Christopher Hartcher

Christopher was called to the Bar in September 2024 and was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales in 2018. Having worked as a solicitor for 6 years, he gained experience in corporate advisory (M&A), commercial and corporate law, commercial litigation and intellectual property at firms including Colin Biggers & Paisley and Gilbert + Tobin.

He accepts briefs in all areas of law and has experience in corporate advisory, commercial litigation and insolvency. He also a keen interest in tax and revenue, banking and finance and equity.

He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Technology. Sydney (2018) where he placed first in the subjects of company law, insurance law and corporate governance. He also holds a Bachelor of Communications and a Bachelor of Business from Charles Sturt University (2014).

John Nolan

John accepts briefs in all areas of law. He practices predominantly in commercial law, with a focus on insolvency, bankruptcy, corporations, banking and equity. John also has significant experience in Federal and State criminal law, and disputes relating to taxation, property and construction.

Prior to coming to the bar in 2024, John was employed as a Senior Associate in Ashurst’s tier-one Restructuring, Insolvency and Special Situations Group, as a Senior Associate at
Colin Biggers & Paisley in its Restructuring & Insolvency group, and as a Federal Prosecutor for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

John was admitted to practice as a solicitor in New South Wales and the High Court in 2017. He has experience as solicitor advocate in contested applications in all jurisdictions in NSW and in the Federal Court of Australia. Whilst employed as a Federal Prosecutor, John regularly appeared as solicitor advocate for the Director in bail applications in the Local
Court of NSW and Supreme Court of NSW, in Commonwealth lists in Sydney and regional NSW, and in sentences in the Local and District Courts of NSW.

A small selection of cases (as solicitor)

  • Mooi Holdings Pty Ltd v SFN Constructions Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 573
  • NR Addlestone Pty Ltd v Henry v Kogan [2021] NSWSC 1410
  • Re Madden (in his capacity as receiver of Direct Acceptance Corporation Ltd (In Liq) (2019) ACSR 245
  • Hayes (Liquidator) v 5G Developments Pty Ltd, in the matter of 5G Developments Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 15414

Shelley Scott

Admissions and Appointments

  • Admitted as a Barrister: 2018
  • Admitted as a Solicitor: 2007

Qualifications

  • BA/LLB (with Distinction)
  • Member of ARITA (Australian Restructuring Insolvency Turnaround Association)

Select Cases

As Junior Counsel (led):

  • Breach of directors’ duties; deceit, misleading and deceptive conduct: Kalaf & Ors v ICAP Australia Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 656led by David Mackay
  • Trespass, damages, mesne profits: Sydney Local Health District v Macquarie International Health Clinic Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 274trespass, damages for trespass, mesne profitsled by David Williams SC and Bora Kaplan (special leave pending)
  • Creditors’ scheme of arrangement: In the matter of Ovato Print Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1683; 150 ACSR 32, led by Ian Jackman SC
  • Termination of contract: Macquarie International Health ClinicPty Ltd v Sydney Local Health District [2020] NSWCA 161; 103 NSWLR443 led by Ian Jackman SC and J Williams
  • Restitution, breach of contract: O’Donnell v Goway Travel Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 682led by Lachlan Gyles SC and Adrian Maroya
  • Inquiry into the conduct of a liquidator, Commissioner of Taxation v Iannuzzi [2018] FCA 1053, led by David McLure SC and Thomas Prince.
  • 444GA application, Federal Court of Australia: In the matter of Sphere Healthcare, led by David Sulan
  • Redomiciliation scheme of arrangement: Champion Iron Limited, in the matter of Champion Iron Limited [2020] FCA 81 led by Michael Izzo SC
  • Members’ scheme of arrangement: URB Investments Limited, in the matter of URB Investments Limited (No 2)[2019] FCA 2160 led by Ross Foreman SC
  • Redomiciliation scheme of arrangement: Sundance Energy Australia Limited, in the matter of Sundance Energy Australia Limited [2019] FCA 1944 led by Michael Izzo SC
  • Members’ scheme of arrangement: Xenith IP Group Limited, in the matter of Xenith IP Group Limited [2019] FCA 173, led by Tiffany Wong SC
  • Members’ scheme of arrangement, Folkestone Limited, in the matter of Folkestone Limited (No 2) [2018] FCA 1593, led by Michael Izzo SC

As Junior Counsel (unled):

