she holds a Post Graduate qualification in Australian Migration Law and Practice from the Australian National University.

Other relevant affiliations and positions held by Zoë are:

Member of the Queensland Bar Association

Member of the Family Law Practitioners’ Association

Treasurer of the Gold Coast Bar Association

Member of Gold Coast District Law Association

Member of LawRight

Caite’s practice revolves around estate and trust litigation.

More specifically, she provides advice and appears in matters involving contested probate, succession law, superannuation, powers of attorney and breaches thereof, equitable actions to overturn inter vivos transactions, and trust litigation (such as removal and appointment of trustees).

Caite is consistently briefed in significant matters, by the major law firms that operate in her areas of expertise.  She is also sort after as an Estate Law Mediator.

Prior to commencing practice as a barrister in Brisbane, Caite was employed as a solicitor for 11 years.

Caite has been consistently highly ranked in Doyle’s Guide. Every year since 2017 she has been recognised as preeminent or market leading within her areas of expertise, most recently:

• Wills and Estates Litigation Junior Counsel – QLD
  • 2022 – Preeminent
  • 2023 – Preeminent
• Wills & Estates Litigation Junior Counsel – Australia
  • 2022 – Preeminent
  • 2023 – Preeminent

Caite is a QLD Law Society Accredited Specialist in Succession Law and a member of the Hemmant’s List Estate Law Group.

Judy was admitted to practice as a barrister and commenced at the private Queensland Bar based in Brisbane in January 2003. Prior to this she practised as a solicitor in Brisbane from the mid 1990’s. In addition Judy is a Nationally Accredited mediator.

Judy’s practice is diverse. It spans a broad range of areas including planning and environment, judicial review, mining, environmental authorities and enforcement, native title, local government, determination of compensation for land, infrastructure and general litigation.

She has advised or acted in proceedings for and against the Commonwealth and State of Queensland, Ministers and related entities, various local governments, indigenous representative bodies, companies and private individuals.

During her time at the bar Judy has appeared in the High Court (special leave), Full Federal Court, Federal Court, Queensland Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Queensland, District Court, Planning and Environment Court, Land Court, both in the Queensland and Grantham Flood Commissions of Inquiry and the Magistrates Court.

A significant number of matters have proceeded to full hearing with decisions published on the relevant court websites, a list of which can be seen by accessing the link to Judy’s CV, located on this page.

Logan was called to the Queensland Bar in 2014, having previously practised as a solicitor in top tier firms in Sydney and Brisbane for 18 years. He regularly appears in arbitrations, appeals and in the Supreme and District Courts.

Logan is a specialist in building and construction law and commercial, contractual and insurance related disputes. He has particular experience in matters involving security of payment disputes and complex projects, including:

• transport & marine infrastructure ;
• electrical infrastructure & power stations;
• gas and renewable energy;
• commercial, government and residential/mixed-use projects
• property disputes

Logan’s commercial litigation practiced also extends to partnership and corporations disputes.

Logan also has a substantial Alternative Dispute Resolution practice (arbitration, mediation and expert determination) and is a NMAS accredited mediator.

Logan has been consistently recognised in Doyle’s Guide – Leading Construction Law Barrister Rankings – Queensland from 2019 to 2024.

Because of his extensive commercial and property litigation experience, Logan is increasingly briefed in complex Family Law Property disputes.

He is a member of the Queensland Bar Association – Building & Construction Committee and regularly assists in providing CPD training to Queensland registered Security of payment adjudicators.

Brett Charrington KC has been in private practice at the Queensland Bar since April 1996. After initially conducting a diverse practice that included commercial, family, tort and criminal law, he has specialized in common law/personal injury litigation since 2000.  His particular areas of specialty include dust disease litigation, institutional child abuse litigation and assault cases involving state employees such as prison officers, hospital workers and police officers.

Brett regularly conducts trials and contested applications in the Supreme and District Courts and appeals in the Court of Appeal. He has appeared in the High Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of Victoria and in two Commissions of Inquiry/Royal Commissions (Equine Influenza 2007/2008 and Aged Care 2019).

Stephen is a specialist advocate in the areas of insolvency law, commercial litigation and arbitrations, and administrative law.

He is a trusted advisor to small and medium enterprises and their solicitors.

In insolvency law, his experience covers:

• statutory demand and winding up applications (notably SGR Pastoral Ltd v Christensen [2019] 2 QR 334);
• public examinations, recovery proceedings, and applications for directions under the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Corporations); and
• disputes concerning different entities to which insolvency practitioners are appointed within trust, partnership, and corporate group structures (notably Eltanba Pty Ltd & Anor v Flexitel Pty Ltd & Ors and its related proceedings, including Supreme Court of Queensland proceedings 2267/2011 and 12931/17).

