The Legal 500 > Asia Pacific > Australia > Dispute resolution: class actions

Allens’ class actions group forms part of the firm’s wider dispute and investigations department, which is headed by Andrew Maher from Melbourne. The practice has built ‘a market-leading reputation’ for acting on high-profile class actions in the financial services sector; of recent note, it is acting for Citibank in relation to the foreign exchange cartel class action brought against five global banks before the Federal Court. In the consumer class actions space, the team represented key client Westpac in actions relating to the bank fees charged by multiple Australian retail banks. Other areas of expertise relate to issues relating to shareholder action, product liability, cartels, natural disasters, and environmental damage. In Sydney, ‘great tactician’ Paul Nicols and Jenny Campbell led on assisting Brambles with competing shareholder proceedings relating to allegations of breaches of the client’s disclosure obligations regarding its financial results. Guy Foster and Ross Drinnan are also very visible in the shareholder action arena. Other Sydney-based team members are also recommended: Malcolm Stephens with his ‘deep understanding of class actions law and practice’, and ‘highly competent’ senior associate Alex Tolliday, who joined from Herbert Smith Freehills in October 2018. In Melbourne, Belinda Thompson and recently promoted partner Jaime McKenzie are also names to note.

Mark Elvy heads Ashurst's dispute resolution group, which includes the class action practice jointly led by Sydney-based Ian Bolster and Melbourne-based Mark Bradley. Bolster ‘not only possesses exceptional legal skills, but also shows boundless energy and enthusiasm in running a case’. John Pavlakis is also a key figure and is leading a team representing BMW Australia in class action proceedings at the Supreme Court of New South Wales, in relation to over 200,000 vehicles fitted with allegedly defective Takata airbags. Senior associate Ellena Petinos works alongside Pavlakis and is also noted. Apart from experience in the automotive sector, team members are also prominent across other key sectors such as financial services, utilities, and the public sector.

At Clayton Utz, Colin Loveday leads the class actions group, while Melbourne-based Andrew Morrison heads up the wider national commercial litigation department. The practice handles a wide range of claims relating to product liability, financial services, shareholder class actions, managed investments, as well as mass consumer claims. Apart from its traditional strength in these  areas, the department is increasingly advising clients on consumer remediation programs, most recently in the financial services industry. Also of note, the group is adept at handling the Australian aspects of issues of global significance, such as the Volkswagen Group in relation to the global emissions issue. Greg Williams’ practice places emphasis on the conduct of class actions and product liability litigation. Nicholas Mavrakis stands out for his experience in managing large claims in the context of class actions, financial adviser disputes, and securities law and fraud. Recently promoted partner Alexandra Rose is also noted. Special counsel Sara Dennis departed in January 2019.

Garnering praise from both clients and peers, Herbert Smith Freehills houses the ‘premier class action defence team in Australia’, which also has ‘a great understanding of the needs of the client’. Leading the global class action practice from Melbourne, Damian Grave is noted for being ‘unfailingly professional’ and ‘a true leader in the space’. ‘Extremely competent’ executive counsel Helen Mould works closely with Grave and is an adviser to clients on actions involving strategic and regulatory issues. Ruth Overington is another name to note in Melbourne, and is advising on a high-profile product liability class action. The ‘amazing’ Jason Betts and Peter Butler are standout practitioners in Sydney; the duo have most recently assisted Cash Converters International with defending two class action lawsuits challenging the validity of a ‘brokerage fee’. Senior associate Christine Tran is also noted and specialises in high-stakes litigation and Ante Golem is a key contact for class action litigation in Perth. In August 2019, Ken Adams departed to become general counsel at the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.