  • Inquest into the death of Ian Fackender
  • Application for freezing orders (instructed by the Australian Taxation Office)
  • Inquest into the death of Makushla Nikolaevsky:https://coroners.nsw.gov.au/coroners-court/download.html/documents/findings/2020/NIKOLAEVSKY_FINDINGS.pdf
  • Application to transfer proceedings interstate: Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Ltd v Aqua Star Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1373
  • Setting aside statutory demand: In the matter of Hengji Development Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 1515
  • Leave to file an amended defence: Apollo Kitchens (NSW) Pty Limited v Goway Travel Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 1913
  • Breach of contract, ostensible authority,restitution: 
  • Indemnity costs application, Morris v McConaghy Australia Pty Ltd (No 5)[2018] FCA 1582
  • Breach of retail lease, Zambrero Property Pty Limited v H&L Invest Pty Limited [2019] (unreported), Local Court of New South Wales hearing: retail leases
  • Security for costs, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Mao and Sun Pty Limited v Shaoyong Guo
  • District Court Proceedings: appeared on various interlocutory applications, including applications for security for costs and procedural motions.
  • Corporations List matters: appeared in various Corporations List matters including applications for winding up and statutory demand proceedings
  • Local Court proceedings: appeared in various Local Court hearings, including in relation to the Australian Consumer Law.

As a solicitor:

  • Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption: Secondment to Solicitor Assisting the Commission team.
  • Inquiry into the conduct of a liquidator: Commissioner of Taxation v Iannuzzi[2018] FCA 1053
  • Acted for Deloitte in their capacity as provisional liquidators appointed to various entities within the Plutus Group of companies which are at the centre of allegations concerning a significant fraud on the ATO.
  • Acted for GlaxoSmithKline Australia in connection with an ACCC and New Zealand Commerce Commission investigation.
  • Acted for GlaxoSmithKline Australia in its misleading and deceptive conduct claim concerning Nurofen: GlaxoSmithKline Australia Pty Ltd v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Limited (No 2) [2018] FCA
  • Acted for SingTel Optus in NSW Supreme Court breach of fiduciary duty and misleading and deceptive conduct proceedings against former senior employees: SingTel Optus v Almad [2013] NSWSC1098 and on appeal Hasler v SingTelOptus Pty Ltd; Curtis v SingTel Optus Pty Ltd; SingTel Optus Pty Ltd v Almad Pty Ltd (2014) 87 NSWLR 609.
  • Acted for a publicly listed mining company in misleading and deceptive conduct proceedings under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
  • Acted for ANZ (and receivers appointed by ANZ) in recovery proceedings and public examinations concerning a property developer.
  • Acted for Vitaco Holdings Limited in connection with a members’ scheme of arrangement.
  • Acted for Challenger Managed Investments in connection with the ASIC investigation into Storm Financial.
  • Acted for SingTel Optus in public examination of the directors of Sumo Distribution and StoragePty Ltd (in Liquidation)
  • Acted for Axiom Molecular Pty Ltd the respondents to proceedings brought seeking damages and account of profits for breach of fiduciary duties: Global Medical Solutions AustraliaPty Ltd v Axiom MolecularPty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1517.
  • Acted for Challenger Managed Investments Limited and the Colonial First State Investments (the trustees) of two frozen managed investment funds in judicial advice proceedings concerning unsolicited attempts by a company to purchase the units of several investors for a fraction of fair market value: See Challenger Howard Mortgage Fund [2011] NSWSC 213 and Colonial First State Investments Ltd as Responsible Entity for ColonialFirst State Mortgage Income Fund, Re [2011] NSWSC 484.
  • Acted for the voluntary administrators of the Westbus Group of companies in protracted proceedings by minority shareholders alleging oppression and breaches of directors’ duties.
  • Acted for adopted son in proceedings concerning mental capacity to grant a power of attorney and statutory will: Scott v Scott [2012] NSWSC 1541

Bede Haines

EXPERIENCE

Bede accepts briefs in all areas of law, and has particular expertise in property law, contract law, commercial law and equity. He brings to the Bar almost 20 years’ experience as a solicitor, including as a litigation partner in a national commercial firm, having acted for and advised large corporates, all levels of government, institutional land owners and mortgagees.

As a solicitor, he has appeared as advocate in contested matters in the Supreme Court, the Land & Environment Court, the District Court, the Local Court and NCAT. This includes acting for Transport for NSW in Boensch v Transport for NSW and Registrar General of New South Wales [2023] NSWLEC 82.

In 2004, Bede was Tipstaff to the Hon Murray Tobias AM RFD KC on the NSW Court of Appeal.

