Vanessa was admitted to practice in 2018 and called to the Bar in September 2023.

Vanessa accepts briefs in all areas of law, with a particular focus on criminal law (prosecution and defence briefs) and proceeds of crime.

Immediately prior to her call to the Bar, Vanessa practised as a Criminal Assets Litigation lawyer with the Australian Federal Police.  There she worked within the Criminal Assets Taskforce.  Vanessa conducted proceedings for the restraint and forfeiture of property suspected to be the proceeds of crime in the NSW Supreme Court. Alongside agency partners, Vanessa assessed referrals as well as conducting the preparation of evidence at various stages of litigation and was also involved in the preparation of compulsory examinations.

As a solicitor, Vanessa prosecuted Federal Offences as an A/Senior Federal Prosecutor at the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.  In her work at the Commonwealth DPP, Vanessa gained significant experience dealing with Commonwealth drug importation, cybercrime, and child abuse material offences.  She instructed in trials and appeals to the Court of Criminal Appeal as well as appearing as solicitor advocate in sentence proceedings, bail hearings and severity appeals.  She also gained experience defending matters, spending some time as a defence solicitor with Hanna Legal.

She is well regarded for her ability to assess evidence, as well as her skill in successfully negotiating with parties to resolve matters by way of appropriate pleas or settlements.

Vanessa holds Bachelors degrees in Laws (Honours) and International Studies from Macquarie University.

Jon was admitted to practice in 2016 and called to the Bar in 2022.

Jon accepts briefs in all areas of law, with a particular interest in commercial law, private international law and insurance.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Jon was a senior associate at Norton Rose Fulbright in the insolvency, restructuring and banking team. He acted for a broad range of clients, including banks, private equity firms and insolvency practitioners. Jon also previously worked in insurance litigation with Curwoods (now McCabes) and Mills Oakley. He has had primary carriage of proceedings in the District and Supreme Courts of New South Wales, as well as the Federal Court.

Jon holds a Master of Laws from University College London, as well as a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame Australia. During this time at university, Jon received prizes in Corporations Law, Mining & Petroleum Law, Evidence Law and Anti-Trust Comparative US and EU Law.

Allan was admitted to practice in 2013 and called to the Bar in 2022.

Allan accepts briefs in all areas of law, with a particular focus in commercial law, public law, defamation and commissions of inquiry.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Allan was a senior associate at Clayton Utz in the commercial litigation practice, where he worked closely with clients and was well regarded for his ability to simplify and communicate complex arguments.  He spent 13 years working in top-tier firms, and gained experience in a range of areas, including defamation, public and administrative law, inquiries (including Royal Commissions, investigations and whistleblower protections), arbitration and private international law.  He has had primary carriage of proceedings in the District and Supreme Courts of New South Wales, as well as the Federal Court and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and is an experienced solicitor advocate (including in multiple forms of alternative dispute resolution).  Allan has acted for a broad range of clients, including Government departments and entities (State and Federal), commercial entities and not-for-profits, and individuals.

Since 2019, Allan has been a co-author of the High Court Practice, Thomson Lawbook Co.

Allan holds a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney.  He received the Lawyers’ Weekly 30 Under 30 award for Dispute Resolution and Litigation, and was a finalist in the Pro Bono category.  He also received the DLA Piper Global Responsible Business Award for his work with United for Wildlife and the Royal Foundation on global wildlife conservation and trafficking.

Elly has a broad practice with specialist expertise in commercial litigation, domestic and cross-border insolvency, and white collar crime.

Elly has appeared both led and unled in the Supreme, District and Local Courts of New South Wales including in contested interlocutory and final hearings.

Since her call to the Bar, Elly has been briefed in cross-border insolvency cases, class actions, and fraud cases for both the Crown and defence.  Elly has also acted for the Commonwealth of Australia in whistleblower and insolvency matters.

Prior to her call to the Bar, Elly was a Federal Prosecutor in the Commercial, Financial and Corruption branch of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, and a solicitor at Gilbert + Tobin.  Elly has a decade of experience in boutique and national firms in Brisbane and Sydney.

Elly currently serves on a number of professional bodies:

Elly holds a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours, a Bachelor of Politics, Government and International Relations, and has completed Advanced Certification in Insolvency with the Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association.

Selected cases:

  1. 1Greylag Goose Leasing 1410 Designated Activity Company v P.T. Garuda Indonesia Ltd [2023] NSWCA 134 (Bell CJ, Meagher JA and Kirk JA), led by Emma Beechey [application for foreign state immunity upheld on appeal].
  2. Application by SCS Super Pty Limited atf Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund [2022] NSWSC 686 (Hallen J), led by Dominique Hogan-Doran SC [application for judicial advice].
  3. In the matter of Hydrodec Group Plc [2021] NSWSC 755, led by Emma Beechey [successfully opposed an order for recognition of a UK moratorium proceeding under the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency].
  4. In the matter of Hydrodec Group Plc (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1491, led by Emma Beechey.
  5. Perpetual Trustees Victoria Limited v Babasa [2021] NSWSC 1062.

Joseph (Joe) has a broad commercial practice and readily accepts briefs to advise and appear for clients across a wide variety of practice areas and jurisdictions.  Joe is regularly briefed to appear, with or without a leader, in federal and state Courts and Tribunals for applications, trials and appeals.

With a particular interest in corporations and insolvency law, Joe is often briefed to appear on behalf of liquidators, shareholders and creditors in relation to recovery actions and other proceedings under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Joe recently appeared before the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia and subsequently the High Court of Australia in Morton as liquidator of MJ Woodman Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd v Metal Manufactures Pty Limited, a case concerning the availability of statutory set-off in unfair preference recoveries, led by J Gleeson SC and G McNally SC.

