Barristers – Equity & Trusts

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.

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.

Mr Douglas Campbell KC was called to the Queensland Bar in 1982 and appointed Silk in November 2004.

Douglas has broad practice encompassing:

• Appellate
• Commercial Law
• Common law/Personal Injuries
• Equity
• Inquests and Inquiries
• Public Administration

Douglas has a particular interest and substantial experience in Class Actions and was recognised as a leading class action barrister – Australia in 2023.

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.

Dr Pip Coore practices predominately in the areas of equity, trusts and succession law.

Pip regularly advises on a range of estate matters, including:

• lost and informal will applications;
• the interpretation and administration of wills and trusts;
• applications by personal representatives and trustees for judicial advice and directions;
• the removal of personal representatives;
• solemn form probate proceedings; and
• family provision applications.

She also appears at mediations in succession law matters.

Pip has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Junior Counsel in Queensland.

While Pip specialises in equity, trusts and estate law, she has also appeared in taxation appeals and administrative law matters.

Pip holds a DPhil in Law and a Master of Studies in Legal Research from the University of Oxford.  She also holds a Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry) (Hons) from Queensland University of Technology and a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in Public Relations, from the University of Queensland.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Pip was the Senior Associate to the Honourable Justice Edelman of the High Court of Australia.

Pip is a member of the STEP Queensland Committee, the Fellowship Fund Inc. Committee and the Graduate Women Queensland Committee.

Simon was called to the Queensland Bar in 1983.  He was made King’s Counsel in 1993.

He is a member of North Quarter Lane Chambers, one of Queensland’s preeminent Commercial Barristers Chambers.  Simon also has chambers in Sydney.

Simon has a wide ranging commercial practice spanning diverse areas such as:

• Competition Law (and is regularly briefed by the ACCC)
• Contract Disputes
• Corporate Law
• Insurance and Professional Indemnity (including acting for lawyers, engineers, builders, surveyors and architects).

He appears regularly in complex commercial proceedings in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia and in the Federal Court of Australia.

Simon also has a substantial appellate practice, including in the High Court of Australia.

Simon is renowned for his cross-examination skills, earning him, most recently, recognition in the following Doyle’s Guide categories:

• Leading Professional Indemnity Senior Counsel QLD 2023
• Leading Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section Counsel QLD 2023
• Leading Insolvency & Restructuring Senior Counsel 2023

Anna joined the bar in October 2024.  She specialises in civil and commercial law, focusing on professional indemnity, public liability, and regulatory disputes. Anna has built on her experience as a solicitor primarily handling medical negligence, health law, and professional liability cases. In doing so she represented clients before bodies such as AHPRA, the OHO, and the Coroner, addressing clinical, ethical, and employment matters in public and private health sectors.

Her practice spans complex legal issues, including catastrophic medical negligence, discrimination, and employment disputes in tribunals like QCAT and the Federal Court. Anna has handled product liability, consumer law, and guardianship cases, with expertise in statutory and regulatory frameworks.

Anna has acted for and against sporting bodies in disciplinary tribunals and employment matters, leveraging her background as an elite athlete. Anna was admitted as a solicitor in 2019, and prior to joining the bar worked as a Senior Associate at Barry Nilsson Lawyers.

Marjorie was called to the Bar in 2021, following more than 10 years’ practice as a senior lawyer at a national law firm in which she worked in its Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane offices.  Marjorie also worked for three years in Oxford, England, in a boutique professional indemnity law firm.

Marjorie has broad experience acting for government and private sector clients and their insurers as well as a extensive general commercial litigation practice.