QUALIFICATIONS and ACADEMICS

Bede holds 2 degrees, B.B.A. (Syd) and LL.B. (NSW). During his studies, he received the Julius Stone Prize for Legal Theory, the Dean’s Certificate for Academic Achievement (UNSW) and was placed on the Deans’ List for Excellence in Academic Performance (Syd).

PUBLICATIONS

Bede is on the editorial panel of the Australian Property Law Bulletin, publishing several articles a year. He has been published in the Australian Law Journal and the Australian Journal of Legal Philosophy.

Georgia Adams

Georgia is developing a thriving advocacy and advisory practice across tax, trust, equity and commercial disputes of all kinds. She has significant experience in both tax fraud and civil fraud matters, and company disputes.

Georgia is instructed as sole counsel and as part of a team, and regularly appears in the Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court, District Court and Local Court.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Georgia was a solicitor at a mid-sized law firm in the Sydney CBD, where her focus was on commercial and tax advisory matters, complex commercial disputes and professional negligence claims. Georgia has also worked as an Institutional Banking & Markets Associate at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, where she advised large corporate, institutional and government clients.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney
  • Chartered Tax Adviser

Memberships

  • CTA Member of The Tax Institute
  • Member of the International Fiscal Association (Australian Branch)

Jerry Li

Jerry accepts briefs in all areas of law. He primarily practises in commercial law including insurance, construction and taxation. He has acted for builders, developers, strata corporations and councils in a variety of matters in relation to defects claims and development applications.

He also teaches torts at the University of Technology Sydney.

Prior to joining the bar, Jerry worked as a solicitor at Minter Ellison in the Disputes, Competition and Insurance Practice Group. Jerry had also worked at Moray & Agnew in their government insurance team.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) (University of Sydney) (2015-2017)
  • Bachelor of Laws (University of Sydney) (2015-2019)
  • Graduate Diploma in Legal Professional Practice (University of New South Wales) (2020)

Tim Poisel

Prior to being called to the Bar, Tim had over 10 years’ experience as a solicitor in private practice at mid and top tier law firms.

Tim primarily specialises in Environment & Planning, however practices in various other areas of law. He has appeared in the NSW Court of Appeal, NSW Supreme Court, NSW Land and Environment Court, NSW Local Courts and NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (University of Sydney)
  • Master of Laws (University of Sydney)

Edwina Keynes

Edwina Keynes has a broad commercial practice with particular expertise in equity, property, corporate insolvency, and banking-related matters.

Edwina is regularly briefed to appear in the New South Wales and South Australian superior courts. Her appearance work includes contractual and equity disputes, property and land matters, liquidations and complex winding up proceedings, construction, and banking and finance related proceedings.

Prior to the Bar, Edwina practiced as a solicitor in commercial litigation in the New South Wales, Victorian and South Australian jurisdictions, working at Kemp Strang (2015 – 2018) and Madsen Rowley (2013 – 2015). She regularly appeared and advised in general commercial, insolvency and corporate matters.

Edwina Keynes was associate to the Honourable Justice Anderson of the Supreme Court of South Australia (2013 – 2014).

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (LLBHons) and Bachelor of International Studies (University of Adelaide, 2005 – 2012)
  • Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (College of Law, Melbourne, 2012)

David Allen

David has a general commercial practice and is briefed on a wide range of disputes involving contractual, equitable and statutory remedies.

He has particular expertise in relation to finance transactions and financial regulation. At the Bar, he has appeared as junior counsel for APRA on several applications. While a solicitor, he completed placements at Morgan Stanley and ANZ.

David trained at Allens (2011-2014) and later practised in London at Allen & Overy LLP (2015-2017). He returned to Australia and before being called to the Bar was a senior associate at Ashurst (2018-2020).

Qualifications

  • Master of Economics, Bachelor of Laws (LLB Hons I), Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons I) (University of Sydney)

Presentations and Publications

“Recent Banking and Finance Cases – Mortgagee Sales (Almona v Parklea Corporation), Debtors under the National Credit Code, Matrimonial Resulting Trusts”, City of Sydney Law Society (2022)

“Recent Banking and Finance Cases – The Arrium decision and Latest Cases on Unfair Contract Terms”, Ross Parsons Centre, University of Sydney (2021)

Co-author of LexisNexis’s Practical Guidance Personal Property Securities

Vincci Chan

Vincci Chan was called to the bar in 2020 and has a broad commercial practice covering contractual disputes, corporations law and equity.

Prior to her bar admission, she gained extensive experience as a dispute resolution lawyer at various Australian law firms, including as a Senior Associate at Freehills. A significant proportion of the matters on which she has worked have involved clients in the resources (mining, oil, and gas) and banking (including insolvency) sectors.

