Richard has more than 20 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. Richard also accepts direct briefs from accounting firms to advise in respect of audits, interviews, negotiations, and to advise and settle tax objections and private ruling applications.
In superannuation, he advises and litigates on behalf of superannuation fund trustees in respect of regulatory matters and appeals.
Recent matters that Richard has been involved in include:
- 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 and 2021.
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.