In insurance law her experience includes:

• acting for the Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee and its insured legal practitioners and barristers in the defence of negligence claims
• acting for Australian and international insurers in the defence of all financial lines negligence claims (architects, legal practitioners, accountants and other construction professionals)
• Supreme Court multi party litigation arising from declinature of insurance cover
• providing coverage advice on a broad range of policies of insurance (D&O, public and products liability, professional indemnity and project specific construction insurance)
• acting for the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA)  in the defence of civil claims commenced against Victorian government departments and statutory agencies
• providing legal liability advice to Australian government departments and agencies and their insurer, Comcover, in respect of civil claims and advising them in respect of their obligations under the Legal Services Directions 2017 (Cth)
• providing insurance related due diligence advice in mergers and acquisition transactions, particularly in the field of construction

In commercial litigation her experience includes:

• acting for a building construction contractor in the Supreme Court of Queensland alleging breach of contract and negligence by its sub-contractor in respect of the use of aluminium composite panel cladding on a multi-story commercial building
• advising liquidators on the formulation of a claim against a firm of auditors alleging negligence, breach of contract and breach of statutory duties under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) in respect of a failed managed investment scheme
• acting for a company in the defence of preference claims brought by the liquidator of Gunns Limited (Tasmanian sawmill)
• acting for a Commonwealth Government department in the defence of a high value loss of opportunity claim arising from a dispute over the Commonwealth’s obligations in a deed of grant. This required qualifying experts in forensic accounting, market share economics and geospatial surveying

Marjorie holds a Bachelor of Arts (History) and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Queensland.

Marjorie’s curriculum vitae is available on request.

Richard was called to the Bar in 1980, commenced practice in 1982 and awarded silk in 1998. His specialties are common law, insurance law, public law, commercial law, land law and confiscation of criminal profits. He has particular expertise in statutory proportionate liability.

He was president of the Bar Association of Queensland (BAQ) from 2009 to 2011 and Medico-Legal Society of Queensland (MLSQ) from 2016 to 2018. He was awarded life membership of BAQ in 2019. He chaired BAQ’s Civil Litigation Committee from 2012 to 2022 and the  Ethics Counsellors’ Panel from 2023. He is the editor (from 2022) of the BAQ’s Hearsay electronic magazine.

He is the lead author of two publications on the Ipp legislation, namely the online Civil Liability Australia – covering the Ipp legislation of the Commonwealth, states and territories –  and the text Annotated Civil Liability Legislation Queensland – now in its 2021 fifth edition, with a sixth edition due to be published in the second quarter of 2025 – each published by LexisNexis.

In 2014 he was awarded the National Insurance Law prize by the Australian Insurance Law Association  (AILA). In 2018 he was the ALIA’s annual Geoff Masel lecturer. He is an active member of BAQ, AILA, MLSQ and the Australian Lawyers’ Alliance.

He is a member – and head of chambers – of Callinan Chambers, located in Santos Place, Brisbane. He is also a member and director of Hemmant’s List, also located in Santos Place. He conducts an extensive trial court, appellate and advisory practice.

He is a nationally accredited mediator. He has mediated many disputes and appeared as counsel in many more.

Paula was called to the Bar in Queensland in 2022.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Paula:

• graduated with a Juris Doctor of Laws from Bond University in 2014;
• was admitted in 2015 to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia; and
• Following her admission, Paula worked predominately in Family and Criminal law in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.

Paula’s primary areas of interest are:

• Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law
• Commercial Law
• Common Law/Personal Injuries
• Criminal Law
• Equity
• Family Law and Guardianship and
• Regulatory Law (all types)

Paula is a dedicated and compassionate Barrister, providing detailed advice and advocating strongly on her client’s behalf.

Paula was called to the Bar in Queensland in 2022.

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.

As a solicitor, Emma spending 8 years working in Government and Private Practice in defendant insurance litigation representing insurers in both personal injuries and property damage litigation.  She then went on to establish the Financial Abuse Prevention team at a Queensland community legal service.

Emma has been at the bar since April 2021.  She has a broad practice in what she calls ‘human’ law – including personal injuries, insurance, consumer law, abuse law, guardianship, wills & probate, family law and domestic violence.

Emma is regularly briefed to appear both led and unled in State and Federal Courts.

Emma is a proud single mum and mental health advocate and regularly speaks about her experience.

If you believe Emma can assist you or your clients, are interested in coming to the bar, or ever feel the need to phone a friend – Emma warmly welcomes a phone call or a visit to the Hemmant’s List Centre for a cup of tea.

Karen is an accomplished commercial litigator with significant expertise in succession, equity and trusts.  She has a special interest in estate litigation with a commercial aspect, including company, partnership and trust disputes and disputes involving equitable causes of action and remedies.