Vincci has been admitted as an attorney-at-law in Texas, and she has worked abroad gaining further exposure to the resources industry, and skills in contract drafting and negotiations.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (University of Western Australia)

Lucinda Cooper-Hackman

Lucinda Cooper-Hackman specialises in commercial law and equity, building and construction law, insurance law and estate administration. Known for her strong communication and interpersonal skills, clients often comment on her approachability, as well as her empathetic approach to preparing a matter and running proceedings.

Lucinda was called to the Bar in 2020, after previously being the Tipstaff to the Honourable Justice Slattery AM RAN in the Equity Division of the Supreme Court of NSW. This gave her first-hand insights into the Court’s workings on commercial matters, including contractual claims, restraints of trade applications, family provision claims, real property claims and applications for judicial advice.

Lucinda has also worked as a solicitor and associate at leading commercial and insurance law firms, managing professional indemnity matters, ranging from professional negligence to class actions. She was admitted to practice in 2015.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB, University of Adelaide)
  • Master of Laws (LLM, University of Sydney).

Outside of the law, Lucinda loves nothing more than a true crime podcast, her book club (mainly for the cheese platter) and pilates.

Michael Forgacs

Michael Forgacs was admitted to practice in 2014 and called to the Bar in 2017.  Prior to joining the Bar, Michael practiced as a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution group at King & Wood Mallesons. He also worked as a tipstaff at the New South Wales Court of Appeal. Michael’s practice as a solicitor was primarily in complex commercial litigation, regulatory disputes and administrative law matters.

Michael is briefed in a wide range of commercial matters, including consumer law, corporations, equity and property law.  He also accepts briefs in administrative law, including migration law. His experience includes advisory work and appearances in the High Court of Australia, Federal Court, NSW Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as in tribunals. Michael aims always to provide advice through a strategic and commercial lens.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB Hons I) (University of Sydney)
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons I) (University of Sydney).

Aidan Gandar

Aidan Gandar was admitted as a solicitor in 2014 and called to the Bar in 2018.

Before coming to the Bar, Aidan worked as the Commercial List Researcher for Justice Hammershlag at the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2013 and then as a solicitor for Lander & Rogers Lawyers in Insurance Law & Litigation.  As a solicitor, Aidan gained experience in a wide range of commercial disputes in the District, Supreme and Federal Courts and also acted in commissions, inquiries and tribunals.

Qualifications and Awards

  • Bachelor of Science (BSc, University of NSW)
  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB )
  • Juris Doctor (JD, University of Sydney)

Aidan received the Ludlows Award for the Highest Mark in the June 2017 Bar examination.

Michael Keene

Michael practiced as a solicitor for almost ten years prior to being called to the Bar in 2018.

Prior to, and since being admitted to, the Bar, Michael’s practice has centred around real property, commercial and building and construction litigation. Michael also specialises in the Australian Consumer Law (with a particular focus on Misleading and Deceptive conduct) and Building and Construction Security of Payment disputes.

Michael often acts for banks, listed companies, small to medium enterprises, developers, head contractors and subcontractors. Michael commonly appears (in both substantive and interlocutory matters) in the Supreme Court (including the appellate jurisdiction), while also having experience in various jurisdictions including the High, Federal, District and Local Courts – as well as the NCAT.

Michael has keen passion for teaching and lectures at the University of Sydney in Real Property Law. Michael’s style is practical, with a vision to teach students the essence of real property in a way that will be relevant to the student’s professional career. Michael is also currently contributing to an established legal text (contract law) and hopes that the same will be released in the not too distant future…

Qualifications

  • Michael holds the degrees B.B.A., LL.B., LL.M (Syd).

Clare Langford

Clare accepts briefs in most areas of law, with a particular interest in public and commercial law. She holds degrees in law and international studies from the University of Sydney and a Master of Public and International Law from the University of Melbourne.

Clare was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 2014 and joined the Bar in 2021. Before coming to the Bar, she was a senior solicitor in the Constitutional and Administrative Law group of the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office.

She also worked as an associate in the Global Disputes group of the international law firm Jones Day, and as the Researcher to the Equity Division of the Supreme Court of New South Wales under Justice Patricia Bergin.

From 2014 to 2017, Clare was an assistant general editor with the Australian Law Journal and its Personalia editor.

