Hall & Wilcox > Melbourne, Australia > Firm Profile

Hall & Wilcox > The Legal 500 Rankings

Australia > Data protection Tier 3

In addition to handling complex cyber incidents, the team at Hall & Wilcox is able to advise on issues such as GDPR compliance, surveillance, and data security breaches. Praised by clients for ‘his ability to find innovative solutions‘, Eden Winokur‘s arrival from Wotton + Kearney in January 2022 has strengthened the team’s offering, bringing varied expertise in cyber, privacy, disputes, and insurance matters. Winokur leads the team alongside Melbourne-based Alison Baker, whose broad practice partly entails assisting clients in a range of industries with data breach responses. Alison Choy Flannigan possesses a healthcare sector niche, with recent highlights including advising ANZGOG in relation to the TR-ANZGOG project.

Australia > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 3

Headed up by Mark Petrucco from the Sydney office, Hall & Wilcox fields a strong commercial dispute resolution team across multiple sites on both coasts.  Key strengths include royal commission and regulatory work and class action defence, as well as a wide range of other commercial litigation mandates. The firm’s Perth offering was bolstered in July 2021 with the hire of Penelope Ford from Norton Rose Fulbright. Melbourne-based former practice head Graydon Dowd is also noted.

Australia > Environment and planning Tier 3

The environment and planning group at Hall & Wilcox works with a range of government bodies, utility providers and stakeholders across the property, construction, waste and renewables sectors, providing specialist advice and dispute resolution services relating to contaminated land, investigations and remediation. Melbourne-based Meg Lee represents government clients on environmental approvals and appeals, while Rory O’Connor focuses on major infrastructure projects. In Sydney, Stan Kondilios  is particularly skilled in advising local councils on governance issues and investigations. Newcastle-based Brendan Tobin is experienced in major projects in the mining and renewables sectors.

Australia > Insurance Tier 3

Harnessing the combined bench strength of eight offices across the nation, the insurance group at Hall & Wilcox works with various insurers, reinsurers, insurance intermediaries, and financial institutions on a myriad of matters. The team’s broad focus encompasses professional liability, D&O claims, public and product liability, statutory insurance, workers’ compensation claims, and contracts works policies, among others. The team is directed by a group of 12 experienced partners: national head of insurance Rhett Slocombe; the head of general insurance Matthew Curll; statutory insurance lead Grant Galvin; London market co-lead Rachael Arnold; corporate insurance lead Philip Hopley; cyber insurance leader Eden Winokur; and marine insurance head Chris Sacré, all of whom are based in Sydney. Other key names to note include Perth-based section lead Anton Vucak, statutory insurance section lead Anastasia Coutsouvelis, national self-insurer head Ilona Strong, and property and class actions lead Matt McDonald in Melbourne. Terry Killian heads up the statutory insurance offering from Brisbane.

Australia > Media and entertainment Tier 3

The sports and entertainment practice group at the Melbourne-based Hall & Wilcox is praised for its ‘up to date and well informed’ approach across the breadth of media and broadcasting matters. The ‘approachable and pragmatic’, Martin Ross heads a team which assists major sports and events sector clients in major transactions and litigious proceedings , as well as with respect to governance assistance and strategic advice. Key names to note include special counsel Mark Lebbon , who frequently advises several sports government bodies on new media rights and commercial contracts.

Australia > Real estate Tier 3

Hall & Wilcox's team is commended for its ‘broad group of skillsets and backgrounds', which it brings to bear to work on a range of complex transactions. The real estate practice continues to grow nationally, with notable recent additions including Brad Marland, a highly experienced property lawyer who joined the Brisbane-team from Gadens Lawyers in May 2022. Key names to note on the development side include practice heads Natalie Bannister and John O’Kane, both of whom are located in Melbourne.

Australia > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 3

Sitting within the firm’s commercial dispute resolution practice, the group at Hall & Wilcox boasts a burgeoning presence in Brisbane, in addition to Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney. Praised for its focus on ‘developing deep relationships’ with clients, the team works with a host of restructuring and insolvency accounting practices across Australia as well as financially distressed corporate clients. Leading the sizeable group are Mark Petrucco, Wayne Kelcey, Adrian Lasky, Hector West and Scott Butler, the latter of whom is singled out for his ‘technical excellence in insolvency and restructuring‘.