In commercial litigation and arbitrations, his experience features:

• proceedings to set aside arbitral awards concerning the construction of a CSG pipeline system (Mitchel Water Australia Pty Ltd v McConnell Dowell Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd, Supreme Court of Queensland proceedings 7092/2018 and 6270/2018);
• expert determinations and their contractual validity (Bagata Pty Ltd & Anor v Sunstorm Pty Ltd [2023] QSC 104); [2024] QCA 17);
• appearing for Woolworths Ltd and a subsidiary in a construction contract dispute concerning Woolworth’s distribution centre at Larapinta, one of the largest industrial facilities in Queensland (Nalos Pty Ltd & Anor v Robert Bird Group Pty Ltd & Ors, Supreme Court of Queensland proceeding 11451/12;
• the suite of contract and arbitration-related proceedings between BMD Holdings Pty Ltd and Mio Art Pty Ltd and their related parties concerning the development of a master planned community at Mango Hill (see [2018] 1 Qd R 245; [2018] QCA 39; [2018] QSC 31; [2018] FCA 399; and [2019] FCA 490); and
• resisting the referral of a construction dispute to arbitration (One Sector Pty Ltd v Panel Concepts Pty Ltd [2021] QDC 54).

In administrative law, his experience features:

• urgent applications to stay the operation of government decisions (notably TRAC Construction (Qld) Pty Ltd v Queensland Building and Construction Commission, Supreme Court of Queensland proceeding 1670/16), a topic on which he presented a paper at the Australian Institute of Administrative Law’s 2016 national conference;
• successful appeals (Acuna Plaza v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs (No 2) [2019] FCA 424);
• ongoing retainers to provide regulatory compliance opinions to well-known companies in the healthcare sector; and
• inquests involving the responsibilities of Queensland Health and Queensland Police Service.

Stephen is an accredited mediator and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Geoffrey Diehm KC commenced practice as a barrister at the Brisbane bar in 1991. He took silk in 2008.

He holds an LLB and an LLM from the Queensland University of Technology.

He practices in health law, insurance and personal injuries law, public and administrative law, commercial law and succession law. He has regularly appeared in Federal and State superior courts as well as the Land Court, the Coroners Court and various tribunals.

He has extensive experience representing hospitals, medical practitioners and other health care providers in civil proceedings, administrative proceedings including disciplinary proceedings, and in inquests. He has appeared for a variety of clients in a number of Commissions of Inquiry. He regularly acts for and advises governments and agencies of government, corporations, insurers and individuals in a wide range of matters.

He is an experienced trial and appellate counsel and has been involved in very many mediations, as well as having acted as a mediator and an arbitrator.

Richard specialises in insurance, common law and statutory liability, commercial law, real property and confiscation of criminal profits. He is a nationally accredited mediator and has mediated over 700 disputes in all spheres of the law.

He has been in private practice as a barrister in Brisbane since 1982 and took silk in 1998.

He has appeared in many leading cases construing the pre-procedural and civil liability legislation of Queensland and was co-Senior Counsel assisting the Queensland Public Hospitals Commission of Inquiry conducted by the Honourable Geoffrey Davies AO.

Richard is Chair of the Bar Association of Queensland’s General Litigation Committee. From 2009 to 2011, he was President of the Bar Association of Queensland, a Director of the Law Council of Australia and Member of the Board of the Australian Bar Association. Prior appointments also include Chair of a stakeholder reference group appointed by the Queensland Attorney General, which reported to the Queensland Government as to options available to homogenise Queensland pre-proceeding personal injury process regimes.

Richard is a joint author of Annotated Civil Liability Legislation Queensland published by LexisNexis and a joint author of and principal contributor to Civil Liability Australia, a national loose-leaf and electronic LexisNexis service, each addressing the Ipp legislation in the states and territories. He is also a member of the editorial board and contributor to the Civil Liability newsletter, also published by LexisNexis.

In 2014, the Australian Insurance Law Association awarded Richard its annual Insurance Law Prize.

Adrian was admitted to the Bar in 1997, having before that practised for some 14 years as a solicitor, most of which time he was a partner in one of the prominent national firms. He took silk in 2015.

He is a member of Hemmant’s List and has chambers in Brisbane and Perth. He holds a Master of Laws from the University of Queensland.

His practice extends to a broad range of commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation, including Admiralty, maritime and aviation law, industrial and employment law, commercial and professional indemnity insurance, infrastructure and resources.

He has long experience in international and domestic arbitration, mostly as legal representative for parties, but including as arbitrator. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a Fellow of ACICA, a panel member of AMTAC and of ICC Australia and a supporting member of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association and has acted in a number of maritime arbitrations conducted in London by arbitrators appointed under LMAA Rules. He is also a member of ICCA and has acted in arbitrations conducted under a number of other regimes, including ICC Rules.

He has served on and chaired many professional committees and delivered a number of papers on a variety of areas of law. He is presently a member of the International Committee of the Australian Bar Association and of the International Law and Professional Conduct Committees of the Queensland Bar.

He is listed in Doyle’s Guide as one of the Leading Transport Barristers in Australia and as one of the Leading Employment & WHS Barristers in Queensland.