Qualifications

  • Master of Public and International Law (University of Melbourne, 2020 – 2022)
  • Bachelor of Laws (Hons I), (University of Sydney, 2008 – 2013)
  • Bachelor of International Studies (French studies) (University of Sydney, 2008 – 2013)

Select Publications

Chapter 5 of Fisher and Lightwood’s Law of Mortgages (3rd Australian Edition, 2013) on the subject of the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth).

“The prerogative writs and the origins of English administrative law” (2014) Australian Law Journal.

Patrick Lin

Before joining University Chambers in 2021, Patrick completed his LLM at Columbia Law School in New York. Prior to Columbia, Patrick worked as a solicitor at Armstrong Legal, where he primarily handled estate litigation matters in the Supreme Court.

Since coming to the Bar, Patrick has appeared, led and unled, in various courts and tribunals, including the Local Court, NCAT, Federal Circuit Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Appeal.

Patrick accepts briefs in all areas of the law.

Qualifications and Awards

  • Bachelor of Arts (Williams College, Massachusetts, USA, 2013)
  • Juris Doctor (Sydney University, Sydney, Australia, 2017)
  • Master of Laws (Columbia University, New York, USA, 2020)
    • Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar (honours equivalent)
    • Parker School Certificate for Achievement in International and Comparative Law

Publications

Internet Jurisdiction: Using Content Delivery Networks to Ascertain Intention, Virginia Journal of Law and Technology, Vol. 24, No. 3, Fall 2020.

The Portal to Intermediary Liability: Merging Secondary Liability with Private International Law and Equity, Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property, Vol. 20, No. 3, Summer 2020.

Brendan May

Brendan accepts briefs in all areas of law, with a practice focused principally on commercial and equity matters. He has particular expertise in commercial and company law, equity, property, class actions, and insolvency. He appears in trials and appeals in courts and tribunals throughout Australia, and regularly advises on complex commercial disputes involving multiple areas of law.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Brendan practiced as a solicitor in a team focused on commercial litigation at Piper Alderman in Sydney.

Qualifications and Awards

  • Juris Doctor (University of Sydney) – awarded the Postgraduate prize in Jurisprudence.

James M McEnaney

James McEnaney was admitted to practice in 2011.

Between 2014 – 2015, he specialised in workers compensation, work injury damages and Section 151Z recovery at Kaden Boriss. He was previously a solicitor at Turks (2012 -14) and White Barnes (2010 -12). (White Barnes merged with Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers in 2013.)

James was made senior associate at Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers (2015 – 2020), practicing in workers compensation and work injury damages, CTP claims, public liability and medical negligence cases.

James joined University Chambers in 2021.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB, University of Technology, 2005 – 2011),
  • Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) (University of Technology Sydney, 2005 – 2011)

Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz

Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz specialises in corporate and commercial disputes, class actions, and human rights litigation.

After his admission to practice (2014), Daniel was a senior associate at a specialist litigation firm in Sydney. Before becoming a lawyer, Daniel worked in media and public policy.

Daniel combines a mathematician’s accuracy, logic, and attention to detail, with a journalistic quest to uncover truth – making a compelling case that is easy to follow.

Daniel accepts briefs in all areas of law.

Qualifications and Awards

  • Bachelor of Science (BSc, Financial Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, 2009)
  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB Hons 1, University of Technology, 2013)
  • Finalist in the dispute resolution category of the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 awards (2015 and 2016), and in the pro bono category (2017).

His personal website is here.

Jacob Rodgers

Specialising in complex commercial litigation, Jacob has acted for Australian banks, insolvency practitioners, listed companies, large sports organisations, proprietary corporations and individuals.

Prior to joining the Bar and University Chambers, Jacob was an experienced senior associate in commercial litigation, most recently at Kardos Scanlan. Throughout his career Jacob has had carriage of matters in all the principal courts in NSW, as well as the Federal Court and the High Court of Australia. Jacob has even conducted a mediation in New York in relation to a high-profile cross border sports matter. Prior coming to the Bar, Jacob was an experienced solicitor advocate, having appeared in numerous matters in motions and also at final hearings in most Courts in NSW and the Federal Court.

Jacob was a lawyer (2013 – 2015) and senior associate at Kemp Strang (2015 – 2018). Prior to that, Jacob was a lawyer at Harris Freidman Lawyers (2012 – 2013).

Jacob was admitted to practice in 2012. Prior to his admission as a solicitor, Jacob worked as an Executive Producer at radio station 2UE for five years while completing his studies.

Qualifications

  • Master of Laws (LLM – University of Sydney, 2014 – 2016)
  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (Hons) and Bachelor of Media (Macquarie University, 2007 – 2012)
  • ARITA (Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association) Advanced 2016