In addition to corporations and insolvency matters, Joe regularly appears in complex contractual disputes, contested estates, building and construction claims, professional negligence and insurance disputes in federal and state Courts and Tribunals. The diversity of Joe’s experience as an advocate is reflected in the breadth of his practice.

Beyond appearing in applications and trials at first instance, Joe appears in relation to appeals before appellate Courts and Tribunals including the NSW Court of Appeal and High Court of Australia, where his collaborative approach with solicitors and skills in written advocacy are regularly deployed.

As a passionate believer in the cab-rank principle, Joe readily accepts briefs to advise and appear for corporations, agencies and private individuals across NSW and interstate. Joe emphasises a flexible and modern approach to his practice, recognising the increasing significance of practical and business considerations in litigation for both solicitors and clients alike.

Matthew has particular expertise in administrative and constitutional law, privileges and immunities, commissions and inquiries, and information protection.

Matthew appears in most Commonwealth and New South Wales courts and tribunals, including the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia (both appellate and original jurisdiction), and the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Matthew practiced as a solicitor at the Australian Government Solicitor between 2013 and 2019, where he conducted significant and complex litigation for a wide range of Commonwealth agencies. He was seconded to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and was part of the team representing Commonwealth agencies in the coronial inquest into the Lindt Cafe siege.

Matthew was tipstaff to the Honourable Justice John Basten of the New South Wales Court of Appeal in 2012.

Matthew has experience as both an advocate and conciliator in alternative dispute resolution settings, and served as Executive Secretary to the Australian Dispute Resolution Advisory Council between 2016 and 2017.

Nick accepts briefs in civil and commercial law matters.

Nick regularly advises and appears in matters before the Supreme Court of NSW and the Federal Court of Australia, as well as lower courts and tribunals. His practice focuses on general and commercial equity, corporations, construction infrastructure and technology projects, intellectual property, insolvency, insurance, property and public law.

Prior to coming to the bar, Nick was a Senior Associate in the commercial disputes groups of two large national law firms. During this time, his practice was in a broad range of commercial disputes. These included complex, large-scale disputes involving claims arising out of infrastructure and technology projects and significant corporate transactions.

Nick graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney with First Class Honours in Law and a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Communications in 2008.

Admissions:

Anthony was called to the Bar in 2017, having been admitted as a lawyer in 2014. He accepts briefs in a broad range of matters with an emphasis on commercial litigation (including building and construction), contractual disputes, equity (including family provision), and property matters.

Anthony regularly appears unled in Courts and Tribunals, but has also worked with a range of senior counsel on large, complex matters including representative proceedings (class actions). A selected list of cases in which he has appeared can be found in his CV.

Prior to coming to the bar Anthony gained experience in both private practice as a solicitor, and the Federal and Supreme Courts where he worked for various judges.

As a solicitor he worked in commercial litigation at Atanaskovic Hartnell. Prior to that he worked for the following Judicial officers as an Associate/Tipstaff:

The Hon. Justice Stephen Campbell (Common Law Division) of the Supreme Court of New South Wales

The Hon. Justice Richard Edmonds (retired) of the Federal Court of Australia

The Hon. Justice James Allsop AC, Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia (retired).

Anthony graduated from the University of Technology Sydney with First class honours. At UTS he received the Vice-Chancellor’s scholarship for academic merit for the duration of his degree, and came first in Succession Law.

Since 2014 he has been a casual academic at the University of Technology’s Law Faculty. He has taught Civil Procedure, Equity and Trusts, Evidence, and Real Property.

Outside of the law Anthony has served as a commissioned officer in the Australian Army Reserve (Royal Australian Infantry Corps).

Nick was admitted as a solicitor in 2013 and called to the bar in 2017.

Prior to coming to the bar Nick was tipstaff to the Hon. Justice Einstein (in the Commercial List of the Equity Division) and the Hon. Justice Campbell (in the Common Law Division) of the NSW Supreme Court. Nick then practiced as a solicitor for the Aboriginal Legal Service and Legal Aid Commission, maintaining a high-volume litigation practice regularly appearing unled in the Supreme, District, Local and Children’s Courts in Sydney and across New South Wales, running hundreds of hearings involving often lengthy cross-examination of civilian and police witnesses as well as conducting appellate work from these matters. Nick was also responsible for managing the Supreme Court Bail practice for the Aboriginal Legal Service, personally appearing for all applicants in the Supreme Court who had been refused bail in any inferior court across both New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

Since coming to the bar Nick has appeared in the Supreme Court, District Court, Local Court and Children’s Court. Nick maintains a diverse practice and accepts briefs in all areas with a particular focus on tort, commercial and criminal law, as well as inquests and inquiries and administrative law.

Nick graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Economics and a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours. He received a scholarship to complete his final semester of his law degree at Uppsala University in Sweden.

A copy of Nick’s CV is available upon request.

Margaux is known for her fearless advocacy, client empathy and courtroom flair.

Margaux accepts briefs in all areas of civil law, in particular: Corporate & Commercial; Defamation & Media; Succession; Family Law and Human Rights.

Margaux appears both unled and led in the Supreme Court of NSW (including the Court of Appeal), the Federal Court of Australia, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the District Court, Local Court and Tribunals.  Margaux has a combined Bachelor of Arts (French Hons I) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney and a Masters Degree from the University of Oxford.  Margaux was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of NSW in 2011 and called to the bar in 2016. Before being called to the bar, Margaux was an Associate at a global law firm in a broad range of practice areas.  Margaux is fluent in French, having studied at both the Sorbonne and Sciences Po in Paris, and has practised on French matters.  She has also trained in screen acting at NIDA and tutored Law at The Women’s College and St Paul’s College, within The University of Sydney.

Margaux is also an actor and singer, including in the NSW Bar Choir.