Clare was called to the bar in 2024.

Prior to transitioning to the private Bar, Clare practiced in both Australia and the UK, having commenced her legal career in personal injury litigation in 2002 and going on to become admitted as a Solicitor in Queensland in 2010.

Clare has practiced almost exclusively in injury litigation for the duration of her career, specialising in catastrophic injury claims and medical law claims (including claims involving: delay in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, failure to treat, lack of informed consent and failure to warn of treatment risks).

Clare also became a nationally accredited mediator in 2021.

Clare’s practice at the Bar involves all areas of personal injury litigation, medical negligence litigation, coronial inquests and mediation.

After more than 10 years as a solicitor with large national and international firms, Jane commenced practice as a barrister in 2009.  As an advocate she has a broad practice including commercial, insurance, personal injury, professional negligence, medical negligence, building and construction, administrative, estate and family disputes. As a mediator she has worked with public, corporate and private clients involved in a range of family, commercial, personal and interpersonal disputes.

Jane appears alone and as junior counsel in applications, trials, appeals and other hearings in both State and Federal jurisdictions.  She holds degrees in Law and Business (Accounting) from QUT, as well as a Master Advocate Designation from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy in the US.  She is nationally accredited mediator, an accredited farm debt mediator and an FRDP. She has chambers in Brisbane and also on the Gold Coast.

In addition to her practice at the Bar, she has taught advocacy and trial skills to trial lawyers and barristers in Australia, Bhutan and the US since 2010.

Claire Grant has practiced exclusively in criminal law since her admission in 2007. Claire commenced her career with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and moved to the bar in 2011.

Claire has defended many complex criminal trials throughout Queensland in both the Supreme and District Courts. Claire has appeared both as lead counsel and junior counsel in the Court of Appeal and as junior counsel in the High Court of Australia on criminal appeals.

In addition to briefs in crime, Claire accepts briefs in inquests and inquiries, regulatory prosecutions both for the prosecution and defence, and in domestic violence hearings.

Claire has recently been appointed to Legal Aid Queensland’s Complex Criminal Case Barrister Panel.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Criminal Law
• Coronial Inquests & Inquiries
• Regulatory Prosecutions
• Domestic Violence
• Mediator

Peter Hastie specialises in litigation, alternative dispute resolution (arbitration, mediation and expert determination) and advice work which has a commercial flavour  particularly in the areas of  administrative law, building and construction, competition and consumer law, constitutional law, contract, corporations law,  insolvency,  intellectual property law, mining law,  partnership, professional liability, insolvency, real property , restraints of trade, securities and torts.

Peter commenced practice as a barrister based in Brisbane in 1986 and took silk in 2013. Peter mainly practices in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Federal Court of Australia  and is admitted and has practiced in the Supreme Courts of New South Wales and South Australia.

Peter has a Bachelor of Arts (political science), Bachelor of Laws, and Master of Laws from the University of Queensland. He also has a Dispute Resolution Certificate from Bond University.

Reimen is a barrister and nationally accredited mediator. He has a broad generalist practice which includes commercial litigation, administrative law, family law, property law, and human rights. He predominantly focuses on commercial and international disputes.

Before being called to the Bar, Reimen worked as an associate at a leading international insurance law firm. He has also worked as a lawyer at a boutique Brisbane commercial litigation firm, as a registrar of the Supreme Court of Tonga, at a top-tier national firm, as a judge’s associate, and as a legal officer at a UN-backed war crimes tribunal in Cambodia.

Reimen is a member of the Bar Association of Queensland’s human rights committee; he also a member of the Australian Lawyers for Human Right’s Queensland committee and Business & Human Rights subcommittee. He was awarded the Australian Young Lawyer of the Year in 2019 by the Law Council of Australia.

Reimen is also a member of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association.

Kevin has a practice which has a strong focus on insurance work and all allied areas including statutory and equitable issues. He has been in private practice as a barrister in Brisbane since 1991.

Areas of practice in which Kevin is briefed also include:

• APPELLATE
• AGRIBUSINESS
• MEDIATORS
• COMMERCIAL
• CORONIAL INQUESTS & COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY
• PERSONAL INJURIES
• PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE
• REGULATORY TRIBUNALS
• INSURANCE
• WORKCOVER
• EMPLOYMENT & INDUSTRIAL
• SUPERANNUATION
• TOTAL PERMANENT DISABILITY CLAIMS
• CONTRACT
• MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE
• SPORTS LAW
• OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY
• PRODUCT LIABILITY
• TORTS (OTHER THAN PERSONAL INJURIES)
• VETERANS’ ENTITLEMENTS
• EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & DISCRIMINATION

Kevin is briefed by a number of law firms that act for commercial insurers and also is briefed by Crown Law.

Kevin’s practice also includes advising local government bodies (LGM Queensland).

Kevin has acted as a mediator in a wide range of matters.

He also regularly appears in all Queensland Courts.

