Barristers – Property Law

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.

Jozef was called to the respective Bars of Queensland (Australia) and England & Wales (United Kingdom) in 2023, and currently practises in Queensland.

He accepts briefs in all areas of the law, with a particular focus on commercial and public law and a special interest in matters engaging civil rights.

Prior to call and following a 2015 admission in the Supreme Court of Queensland as the youngest lawyer in Southern Hemisphere history that received international coverage and earned him a congressional commendation from the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines, Jozef practised for three years as a solicitor specialised in commercial dispute resolution. As a solicitor, he represented clients in a broad range of matters spanning contractual and property disputes through guardianship contentions and winding up applications to debt recovery and defamation suits.

After graduating from a Master of Laws specialised in Public International Law with High Distinction at the Australian National University, he completed the prestigious Master’s Degree in Corporate Law at the University of Cambridge in 2021 while serving as an associate editor of the Cambridge Law Review.

Before commencing at the Bar, Jozef successfully swept a gauntlet of rigorous standardised bar examinations around the world, consisting of those for admission in the jurisdictions of New York (United States of America), England and Wales (United Kingdom), and Queensland (Australia), certifying his conversance with principles of public, civil, and criminal law in each of the jurisdictions.

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.

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.

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 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.

William Evans joined the bar in October 2021 following a 13-year career as a solicitor practicing in commercial litigation.

Prior to being called to the bar, William worked for 13 years as a commercial litigation solicitor at a leading Townsville firm.

As a solicitor, William enjoyed a broad commercial practice with particular emphasis on litigation and advisory work in the fields of contract, building, insolvency, consumer law and property.

William continues these interests at the bar.

William is an experienced litigator, regularly appearing in both State and Federal jurisdictions.

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.

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.

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.

Jennifer was called to the Bar in 2016.

Jennifer has a broad civil practice with an emphasis on insurance and personal injuries law, including claims involving health law and medical negligence, workers’ compensation, historical abuse and dust diseases. She also practises in administrative, public and general commercial law.

Jennifer has appeared, both led and unled, in Federal and State courts (including appellate courts), as well as the Coroner’s Court, the Land Court and a range of tribunals. She has appeared in the High Court on applications for special leave and appeals.

She regularly represents insurers, government and statutory authorities, medical practitioners, allied health practitioners and other professionals in common law claims, as well as investigations and disciplinary proceedings.

Prior to commencing at the Bar, Jennifer was a solicitor at Minter Ellison and was Associate to His Honour Judge Rackemann.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.