King & Wood Mallesons ’ class actions group sits within the broader dispute resolution department and demonstrates ‘true excellence’ by ‘providing clear and practical legal guidance’. Team member also specialise in particular areas; practice head Moira Saville and Alexander Morris have developed a niche in financial services. The practice has additionally strengthened its position in the banking market  - it acts for the Westpac Banking Corporation on high-profile civil penalty and class action proceedings concerning allegations of the breach of applicable responsible lending legislation. The group also assists on securities and shareholder class actions. Peta Stevenson is recommended for claims in the competition and cartel space. Clients seek out Brisbane-based Justin McDonnell and Melbourne-based Chris Fox for assistance with substantive public liability claims. Senior associate Liam Burgess comes in for praise from clients for ‘working tirelessly to deliver exceptional results’. In February 2019, Sam Dundas joined the Perth office from HWL Ebsworth. Trish Henry accepted a judge appointment at the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

At Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, the class action litigation department does not deviate from the firm’s global traditional strength in commercial disputes and acts for clients on the plaintiff and the defendant side. Noted for his work on the plaintiff side, the ‘highly regarded and very successful’ Damian Scattini jointly heads up the practice with Michael Mills and Michelle Fox, both of whom received commendation for defendant-focused work. The group handles complex claims regarding product liability and contractual disputes, among a wide variety of other areas of focus. Senior associate Nicholas Lennings also comes in for praise for ‘providing a safe pair of hands, coupled with a depth of experience’. Associate Ashleigh Whittaker is also singled out.

At Minter Ellison, Beverley Newbold leads the national class actions practice as well as the Sydney-based dispute resolution practice. The group’s enviable client base consists of banks, insurers and other financial services organisations, among others. Newbold is leading a team defending Bellamy's Australia against multiple claims brought by shareholders alleging misleading market guidance, an area in which the team has a particular strength. Team members also have experience in advising on multi-jurisdictional matters.  Ross Freeman and David Taylor are also key practitioners to note.

Phi Finney McDonald has a notable market presence in Sydney and Melbourne and is led from Melbourne by the ‘superb trio' consisting of ‘litigation superstar’ Ben Phi, ‘intellectual titan of the collective claims industry’ Tim Finney, and the ‘incredible’ Odette McDonald. The firm attracts endorsements from clients and peers for its work on the plaintiff side, where it specialises in shareholder class actions. The group acts for significant domestic and international clients, including private investors, sovereign wealth funds, and investment platforms. The firm continues to expand its offering; July 2018 saw principal Paul Zawa join from the ACCC.

Arnold Bloch Leibler’s practice is headed up by Melbourne-based Leon Zwier. The department has a particular strength in handling shareholder class actions. Of recent note in this space, the team continues to act for Slater and Gordon on multiple shareholder class actions. Susanna Ford, Teresa Ward, Jonathan Milner and John Mitchell are also noted.

Clyde & Co LLP’s cross-practice group stands out for its strong sector-specific expertise which it utilises in handling complex collective actions. The practice stays true to the firm’s recognised ‘traditionally strong reputation for high-quality insurance and reinsurance work’ globally and certainly, John Moran  is noted for his range of expertise across disputes, insurance and cyber security and Janette McLennan is also noted for acting for the insurer-respondents on a high-value securities class action lawsuit. The team is equally adept at handling issues arising in the marine sector; Maurice Thompson is a key contact in this space and stands out for his most recent work for Murphy Operator Pty on environmental and toxic exposure actions. Gareth Horne is also noted.

Colin Biggers & Paisley receives praise from clients for ‘its proactive, candid and pragmatic approach to litigation’. The team handles significant class action claims for a client base consisting of notable insurers and their insureds. More particularly, the group also focuses on advising companies in distress or liquidation. Michael Russell heads up the class actions department, where Paul Bannon is also singled out.

Gilbert + Tobin’s class actions lawyers sit in the wider disputes and investigations department, which has continued to experience growth. The work of the practice in the financial services sector is of particular note; in one significant highlight, the team is acting for Vocation on securities class action proceedings arising out of the collapse of the Vocation group. The group is equally well-versed in representing individuals, as it is also separately acting for Vocation’s former CEO Mark Hutchinson. Practice head Richard Harris acts for a number of notable corporate entities and blue-chip clients. Colleen Platford is adept at handling class action proceedings in the commercial, regulatory and trade spaces.

At Slater and Gordon, Melbourne-based Ben Hardwick heads up the class actions department, where Emma Pelka-Caven, Andrew Baker and Andrew Paull are also key practitioners. The practice has a reputation for acting on class action proceedings across a variety of sectors especially in personal injury, shareholder and investor claims, commercial and consumer law claims. Of note, the team successfully acted on behalf of unit holders in Murray Goulburn’s MG Unit Trust — a collective claim which was settled for $42m.