Kevin has an interest in veterans entitlements and is interested in developing his practice in that respect also.

William was called to the Bar in May 2023.

Prior to being called to the Bar, William worked:

• as an Associate at a top tier law firm (focusing on commercial and regulatory work for financial services clients), and
• as a Senior Legal Officer at the Australian Law Reform Commission (working on the Corporations and Financial Services Inquiry).

William has a broad civil practice, with a focus on commercial and regulatory matters. He appears in all State and Federal Courts and Tribunals.

Previously he has served as an Associate to the Hon. Justice Dowsett AM on the Federal Court of Australia, and before that to Commissioner Graeme Neate AM on the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and Industrial Court of Queensland.

William holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Queensland, a LLM in International Financial and Commercial Law from King’s College London, and a PhD in Law from the University of Queensland.

He was the recipient of the Holt Prize in 2021 for his PhD thesis, which has since been published as a book by The Federation Press.

Prior to being called to the Bar in August 2005, Madelaine spent 14 years as a solicitor practising almost exclusively in commercial litigation and insolvency.

From 2001 to 2005 she was a Partner with a national legal firm practising in the Insolvency and Commercial Litigation division of that firm.

On commencing practice at the bar Madelaine continued her commercial litigation and insolvency practice advising on and appearing in a wide range of matters and proceedings concerning banking, financial services, property, personal and corporate insolvency, director and shareholder disputes and professional negligence claims. She regularly appeared on behalf of Banks, financiers, and insolvency practitioners. She also appeared on behalf of corporations and businesses in a variety of commercial disputes, including appearances in mediations.  She also acted as mediator in commercial disputes.

Madelaine has appeared in the High Court (as Junior Counsel), Queensland Court of Appeal, the State Courts of Queensland and the Federal Court and Full Federal Court of Australia.

Since January 2017 Madelaine practices exclusively as a mediator in a wide range of commercial disputes.

Andrew commenced practice as a barrister in Brisbane in 2004, after a period working as a Solicitor. His work as a Solicitor focused largely upon the medical negligence area.

Andrew has continued to focus on this area since being called to the Queensland Bar. His work in this area includes appearances at Coronial Inquiries and civil claims involving medical practitioners and hospitals.

His Coronial Inquest experience also extends to aviation matters.

Andrew has appeared in all Queensland courts. He also regularly appears in QCAT on behalf of medical practitioners and other allied health professionals who have disciplinary proceedings commenced against them.

Andrew’s personal injury practice includes being briefed to appear on behalf of both defendants (through insurers) and plaintiffs in motor vehicle accident claims, workers’ compensation claims and public liability claims.

Andrew has been consistently recognised in Doyle’s Guide as:

Preeminent Professional Indemnity Junior Counsel – Queensland: 2023, 2022

Leading Insurance and Personal Injuries Junior Counsel – Queensland: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Prior to commencing practice as a barrister, Jessica practised as a solicitor and was a Queensland Law Society Accredited Specialist in personal injuries law.

She has practised almost exclusively in that area, over the course of her legal career spanning more than 20 years.

Jessica’s practice is spread across all aspects of personal injuries law.

She is a panel member of most major insurers within the Queensland jurisdiction, including WorkCover Queensland, Suncorp CTP and General Insurance and Q-Comp.

She accepts instructions on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.

Kelly is a Barrister and Nationally Accredited Mediator (NMAS) with broad public law and commercial law experience.

Kelly also has attained Member status with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

She practices primarily in the areas of energy, resources and environmental law; administrative law; and personal injuries.  Kelly has a particular interest in Arbitration (both International and Domestic).

Prior to her commencing practice as a barrister in Brisbane, Kelly worked in the building and construction team at a well-respected Queensland firm before moving to the energy and resource sections of two national firms.  She has also held a role as in-house legal counsel for a major railway turnkey provider.

Her experience covers both front-end and back-end work, having been involved in every aspect of resource and infrastructure project development from the proposal stage through to funding, development, production, completion and rehabilitation. She has had involvement with contentious and non-contentious carriage matters and advising on continental sea bed issues relating to pipeline construction and off-shore sustainable energy projects. Kelly has also been involved in a number of product liability class actions.

Kelly has a developing insurance and personal injury practice.

She holds undergraduate degrees in Law and Commerce; and a Masters of International Trade Law (Maritime).

She is on the editorial panel of the LexisNexis Australian Alternative Dispute Resolution Law Bulletin and holds a statutory appointment as a General Referee on the Building and Development Dispute Resolution Committee, hearing appeals in respect of the Building Act and the Sustainable Planning Act.

Kelly regularly speaks at conferences and events across Queensland on topics relating to her areas of practice.

Trudy was called to the Bar in 2017 after practising as a solicitor for over 19 years, 10 years of which she was a Partner at McCullough Robertson.  As a barrister, she continues to focus on her previous practice areas of insurance advisory and litigation, and wills and estate litigation.

