Doran has over 25 years’ experience as a barrister.
Doran practises widely in commercial law matters and has specialist experience in corporations and insolvency law. Doran has been repeatedly listed as a Leading Senior Counsel in both Commercial Litigation and Insolvency & Restructuring in the Doyle’s Guide and recognised in Best Lawyers.
Doran aims to provide competent, practical and timely advice to his clients and has developed the skill of getting to the real issues in complex litigation quickly and cost-effectively.
Matthew was called to the Bar in 1999 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2013. He was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales in 1987. After obtaining a Bachelor of Civil Law at Oxford University in 1989 he practised as a solicitor for over 9 years with Minter Ellison, Phillips Fox and Rowe & Maw in London, mainly in insurance and professional indemnity matters. His experience as a solicitor included property, trade practices and insolvency work.
Since admission as a barrister he has appeared in all New South Wales State courts and tribunals and in all Federal courts and in most other State and Territory Supreme Courts. His practice is broad and diverse including defamation, building & construction, professional indemnity and insurance, personal injury, general commercial and equity, associations and employment and industrial matters. He has advised and appeared for the ACCC and the Director of Fair Work and its’ predecessors, as well as for the major insurers and their insureds in various areas of practice. He has appeared in sports tribunal matters as counsel assisting and sat on disciplinary tribunals. His professional indemnity practice includes defending and prosecuting claims against solicitors, barristers, architects, engineers, valuers, real estate agents, financial advisers and accountants.
He is also admitted as a foreign lawyer with the Singapore International Commercial Court and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London.
Richard Beasley SC came to the Bar in 1997, and was appointed silk in 2011. He has conducted cases and advised on matters involving major administrative law, planning and environmental issues (such as Barangaroo, Allianz stadium and numerous mine approvals), and land acquisition matters. He has also appeared in a wide range of commercial, contract and valuation matters.
Richard has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Australia in the fields of Government Practice (2020, 2021, 2022), and Planning and Environmental Law (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).
From April to August 2020, Richard was Senior Counsel Assisting the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess.
From January 2018 to February 2019, Richard was Senior Counsel Assisting the Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission. In June 2018 he was appointed by the NSW Minister for Local Government as Commissioner to the Blue Mountains Public Inquiry. In 2016 he was Commissioner for the Auburn City Council Public Inquiry.
From July 2020 to February 2021, Richard acted as Senior Counsel Assisting The Independent Planning Commission on The Santos Narrabri Gas Project, The Dendrobium Mine Extension Project and The Maxwell Underground Project.
In July 2016 Richard was appointed as the Principal Member of the Racing Appeal Panel by Racing NSW, and was reappointed for a further two year term in July 2018.
In August 2022 Richard was appointed by the South Australian Government as Commissioner for Murray River (SA). It is a part-time appointment from 2022 to 2025.
In December 2022 Richard was appointed as Environmental Counsel to the Board of the Environmental Protection Authority (NSW) for a 3-year term commencing on 1 January 2023.
Outside of the law, Richard is the author of five novels and one work of non-fiction: Hell Has Harbour Views (2001, Pan Macmillan). Hell was adapted as a telemovie on ABC TV in 2005. Hell was followed by The Ambulance Chaser (2004, Pan Macmillan); Me and Rory Macbeath (2013, Hachette); Cyanide Games (2016, Simon & Schuster and Audible), The Burden of Lies (2017, Simon & Schuster and Audible) and Allen and Unwin published “Dead in the water” in February 2021. His author website is richardbeasley.com.au.
Greg has over 30 years’ experience as a barrister, having been admitted to the Bar in 1986. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2007.
Greg has a broad commercial and equity practice and is frequently briefed to appear in wills and estate, family provision, employment, building and construction and general contractual disputes.
He is regularly briefed by ASIC to appear before the Companies Auditors and Liquidators Disciplinary Board (CALDB). He also appears before Commissions of Inquiry such as ICAC, and was recently briefed to appear before the Inquiry into Auburn Council on behalf of the Mayor.
Greg also appears in class actions and recently defended Scenic Tours in Moore v Scenic Tours Pty Ltd.
He is known for his commercial and practical approach to the resolution of disputes. He has successfully represented many clients in mediations where successful negotiated outcomes have been achieved.
