Aptum Legal > Melbourne, Australia > Firm Profile
Aptum Legal Offices
Level 17, Rialto North Tower
525 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
Aptum Legal > The Legal 500 Rankings
Australia > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 5
‘Dynamic’ litigation boutique Aptum Legal is co-led by founder and former barrister Nigel Evans, who is recommended for his ‘excellent insights’, and Tuan Van Le, whose experience as a judicial registrar of the Federal Court of Australia bolsters the team’s notable tax specialism. Both are based in Melbourne, and the firm has recently expanded to additionally work out of Sydney and Brisbane. Exclusively focusing on medium to large-scale commercial and tax disputes, the team ‘is small enough to give the client personal service but good enough to match up to any of the major litigation outfits’.Practice head(s):
Nigel Evans; Tuan Van Le
Other key lawyers:
Josh Baravelli; David Adason; Nikolas Kalcic
Testimonials
‘Very responsive and as an ex barrister, Nigel Evans has excellent insights.’
‘Nigel Evans has always been quick to respond and provides no-nonsense advice that cut to the crux of the matter in hand.’
‘Aptum are a dynamic litigation and dispute resolution focused firm that draws on the wealth of experience of the founder, Nigel Evans and seeks to bring a new and innovative approach to client engagement and project management.’
‘Nigel Evans is a particular standout in the firm. Having spent time at the Victorian Bar, Nigel brings a high level of partner involvement to the matters he conducts and adds value through his wealth of experience. Nigel has an excellent manner with clients and is very adept in identifying areas of focus to ensure results are maximised for the particular needs of the client.’
‘This is a sophisticated boutique firm which is small enough to give the client personal service but good enough to match up to any of the major litigation outfits.’
‘Nigel Evans is a great lawyer, strategist and mentor to those who work under him. He is also easy to get along with and a delight to work with.’
‘Focus on strategy not just technical legal advice, which is very unique to a litigation practice.’
‘Nigel Evans is a stand out. He is easy to work with, generous with his time and a very experienced and talented commercial litigator. He has worked hard to create an innovative business model which is refreshing.’
Key clients
Asian Gas Partners Ltd
Fernwood Women’s Health Clubs (Australia) Pty Ltd
Asahi Beverages
156 Jonson St Pty Ltd
Waste Wise Environmental
Country Care Group
AOpen
Work highlights
- Acted for an individual accused of involvement in an alleged conspiracy with Bill Papas and Forum Finance which saw more than 100 allegedly fraudulent transactions extract over $340m from Westpac.
- Advising Asian Gas Partners on the freezing of payments due to be made to foreign entities relating to a gas project in Papua New Guinea that is the subject of a US-based dispute.
- Advising taxpayers on the defence of recovery action by the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation for director penalty liabilities of A$10.5m arising from a fraudulent GST scheme.
Aptum Legal > Firm Profile
Aptum is a specialist dispute resolution practice focusing solely on complex commercial and taxation disputes and litigation, known for challenging the accepted norms in litigation and recognised as ‘Boutique Firm of the Year.’
An award-winning approach
Aptum is known for its award-winning, technology-based litigation model based on three foundational pillars. First, a sole focus on medium-large scale commercial and tax disputes. Specialisation ensures excellence in our craft, and dedicated expertise sets us apart from others in this space. Second, a client experience with greater control. Our legal intelligence framework brings forward deep analysis to optimise risk mitigation and provide clients structured legal pathways to make informed decisions. Third, full transparency and accountability. Our bespoke project management system gives clients full visibility and structured communication on agreed timelines, objectives and deliverables.
A team of specialist litigators
Aptum’s dedicated dispute resolution team has experience on the forefront of some of the most complex litigation conducted in Australia, and is led by Nigel Evans and Tuan Van Le. Nigel Evans was a Commercial Barrister at the Victorian Bar before co-founding the firm; Tuan Van Le has been the Executive Director of the ATO’s litigation department and a Judicial Registrar of the Federal Court.
National presence and client base
Aptum has offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and an established client base across Australia. This includes individuals and corporate entities of various sizes, a significant taxpayer client base as well as ATO work, and the attraction of international clients conducting litigation in Australia. Aptum is regularly recommended by leading barristers in both commercial and tax practice.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Disputes | Nigel Evans | nigel@aptumlegal.com.au | +61 3 7020 9231 |
| Tax Disputes | Tuan Van Le | tuan@aptumlegal.com.au | +61 3 7020 9236 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mr David Adason | Associate Director | View Profile |
|
Mr Joshua Baravelli | Senior Associate | View Profile |
|
Mr Nigel Evans | Practice Lead (Commercial Disputes), Managing Director | View Profile |
|
Mr Nikolas Kalcic | Senior Associate | View Profile |
|
Ms Yan Liu | Lawyer | View Profile |
|
Ms Sofia Pichardo | Lawyer | View Profile |
|
Mr Tuan Van Le | Practice Lead (Tax Disputes) | View Profile |
|
Mr David Vuong | Associate | View Profile |
|
Ms Stephanie Wong | Lawyer | View Profile |
Staff Figures
FTE Team Members : 17Languages
English Spanish MandarinClient Testimonials
“The result Aptum achieved for me was exceptional.”