Trudy was a WorkCover Queensland panel lawyer for over 8 years and has also acted for a range of Australian and international insurers, insurance brokers, banks, financial planners and private clients.

Trudy advises on a broad range of insurance matters including directors’ and officers’ liability, professional indemnity, workers’ compensation, public and products liability, medical indemnity and indemnity disputes.

Trudy also has a particular interest in will, estate and trust litigation, including family provision applications and solemn form probate proceedings.  She advises and appears for individuals, charities, trustee companies, lawyers, accountants and financial advisers in this area.

Trudy has been recognised as Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Junior Counsel – Queensland (Recommended) every year since 2019.  Trudy was again recently recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a recommended Estate Litigation Junior Counsel in August 2023.

James’ principle areas of legal expertise, are in Resources and Infrastructure areas of law, including:

• Matters involving professional negligence (involving inter alia architects and engineers);
• Disciplinary matters, including builders and other professionals.

However, James also accepts briefs in matters of professional negligence and/or disciplinary proceedings relating to other professions/industries including Solicitors, Accountants and health care providers.

James’ practice includes the area of commercial litigation, including disputes over contractual issues and other commercial disputes.  More particularly, James has experience in:

• Competition and Consumer Law matters;
• Contract Disputes;
• Corporations Law matters (including Shareholder actions).

James has been involved in some of the largest litigation in Queensland (including Aurizon Network Pty Ltd v Glencore Coal Queensland Pty Ltd & Ors (2019) 1 QR 392) and is experienced in the complexity of document and evidence heavy litigation.

James has extensive experience in Arbitrations.  He has also appeared Expert Determinations, Commissions of Enquiry, Administrative Tribunals as well as many mediations.

James has been repeatedly recognised in Doyles’ Guide:

• Leading Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Junior Counsel (QLD) since 2016
• Leading Construction & Infrastructure Junior Counsel (QLD) 2017 to 2020
• Leading Arbitration Barristers (Junior Barristers) (Australia) 2018 and 2019

James was called to the Bar in 2007.

Ben has a broad commercial and civil practice, and a particular interest in insolvency and bankruptcy matters, director and shareholder disputes under the Corporations Act, and complex commercial disputes.  He regularly appears led and unled in the Supreme, District and Federal courts on behalf of companies, insolvency practitioners and high net worth individuals.

Ben has acted and appeared for those clients in various matters, including:

• Insolvent trading, voidable transaction, and unreasonable director related transaction claims on behalf of liquidators;
• Public examinations on behalf of liquidators;
• Complex contractual and equitable disputes;
• Derivative action and oppression matters under the Corporations Act;
• Professional negligence disputes;
• Restraint of trade matters;
• Leasing disputes;
• Director’s duties and fiduciary duties claims; and
• Numerous procedural and interlocutory applications.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Arts (History) and Masters of Law (Commercial Litigation).  He is a member of the Commercial Law Association of Australia.

Shane was called to the Bar in May 2023.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Shane practiced as a Commerical Law solicitor in top tier firms in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Shane has a broad commercial practice and accepts briefs in number of sectors including:

• Mining
• Gas
• Defence
• Government
• Banking
• Energy
• Telecommunications
• Manufacturing and
• Professional Services

He also has Class Action, International Arbitration, Expert Determination, and Royal Commission experience.

Shane also has experience in professional negligence, historical sexual abuse claims, and succession.

More details are available on Shane’s own website.

Joshua was called to the Bar in 2020, following more than eight years practice as a lawyer in senior positions (including Principal) in the Litigation Branch of the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.

Joshua has a keen interest in the areas of white-collar and regulatory crime and administrative law, specifically judicial and merits review, having developed significant expertise in these areas throughout his career.  In this space, Joshua’s deep insight into in-house Government regulatory authorities, and their processes, places him in a unique position to achieve successful outcomes, both negotiated and in Court, for government and private clients.

Since coming to the Bar, Joshua has maintained a broad Public Law and Commercial practice as well as regularly taking briefs in Judicial and Merits reviews, Criminal & Quasi-Criminal, Planning and Environment, Land and Property, and Commercial matters, often with a significant Public Law aspect.  Joshua regularly advises and appears for government and private sector clients across all Queensland and Federal jurisdictions.

In Public law recent experience includes:

• Acting for the former Public Trustee of Queensland against the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission in a successful appeal in the Queensland Court of Appeal and the High Court of Australia.
• Acting for Agforce Queensland in a Judicial review against a decision by the Federal Minister for the Environment.
• Acting for the State of Queensland in Judicial review proceedings that sought to challenge the Covid-19 ‘High-risk setting’ directive.
• Advising the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation on matters involving the recent inquiry into the Star Casino operations in Queensland.
• Acting for private clients challenging a directive under the National Health Act 1953 (Cth) in the Federal Court (now the subject of a Full Federal Court Appeal).
• Acting for private clients in disciplinary matters against the QBCC in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
• Acting for private and government clients in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal in human rights, anti-discrimination, and merit review of administrative decisions, including state taxation, firearms, and building certification matters.
• Acting for Government clients in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Appeal Tribunal in appeals against merits review decisions.
• Acting for and advising Government Departments and private clients in the Land Court in relation to valuation disputes, mining objections, and merits reviews under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld).
• Acting for and advising Government Departments and private clients in the Planning and Environment Court in relation to merits reviews under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld).
• Advising a statutory authority on specific questions arising from the interaction between its licensing regime and the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld).
• Advising Local Councils in relation to Native Title Claims.
• Advising a private client on options for challenging a development approval under a local planning scheme in circumstances where the matter of the approval was attended with an error of law.
• Advising various State Government Departments, Agencies, and private clients on statutory construction emanating from various Queensland and Federal enactments.

In Civil disputes recent experience includes:

• Acting for and advising a large pastoral client in a successful Supreme Court application regarding the interpretation of a ‘give and take’ agreement and ss 53 and 55 of the Property Law Act 1975 (Qld) and successfully resisting an Appeal to the Queensland Court of Appeal.
• Acting for a private client in a large civil action regarding building certification works undertaken on a childcare centre.
• Acting for the State of Queensland in a malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office action against the State of Queensland and others.
• Acting for and advised private clients in property matters involving beneficial equitable interests in property including seeking declarations for constructive trusts.
• Acting for a private client in a simple private nuisance and trespass to land claim involving over-excavating land.
• Acting for a de facto partner of a deceased in a family provision application in the Supreme Court of Queensland.
• Acting for a private client in a complicated failed joint venture claim involving the operation of a regional hotel.

In Criminal and Quasi-Criminal Law recent experience includes:

• Acting as a prosecutor for the Crown in a large complex indictable prosecution for offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld).
• Acting as a prosecutor for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) in a summary trial for 19 offences under the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 (Qld) and the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (Qld).
• Acting for police officer defendants against private prosecutions brought under the Justices Act 1886 (Qld), successfully having those matters struck out or permanently stayed.
• Acting for police officer defendants in an appeal to the Supreme Court from the decisions of the Magistrates Court to strike out complaints and successfully resisting that appeal.
• Acting for QFES as the respondent to an appeal against conviction under s 222 of the Justices Act 1886 (Qld) in the District Court and successfully resisting the appeal.
• Advised government and private clients on matters of regulatory compliance in relation to the Planning Act 2016 (Qld), Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld), and Building Act 1975 (Qld).
• Acting for a private client in negotiating a successful outcome regarding significant environmental non-compliance to avoid prosecution.
• Acting for a private commercial entity defending a development offence under the Planning Act.

Angela Rae’s principal expertise is in commercial litigation and advisory work, as well as estate matters.  In particular, she practices in:

• company law disputes, including regulatory matters
• professional liability of directors and officers, particularly in financial advice
• insolvency (both corporate and personal)
• disputes involving partnerships and incorporated associations
• product liability (both manufacturers/suppliers and consumers)
• equity and trusts
• contract and real property disputes

Angela acts for companies and individuals of all sizes, including liquidators, banks, directors & officers, regulators, manufacturers and family estates.

Recent matters include acting for the special purpose liquidators of Queensland Nickel Pty Ltd (including obtaining freezing orders for over $500M of assets); acting for the majority shareholder in a $6M oppression action; and acting for the Commonwealth in relation to the insolvency consequences of a terminated statutory scheme.

Angela also regularly acts in trust and estate matters, currently including a $6M estate with assets in Australia and Europe. Angela has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Junior Barrister – Queensland (Recommended) since 2019.  Most recently Angela has been ranked as Leading Estates Litigation Junior Counsel (Recommended) 2023 in Queensland and Australia-wide.

Angela has a professional interest in “plain language” drafting and is a member of Clarity International.  She has spoken internationally on topics such as drafting by committee and challenges with self-represented litigants. For several years she operated a consultancy assisting clients with writing clearer documents.

Additionally, Angela speaks Japanese fluently, completing part of her law studies at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and postgraduate research at the Australian National University.

Peter was admitted to the profession in 2014 and called to the bar in 2020. He has a broad practice with a focus on commercial and civil matters. His primary practice areas include commercial litigation, contract, building and construction, property, insolvency, corporations, trade practices, estates and trusts, regulatory, professional negligence and insurance.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Peter worked in a boutique commercial litigation firm and in a national insurance litigation firm. He was also an Associate to the Honourable Justice Debra A Mullins of the Supreme Court of Queensland and was the research assistant to the Dean of the Griffith Law School.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Psychological Science.

Peter accepts briefs as a mediator.

He is also a member of Hemmant’s List and the Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association.

David Schneidewin commenced private practice as a barrister in Brisbane in 2003.

Prior to that he was a solicitor for 8 years and a partner of a leading boutique insurance practice in Brisbane.

He holds an LLB from the University of Queensland.