Greg was appointed an arbitrator in 2011 and is accredited as a Mediator with the NSW Bar Association under the National Mediator Accreditation System.
He has an LLM from the University of California (Berkeley) after he was awarded a Rotary Foundation Graduate Scholarship.
Greg is recommended in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Wills & Estates Litigation Senior Counsel – New South Wales, 2021.
For all enquiries please contact the Clerk, Ben Brown.
David is best known for his criminal law trial advocacy, particularly in Commonwealth matters involving drugs, tax fraud and commercial crime. He has also appeared in proceeds of crime matters and in protective proceedings, both State and Federal, arising under serious offender and counter-terrorism legislation.
He has extensive experience in criminal trials across Australia, most recently in the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania. He appears for both prosecution and defence. He has also appeared in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in numerous matters.
David’s practice includes appearing in statutory tribunals. On many occasions he has been counsel assisting the Independent Commission Against Corruption and other statutory tribunals. He has advised and appeared for witnesses, affected persons and organisations before such tribunals and various Royal Commissions. He has also advised professional disciplinary bodies in New South Wales and Western Australia.
David has also practised in Competition and Consumer law, having appeared for the ACCC and advised others in takeover, misrepresentation and consumer protection matters.
David is known for his capacity to simplify the most complex of cases so that the tribunal, be it judge or jury, can efficiently come to grips with the relevant issues and make the best decision.
David advises and appears in a diverse range of commercial matters and equity matters. He appeared in Cessnock Council concerning reliance damages and Amann Aviation (currently reserved in the High Court), Garcia v National Australia Bank – one of the leading High Court cases on unconscionability in a husband/wife/guarantee situation, Aid/Watch v Commission of Taxation – a High Court case defining the boundaries of charitable trusts and in Sze Tu v Lowe – an appellate decision on trusts, tracing, partnerships and indefeasibility of title and limitation of actions.
David advises and appears in all aspects of corporate and personal insolvency. He appeared in the leading High Court and intermediate appellate cases on deeds of company arrangement (Lehman Brothers v City of Swan and BE Australia v Sutton). He appeared at first instance and on appeal for the principal defendant in the Arrium litigation (Anchorage v Sparkes).
David is regularly recommended in Doyle’s Guide as one of the Leading Commercial Litigation and Disputes Resolution Senior Counsel – NSW; Leading Professional Indemnity Senior Counsel; Leading Insurance Barristers – NSW; and was selected by his peers as Insurance Lawyer of the Year in 2020. He regularly appears in The Best Lawyers in Australia in various categories. In the latest edition (2025) he is recognised for litigation, class actions and insurance.
David has had 40 years’ experience at the Bar and been Senior Counsel for over 20 years. His areas of practice are extensive. The principal areas include: commercial and equity, corporations, insolvency, insurance and reinsurance and professional negligence. He often appears in complex commercial cases at first instance and appellate level.
David believes that a capable barrister should be able to and should appear in all jurisdictions and engage in a diverse range of casework. His particular interests are pre trial case strategy and cross-examination across all practice areas.
David regularly advises and appears for insurers, reinsurers and insureds in all classes of insurance and reinsurance business and is frequently engaged in professional indemnity and directors’ and officers’ liability disputes. David has appeared for insurers in the leading appellate cases on statutory charge on insurance monies (Chubb v Moore), on sections 40 and 54 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) (Gosford City Council v GIO) and concerning aggregation (Bank of Queensland v AIG). He recently appeared for the Uniting Church in United Church Property Trust v Allianz – a leading case on many insurance issues.
David appeared in the leading High Court case on privilege against self-exposure to a penalty (Rich v ASIC) and has appeared for defendant directors in civil penalty proceedings concerning the GIO/AMP takeover (ASIC v Vines), the One.Tel liquidation (ASIC v Rich) and the MFS/Octaviar liquidation (ASIC v Managed Investments; White v ASIC; Anderson v ASIC).
David has appeared in several class action cases including the Brisbane floods class actions securities class actions, the employment class action concerning casual workers at BHP coal mines and the Gunns forestry plantations.
David’s practice has a particular focus on professional negligence. He regularly appears in professional negligence cases involving lawyers, accountants, engineers and other professionals.