– Anonymus, via Client Choice Awards
“[Aptum] were contactable and relayed information quickly when required. They explained everything and ensured that I understood the specifics. They covered everything. I was prepared for Court and was fully aware of the risks involved. I was confident as I knew I had a strong legal team who had done the work required to win.”
– Samantha Bainbridge, Integrate Recruitment, via Client Choice Awards
“Commercial, strategic, accurate and well-thought-out advice. Incredibly easy to work with. Nothing was too much trouble. Appreciated the thought given to the matter, and the innovative and strategic thinking. The Aptum team provides very safe pairs of hands which lead to a good result for the client.”
– Anonymous, via Client Choice Awards
“Intelligent, strategic and pragmatic advice. Great sympathy for my plight.”
– Tim Hunt-Smith, Optima Technology, via Client Choice Awards
“The whole team from the from the top of Aptum Legal down to the support team have all been very professional and always gone above and beyond for me and my family. I will highly recommend them for future work with people in my network needing legal professionals. ”
– Stephen Ryan, via Client Choice Awards
“Incredibly responsive. Personalised & empathetic. Highly intelligent team with a strong understanding of the law. Provides both sound legal & practical commercial advice.”
– Daniel Jones, Archies Footwear, via Client Choice Awards
“I dealt with Tuan from Aptum. I cannot recommend him enough. Tuan was professional, honest and informative. He went above and beyond to ensure my case and the process was as smooth and comfortable for me and he ensured that I understood everything that had happened and was going to happen. I hope that Tuan understands that him just doing his job, is changing other people’s lives for the better. Thank you, Tuan!!”
– Hayley Udrea Bellina, via Google
“From the moment I engaged Aptum, they were incredibly professional, thorough and very sensitive to my situation. My case was difficult and lengthy. I don`t think I would have been able to continue on without their support and guidance. Thank you Aptum for achieving the best result possible. My family will always be grateful.”
– Anonymous, Senior Executive Employment Dispute, via FirmChecker
“[Aptum is] a firm that respectfully deals with people. I can’t recommend Nigel Evans & his team highly enough. I found him to be an excellent communicator, intelligent, caring & importantly a great listener. His advice & ability to negotiate a quick resolution for me were first class.”
– Andrew Sakeson, Contract Review & Negotiation, via FirmChecker
“Aptum Legal was able to grasp the complexities of Marine Pilotage, which previous lawyers were unable to understand.“
– David Brown (Marine Port Pilot), Marine Safety & Standards Dispute, via FirmChecker
“Nigel Evans has the winning combination of being extremely empathetic whilst retaining strong judgement and analytical skills.
“Nigel made the process as least stressful as he was able to and the outcome confirms that his advice took me on the best path to a strong resolution. He acted in my best interests at all times and his ‘closing skills’ took me by surprise!
“Nigel’s intelligence combined with decency is laudable and I would not hesitate to recommend the use of his services or those of others at Aptum Legal.”
– Anonymous (Managing Director, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services), via FirmChecker
“[Aptum is] a firm that respectfully deals with people. I can’t recommend Nigel Evans & his team highly enough. I found him to be an excellent communicator, intelligent, caring & importantly a great listener. His advice & ability to negotiate a quick resolution for me were first class.”
– Andrew Sakeson, Contract Review & Negotiation, via FirmChecker
“I was kept informed every step of the way, with quick, reliable advice. I felt that they cared about getting me a good outcome, and that my welfare during the process was important.”
– Anonymous, Partnership Dissolution Dispute, via FirmChecker
“I found the Aptum personnel to be extremely professional and knowledgeable.
“They were able to provide me with the high quality accurate advice that I needed. This was done expeditiously as there was a sense of urgency. Further the end result has meant that I have been saved a very considerable expense.
“Aptum kept me informed of of what was taking place in a timely manner and followed up any actions that were required. They clearly set out any costs and requirements that would be associated with using their services.
“Hopefully I will not be in a place where I would need their services again. If I ever do I would not hesitate to go back and would highly recommend them to anyone out there that may need tax legal advice.”
– Domenic Zappia, via Google
“Cost effective professional advice with an efficient cohesive team that take pride in their work and are client focused.”
– Anonymous (Event Director, Accommodation & Food Services), Family Property Dispute, via FirmChecker
“The Aptum Team are professional and courteous and provide a level of service at every level. I will definitely use them again.”
– Frank Cardamone, via Google
- Dispute resolution: litigation