He practices predominately in health law (litigation, regulatory and advisory), general insurance (including other professional indemnity matters) and has a comprehensive background in all personal injuries litigation. He also practices in administrative law.

He regularly and usually appears without leaders in the State District and Supreme Courts as well as the Coroners Court and other tribunals (QCAT).

In the health law area he has comprehensive experience in representing hospitals (including public and private hospitals throughout the State , as well as an international hospital), medical practitioners (general and specialists) on instructions through most medical defence organisations (MDOs), nursing homes and community nursing organisations, as well as other health care providers (for example radiologists) and allied health care providers (including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, podiatrists, pharmacists and paramedics) in a variety of civil proceedings, administrative proceedings including disciplinary proceedings (QCAT), as well as at coronial inquests.

David has significant experience in cases investigating the causes of and contributing factors to incidents of Stroke.

In the general insurance area, he has consistently maintained a solid practice acting for a variety of private insurers in public liability and professional indemnity matters. His general insurance practice also has a particular focus on matters involving local government and public authorities.

He is experienced in trial advocacy and appellate advocacy and regularly appears at mediations.

He has also acted as mediator in health law and general insurance matters.

David regularly acts for clients in the Northern Territory and he is Visiting Counsel at William Forster Chambers, NT.

Giles was called to the NSW Bar in October 2012 after a 20 year career in banking and commerce in Sydney and London, holding senior positions in Banking and Investment companies.

Giles was previously called to the London Bar in 1994.

He maintains chambers in QLD and NSW.

Giles practices predominantly in Family Law and Property and Equity. In Family Law cases he appears for clients in all types of property and parenting disputes.

He has extensive experience having appeared led and unled in in excess of 120 contested interim and final hearings since 2013.

He also has ever increasing appellate experience.

Giles also acts for clients in all aspects of commercial law in all jurisdictions, bringing his extensive commercial property, banking and finance experience to his advocacy practice for the significant benefit of his clients.

Other areas of law in which Giles accepts briefs include:

• Commercial, Property and Equity disputes
• Estate Law matters including Family Provision Applications

As a solicitor, Jessica gained vast experience working in Brisbane firms representing clients in matters relating to traffic, criminal, child protection, domestic and family violence, parenting, property and divorce.

Prior to her call to the Bar, Jessica was employed by Legal Aid Queensland as a Senior Family Lawyer and Independent Children’s Lawyer.

Jessica is available to be briefed in all matters relating to family breakdown including: representing clients in mediation, parenting arrangements, property settlement, interim and final hearings, advices and contravention proceedings.

Jason was called to the Bar in 2022, having previously held legal and financial roles across Australia, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. Jason holds an MSc in Law and Finance from the University of Oxford, where he won the MLF Prize for Best Overall Performance, and a Bachelors of Law and Commerce from The University of Queensland, where he teaches corporate law.

Jason has a broad commercial and civil practice and has represented lenders, private companies, and individuals in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Federal Court of Australia. He has advised on cases in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and New Zealand, including:

•  Representing a private lender to establish the validity of charging clauses pursuant to a loan agreement, arguing that the clauses were not ‘unfair’ as defined in the 2023 ASIC Act reforms;
• Representing an aggrieved company to obtain a freezing order over the assets of a director who misappropriated funds, arguing that the director’s conduct constituted a breach of directors’ duties in the Corporations Act;
• Representing a building company to obtain an injunction and account of profits for breach of copyright by a former employee;
• Representing a pharmaceutical company to hold an accountancy firm liable for vicarious liability, where the firm’s partner had breached fiduciary duties to the company;
• Representing a judgment creditor to enforce a judgment by way of a charging order over shares;
• Representing a former prisoner subject to supervision under the DPSO Act, arguing that supervision orders imposed were in contravention of the Human Rights Act and that the client was not afforded natural justice.

Jason speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and is a nationally accredited mediator.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws (commercial law) and was first called to the private Bar in 1999 after practising for several years as a litigation lawyer with particular interests in resolving legal disputes involving the agribusiness, construction, engineering, and resource sectors.  Ben has a unique understanding of the Engineering Construction, Mining and Resources area having worked as a qualified electrical fitter mechanic with BHP prior to coming to the Bar.

Since coming to the Bar in 1999, Ben has developed a broad commercial and equity practice with a wealth of experience and particular expertise in the resolution of commercial litigation and insurance disputes, primarily involving construction and engineering disputes and related professional negligence matters, major project and infrastructure disputes, agribusiness and resources liability insurance and contract claims, directors liability and shareholder disputes, corporate insolvency, and property and estate disputes.

Ben has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Construction & Infrastructure Counsel – Queensland (2019 to 2024).

He is an active member of a number of relevant professional associations, including BDPS, CLA, ER Law, AILA and SoCLA, as well as being a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an interstate member of the Melbourne Technology Engineering and Construction Chambers (MTECC).

Ben is also an NMAS qualified mediator and holds chambers in both Brisbane and Melbourne.