She accepts briefs in all areas of succession law, including family provision applications, solemn form probate actions, will construction and cy pres applications, statutory wills and proceedings involving enduring powers of attorney.  Karen also accepts briefs which concern superannuation entitlements.

In the conduct of litigation which often involves complex law, and which is factually dense, Karen is known both for her strategic approach and her attention to detail.

Prior to her call to the Bar, Karen was a Queensland Law Society Accredited Specialist in succession law, becoming accredited in 2013.

Doyle’s Guide  ranks Karen as one of only a handful of leading Wills & Estates Litigation Junior Counsel.

Shaun was first called to the private bar in 2006 where he developed a broad advice and litigation practice encompassing criminal, tax and private law. In 2009, Shaun joined the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Queensland) as a Crown Prosecutor and conducted numerous criminal trials, sentences and appeals across Central and South-East Queensland.

In 2011, Shaun joined the Australian Taxation Office and gained extensive experience in federal income tax and superannuation law. He has worked on international, public and private group, and private wealth (family groups and individual) taxation matters.  Shaun has particular expertise in the taxation and regulation of self-managed superannuation funds.

Since returning to the private bar in 2022, Shaun predominantly practices in the areas of taxation and superannuation (primarily SMSFs). His experience is increasingly being called on in associated private wealth matters, particularly as applied to the fields of family, trusts and succession law.

Kirsty has been a barrister in private practice at the Queensland Bar based in Brisbane since February 2012.

Prior to commencing practice at the Queensland Bar, Kirsty was employed as a solicitor in the commercial litigation division of a national law firm.

Her practice extends to a wide range of commercial matters in both the State and Federal jurisdictions, including E-Trial experience.

Areas of specialty include mining and construction, corporate and personal insolvency, banking and finance, contract law, commercial and residential leases.

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 commercial litigation practice, with particular experience in disputes involving:

• Business Structures (including shareholder disputes),
• Bankruptcy and Insolvency, and
• Property

Reimen also practices in:

• Administrative Law,
• Estate Law (particularly Family Provision Applications),
• Family Law, and
• Human Rights (which extends to Employment Law and Discrimination matters).

Reimen’s practice includes international matters, especially in the South Pacific, and includes experience in international arbitrations.

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.

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.

Deacon has a diverse commercial practice, with a particular focus on competition and consumer law, industrial and employment law, tax law, and contract disputes.

An experienced advocate in both courtroom and tribunal settings, Deacon was called to the Bar in 2024 after his career as a solicitor with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service. Prior to this, he served as associate to his Honour Justice Philip Morrison on the Queensland Court of Appeal.

Deacon’s approach to litigation is defined by tenacity, resilience, and discipline, qualities that are particularly evidenced by his sustained excellence during his career transition. Before entering the legal profession, Deacon spent 12 years as a garbage truck driver. During this time, he completed his law degree while regularly working 60 hours a week and maintaining top academic performance.

Beyond his legal expertise, Deacon is known for his affable and approachable style, making him a valuable asset in any litigation setting

Llewellyn is a barrister at 8 Wentworth Chambers and Hemmant’s List specialising in disputes involving class actions, contract law, competition and consumer law, personal and corporate insolvency law, corporations law, succession law, land law, professional negligence law, employment law, taxation debt recovery and personal injury.

Llewellyn holds a Master of Banking and Finance Law from the University of Melbourne, a Master of Laws from the University of Queensland, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney, a Graduate Diploma of Applied Law (Wills and Estates) from the College of Law and a Diploma in Law from the Legal Practitioners Admission Board.

With over ten years of experience at the Bar, Llewellyn has a busy civil practice that spans across New South Wales and Queensland. He has appeared on trials and applications in the Federal Court of Australia, the Supreme Courts of New South Wales and Queensland, and other state courts and tribunals. He has also appeared as junior counsel on appeals to the intermediate appellate courts of New South Wales and Queensland.

Llewellyn has successfully represented parties at mediation and in other forms of dispute resolution. He is admitted to the High Court of Australia and is committed to providing high-quality legal services to his clients.

Llewellyn is admitted to the High Court of Australia.