Australia > Tax Tier 3

Backed by the combined bench strength of 8 offices across the nation, the team at Hall & Wilcox provide a comprehensive service in the tax space to advise corporate and institutional clients, privately-owned businesses, and high-wealth family groups. Led by Frank Hinoporos, an expert in succession and trust-related matters, the group assists with major cross-border transactions (M&A, corporate restructuring, domestic, inbound and outbound investment), disputes with the revenue authorities and targeted strategies for clients involved such sectors as media, construction, telecoms, government, real estate, not-for-profit and financial services. Anthony Bradica, in Melbourne, brings over 20 years of experience to tax planning and structuring for corporate clients and Jim Koutsokostas in Sydney (promoted to partner in July 2021, with a thorough skills set not limited to income tax, GST, FBT and state taxes). Other key team members include special counsel Jacqueline McGrath, who joined from HWL Ebsworth in April 2022, and senior associate Adam Dimac (both in Melbourne). Former practice head Peter Murray departed in March 2022.

Australia > Energy (transactions and regulatory) Tier 4

Hall & Wilcox fields a cross-practice energy team that works across the areas of energy trading, regulation, project development, environmental law, and dispute resolution.  The team also plays a role in the decarbonisation of the industry, advising on a number of government ventures to advance renewables projects. Noted for his extensive experience in solar and wind projects, Paul O’Donnell‘s wide-ranging expertise sees him providing regulatory advice to clients on issues such as transmission connections, transitional provisions, and rule change proposals. Mark Dessi acts for owners, developers, project companies, and contractors in the electricity, gas, and water sectors. Catie Moore, who joined the team from Mills Oakley in December 2021, specialising in energy projects, transport, and infrastructure.

Australia > Fintech and financial services regulatory Tier 4

Steered by the Melbourne-based Harry New, Hall & Wilcox expertly handles both litigious and non-contentious matters which fall under the purview of key regulatory regimes and regulators. The firm’s presence in Sydney was strengthened in August 2021 by the arrival of Philip Hopley from Herbert Smith Freehills, a seasoned lawyer whose core focus is providing financial services clients with commercial solutions to insurance issues.

Australia > Labour and employment Tier 4

Hall & Wilcox harnesses the combined bench strength of eight offices across the nation to advise both public and private sector entities on a diverse array of matters, ranging from unfair dismissal and discrimination claims, to contractual disputes, restructurings, and workplace investigations. Led by Sydney-based newly appointed department head Aaron Dearden, the group’s diverse client base is active in banking and financial services, insurance, education, construction, retail, health, agribusiness, and transport and logistics. Other key figures in Sydney include Fay Calderone, who possesses experience representing employers in proceedings before industrial tribunals and state and federal courts. In Melbourne, Mark Dunphy regularly provides strategic advice to CEOs and corporate counsel. The Perth-based Rosemary Roach is also recommended.

Australia > Transport: shipping Tier 4

Working across eight offices (and steadily growing), the shipping trade practice at Hall & Wilcox is routinely engaged by various corporates, vessel owners and charterers, transport operators, government departments, and insurers – both domestic and international. Core workflows for the team include marine insurance, ship arrest, personal injury, regulatory compliance, casualties, industrial litigations and prosecutions and detentions. Led in Sydney by transport and trade expert Chris Sacré, the team is backed by Paul Baxter, a Melbourne-based partner who brings over 25 years of experience in marine insurance and litigation. Names to note at associate level include Perth-based Kendall Messer, who joined from Kennedys in December 2021.

Australia > Banking and finance Tier 5

Hall & Wilcox's banking and financial service practice advises both lenders and borrowers on a range of matters; the team focuses principally on property finance for senior and mezzanine lenders, with further capabilities in acquisition finance, structured finance, and disputes. Practice head Mark Inston has over 25 years of experience acting for domestic and overseas banks on mezzanine financing transactions, bilateral loans, and asset finance matters, as well as construction and investment property finance.

Australia > Corporate and M&A Tier 5

Hall & Wilcox stands out for its extensive bench of highly specialised partners, many of whom have specific regional or industrial focuses. The Melbourne office fields Oliver Jankowsky, who oversees the international group; Ed Paton, who acts as the head of the South East Asia practice; and sports and entertainment section leader Martin Ross. Sydney-based Christopher Brown and Jacqui Barrett helm the UK and US desks, respectively.

Australia > Infrastructure projects and construction Tier 5

The team at Hall & Wilcox has a strong track record advising on large-scale construction and major infrastructure projects for clients operating in highly regulated sectors, including aged care, transportation, social infrastructure, energy, resources and utilities. Team leader John O’Kane is experienced in front-end and back-end construction and development law, acting across the full project life cycle. Catie Moore joined the team from Mills Oakley in December 2021, bringing to bear an expertise in energy, transport, and infrastructure projects.

Australia > IT and telecoms Tier 1