Ben has particular experience in the following areas:

• large scale infrastructure projects:
  • including Curtis Island (Gladstone LNG development), Brisbane City South State Secondary College, Sarina Hospital, Ferny Grove transport and retail centre project, sewage treatment plant for a remote school, Ipswich roads and related pipeline construction.
• resource, agricultural and industrial projects, including:
  • commercial contract issues over the sale of a Bowen Basin coal mine, the construction of shipping berth and pier for LNG export, multiple underground drilling in Central and Western Queensland large scale cattle properties, hire and supply of agricultural plant and equipment, slab defects in large scale industrial sheds and workshops, and defect claims on high-rise cranes and other construction plant.
• large scale commercial and residential construction projects including:
  • high rise office and apartment complexes, earthworks and subsidence in residential, commercial, and industrial property developments, multiple service stations in Queensland and Victoria.
• significant commercial and related property litigation issues including:
  • easements disputes, access agreements for construction projects for cranes and rock anchors, road and private access issues for large scale commercial developments (appearing in the High Court).
• statutory demands, winding up applications, preference claims, insolvent trading, uncommercial transactions, and proof of debt insolvency matters, both moderate and large involving many millions of dollars in dispute, acting for liquidators and administrators.
• complex succession disputes, including:
  • Inter vivos (ie succession planning) disputes;
  • Wills and probate disputes; and
  • Estate administration including family provision applications.
  • Ben’s commercial and agribusiness practices provide valuable insight into large regional intergenerational family businesses and operations
• defects and causation issues arising from large scale and catastrophic failures in the agricultural, construction, engineering, resources, and transport sectors and critical analysis and testing of architectural, engineering, building, quantity surveying, delay and programming, geotechnical, hydrological, accounting and historian expert evidence.
• numerous matters involving the interpretation and application of Security of Payment legislation, Subcontractors Charges legislation and QBCC and related legislation.
• proper interpretation and application of contested contracts of engagement, joint venture, supply, security and credit in the agricultural, construction, engineering, resource and transport sectors.
• conducting (often leading junior barristers) complex and large-scale multi-party litigation and alternative dispute resolution processes including settling pleadings, settling lay and expert evidence, appearing on contested applications, trials and appeals in the Queensland Court of Appeal.

Matthew practises principally in general civil and commercial law, and industrial and employment law.  He appears regularly in the Supreme and District Courts of Queensland and the Federal and Federal Circuit Courts.  He is a nationally accredited mediator and mediates disputes in all of his areas of practice.

He is experienced in the management of a broad range of litigation, having been briefed to advise and appear in relation to misleading or deceptive conduct claims, breach of contract claims, franchising disputes, bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, insurance disputes, claims of professional negligence, trust and estate disputes and employment law claims.

Matthew has particular expertise in relation to regulatory enforcement proceedings, pecuniary penalty proceedings and accessorial liability proceedings against directors and other persons involved in alleged contraventions.  He has acted as Counsel in enforcement proceedings commenced by various Commonwealth regulatory agencies (including the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Communications and Media Authority).

Matthew also has experience acting as Counsel in commissions of inquiry; he was briefed to appear in the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (2018) and to advise in relation to the Commonwealth Senate Inquiry into underpayments of workers in the retail industry (2018).

Matthew is an editor of and contributing author to ‘Queensland Civil Practice’ and a contributing author to ‘Federal Court Practice’ (both published by Thomson Reuters).  He regularly speaks at conferences and publishes papers in his areas of practice.

He is a member of the Bar Association’s General Litigation Committee, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Industrial Relations Society of Queensland, and a Sessional Academic in Law at the Queensland University of Technology, where he teaches Civil Procedure.

Matthew was called to the Bar in early 2013.  He holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of International Business (Finance) and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.

Lisa Willson started at the private Bar in February 2008. Lisa is formally qualified in the area of health and safety having completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Health and Safety). Prior to going to the Bar, Lisa was employed as a Senior Consultant with Aussafe Consulting Pty Ltd.

Since joining the private Bar, her interests have included the areas of industrial and personal injury law. She has been an author of the LexisNexis: “National Work Health and Safety Law” publication for many years.

Lisa is a current Counsel Panel member for the Workers’ Compensation Regulator in QIRC matters and a previous Counsel Panel member of WorkCover Queensland.

Lisa is a Nationally Accredited Mediator, through the Resolution Institute. She also holds a casual appointment as a Mediatior for the Dispute Resolution Branch with the Department of Justice and Attorney General (Qld).

In 2018 – 2019, Lisa was appointed as an “Official Visitor (Legal)” with the Department of Corrections (Qld). In this role, she independently reviewed Consecutive Safety Orders (CSO), and Maximum Security Orders (MSO) and well as complaints from prisoners across the correctional centres in south east Queensland.

Lisa is also a member of the professional advisory panel at University of Queensland for the Bachelor of Occupational Health and Safety Science Program and has the honorary position of Adjunct Associate Professor within the school.