Katrina practices predominantly in the areas of:

• estate and trust litigation (including contested probate, family provision, construction and rectification, statutory wills, informal wills, and breaches of trust);
• professional and medical negligence;
• public and product liability (including related insurance law matters of policy and contract interpretation, indemnity and contribution).

Katrina has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Recommended Wills and Estates Litigation Junior Counsel Queensland in 2019 and 2020, and a Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Junior Counsel in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

She regularly appears in contested applications, trials, mediations and conferences. She is a member of Society for Trust and Estate Practitioners, the Australian Insurance Lawyers Association, and the Australian Society of Legal Philosophy.

Katrina holds undergraduate degrees in Law (Hons) and Psychological Science, an LLM (Applied Law), and a PhD in Law.

David is a commercial silk principally with interests in tax and revenue law as well as an established general Chancery practice.

David also regularly appears for parties in commercial and administrative law disputes involving issues ranging from commercial contracts to professional negligence; and company disputes to reviewing tax posture of large corporations.

David also appears in private client matters, about trusts and estates.

David has increasingly been involved in professional conduct matters, principally as a member of STEP’s disciplinary panel.

Details of the matters David has been involved in can be reviewed on his personal website.

While chambers are in Brisbane, Australia he accepts instructions to appear and acts for clients in all Australian jurisdictions.

Prior to being called to the Bar, David worked at a solicitors’ firm for 10 years in the area of tax law. David was called to the private Bar in 2000 and took silk in 2015.

David has developed a particular practice in accepting instructions for opinion briefs from accountants who are members of the major professional associations.

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

• Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Senior Counsel – Australia 2021
• Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Senior Counsel – Queensland 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023
• Leading (Preeminent) Taxation Barrister (Senior Counsel)– Queensland 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023

Mr Ryan Nattrass is a barrister first called to the Queensland Bar in May 2022.

Ryan predominantly practises in civil litigation, insurance, and administrative and public law. Ryan maintains a broad practice but has particular experience in matters relating to judicial and merits review, professional liability (including civil claims, regulatory proceedings, and insurance coverage), and health (including inquests and inquiries, and matters involving the parens patriae jurisdiction).

Prior to coming to the Bar, Ryan practised as a solicitor in national firms in Australia and the United Kingdom, and also as a financial lines claims manager for one of the world’s largest insurance intermediaries. Ryan has a collaborative and pragmatic approach to litigation.

In addition to private work, Ryan is a member of LawRight and the Caxton Legal Centre. Ryan is also a sessional academic at the QUT Law School.

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.

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.

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.

Richard has more than 23 years experience as a commercial barrister and specialises in administrative law, corporations law, superannuation, and tax.

He is highly experienced in tax and superannuation litigation and regularly appears in the Federal Court and AAT.

In tax, he advises and litigates in respect of all aspects of revenue law (including income tax, capital gains, GST, and judicial review of decisions).  Richard acts for taxpayers in respect of “front end” tax advice, advising in respect of audits, interviews, negotiations, and to advise and settling tax objections and private ruling applications through to litigious matters. Increasingly, he appears and advises with the assistance of a junior.

Richard also accepts direct briefs from accounting firms.

In superannuation, he advises and litigates on behalf of fund trustees and members in respect of regulatory matters and appeals, which includes the performance or discharge of obligations and powers and the conduct of investigations by or proceedings initiated by a regulator.

Richard advises trustees and investors of the legal issues confronting the SMSF market and its funding.

Recent matters that Richard has been involved in include:

• Acting on behalf of taxpayers in tax appeals in the Federal Court and the AAT.
• Advising on the federal and state revenue, Corporations Act, and Superannuation compliance of certain investment products.
• Advising on the interplay between State superannuation products and Federal superannuation.
• Advising on the superannuation law aspects of a Family Law and third party settlement arrangement.
• Advising on objections and appeals in respect of state revenue matters.
• Advising on Federal pension schemes.
• Acting and advising in relation to Part IVA litigation, NALI litigation, and group consolidation.
• Advising on the prospects of success of an objection concerning the interplay between superannuation and income tax.
• Advising on the interplay between superannuation and income tax;
• Advising on stay of review proceedings where the applicant is charged with numerous criminal offences;
• Appearing in interlocutory proceedings (interlocutory injunction, subpoenas, discovery) concerning a large tax liability matter;
• Advising superannuation trustees on and appearing at appeals from the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal;
• Appearing on review and appeal of income tax assessments for self -managed superannuation fund transactions;
• Appearing in judicial review (and subsequent successful summary judgment) of various tax estimates;
• Appearing on review of income tax assessments based on fraud and evasion, involving significant cross-examination (of 32 witnesses);
• Appearing in State court appeals in respect of tax recovery matters.
• Appearing in appeals from the AAT to the Federal Court.

Richard has also been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Tax Barrister (Queensland) in 2020, 2021, 2022, and again in 2023.

Richard is also a commercial litigator and mediator.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Civil Law, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Durham.

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

Paul practised as a solicitor with Higher Rights of Audience in London and as an advocate in Jersey (Channel Islands) between 2001 and 2021. He then worked in commercial litigation as Special Counsel in Brisbane from 2022 to 2024 before being called to the Queensland Bar in mid-2024.

Paul has represented clients in significant matters across domestic and offshore jurisdictions, including cases involving trust disputes, directors’ duties, insolvency claims, and shareholder disputes. Notable examples of his work include acting in multi-million-pound fraud claims, high-value breach of trust cases, and corporate disputes involving wrongful or insolvent trading.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and accepts appointments as an arbitrator in commercial and contractual disputes. Paul is also an adjunct lecturer at the T.C. Beirne School of Law at the University of Queensland, where he teaches Succession and Advanced Trusts and Trustees.

Peter Travis is a commercial barrister, national mediator and California attorney who has been an advocate for nearly 25 years.

In Australia, Peter  has appeared in the trial and appellate courts on disputes involving banking and finance, construction, trade practices and competition law, insurance, shareholder oppression, regulatory enforcement, restraint of trade and intellectual property.

Before joining the Queensland Bar in 2008, Peter was admitted to practice as an attorney at the California Bar after passing the Bar Exam in 2002.

In the US, Peter represented major film and television studios in First Amendment, intellectual property and antitrust disputes, among other commercial disputes.

Building on his experience as an advocate in complex commercial mediations, Peter is also retained as a mediator to help parties negotiate a resolution to disputes involving a broad range of civil practice areas.

Rachel was called to the bar in 2020.

Rachel’s practice is broadly commercial, with experience in building and construction, property, personal injury, discrimination and workplace matters.

Rachel has also undertaken additional study in Mediation at the QUT Faculty of Law and the Resolution Institute.

Immediately prior to coming to the bar, Rachel practised as a generalist solicitor, with a focus on commercial law, with additional practice areas in family law, personal injury and workplace law.

Her background representing clients in a wide range of legal interactions allows her to apply a broader insight in advising clients in a broad range of legal areas.

Rachel also has an academic background in linguistics, having lived and studied in France for a number of years.  Rachel is fluent in spoken and written French, having completed her PhD in cotutelle between the University of Queensland and Paris III (Sorbonne Nouvelle), achieving a “mention tres honorable avec felicitations” (the highest academic distinction in France) for her defence in front of a jury of 5 academic leaders in the field.

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.

Michael practises nationally in taxation law and related areas including commercial, corporations, public, property, superannuation and trust law.

He has practised in taxation law for 10 years, initially as a solicitor at Allens and Herbert Smith Freehills and then at the Bar.

His practice focuses on the conduct of tax audits and disputes, including advising on the audit process, preparation of position papers, settlement negotiations and the conduct of litigation, as well as providing advice on a broad range of taxation issues. He has appeared in the Federal Court and High Court and has assisted in all aspects of the conduct of disputes.

He is a member of the Bar Association of Queensland’s Taxation Law Committee, the Australian Bar Association’s Taxation Committee and is Deputy Chair of the Tax Institute’s Dispute Resolution Technical Committee.

He has postgraduate qualifications in law, tax and international tax and is currently undertaking a doctorate in corporate and international tax part-time at the University of Melbourne.

He is also a reporter for the Australian Tax Reports and Commonwealth Law Reports.

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.