Best Lawyers in Melbourne, Australia

Arthur is a Partner in Thomson Geer's tax practice and his focus is on getting cost-effective results. He has developed an enviable reputation for his strategic-thinking, decision-making, and negotiating positive outcomes for clients in dispute with government, and as a practitioner focused on dispute resolution. His main area of practice is taxation advisory, tax audits, dispute resolution and litigation. In more than 25 years’ of experience as a legal practitioner, Arthur has focused ...

Jane has been a practising solicitor for over 20 years specialising in Real Estate law with a focus on leasing in the commercial, retail, industrial, education and government sectors in all Australian jurisdictions. Jane has a focus on corporate occupier work, acting for commercial tenants in major lease transactions including head office relocations, purpose built industrial premises, distribution centres and data centres. Jane has also managed high volume lease portfolios for retail tenants...

Alison has close to 18 years’ experience in a wide-ranging employment practice, advising private sector and public sector clients on all aspects of employment, industrial relations and human resources law, and work health and safety law. She also advises private and public sector organisations on the application of privacy legislation. Alison has been recognised in The Best Lawyers in Australia in employee benefits law every year since 2014 and as a recommended employment lawyer in Vict...

Natalie has close to 20 years’ experience in property, planning and environment law and has been recognised as a leading Australian lawyer in this area in Doyle's Guide to the Australian Legal Profession. She has also been recognised in the The Best Lawyers in Australia in Real Property Law every year since 2017 and was a Finalist at the 2016 Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards in real estate and for Partner of the Year at the 2014 Australian Law Awards . Natalie acts primarily fo...

Michael is a banking and finance Partner with extensive experience in major asset restructuring and insolvency transactions, and associated dispute resolution. Michael lives and works in Melbourne and Adelaide and has experience practising throughout Australia. With a principal focus on high-end insolvency work, Michael has particular expertise in restructuring including formal administrations and Deeds of Company Arrangements, informal workouts, securities enforcement and associated dispute ...

Jodylee is an accredited family law specialist with more than 20 years’ experience. She advises in relation to all issues involving married and de facto couples, including same-sex couples. She is a Principal Lawyer in Schetzer Papaleo Family Lawyers. Her practice covers everything from separation and divorce to parenting disputes, including IVF, as well as binding financial agreements and all aspects of financial issues and property settlements. Jodylee uses negotiation, mediation, arb...

Noel advises his clients on commercial disputes and related matters including banking and finance, insolvency, the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), ASIC and other regulatory issues. Noel’s clients include public and private companies, banks and other financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, manufacturers, and a significant number of large and small businesses and accountants.

Megan is a taxation partner with more than 12 years’ experience in state and federal tax dispute resolution. Megan is recognised for her technical expertise and focus on finding solutions that are in line with client objectives. She has assisted private and public companies, not-for-profit entities, individuals, trusts, partnerships and superannuation funds to navigate and manage state, federal and inter-jurisdictional tax issues, including: ruling requests and voluntary disclosures ATO...

Mark is a Partner with more than 25 years’ experience in legal practice. He specialises in the area of employment law and workplace relations. Mark’s expertise includes solving workplace problems, drafting contracts, advising on industrial matters, and employment issues such as termination of employment, bullying, discrimination, and occupational health and safety. He advises across a wide range of industries, including the sports sector. Mark regularly presents to clients and ind...

Phil heads Sladen Legal’s superannuation team. He is a member (and past member) of multiple superannuation related committees, and is a regular author and presenter. He regularly liaises with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Treasury in relation the implementation and administration of the superannuation laws. Phil’s clients include private business owners, accountants, financial planners, self managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trustees and high and medium net worth indiv...

Chris’ practice focuses on advice, dispute resolution and litigation in the principal areas of: retail and commercial leasing – advising a number of Australia’s largest retail and commercial landlords and tenants in matters of strategy, developments, risk assessment and management, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation property disputes – advising clients in terms of trustee relationships, adverse possession, compulsory acquisition, land valuation, and caveats...

FAMILY LAW BARRISTER & ADVANCED MEDIATOR Michele Brooks (nee Bates) has been practising as a lawyer exclusively in Family Law since 1997. Prior to coming to the Bar in 2006, Michele was a partner at Harwood Andrews Lawyers, based in Melbourne and Geelong. Michele worked as a family law solicitor for 10 years prior to being called to the Bar, during which time she regularly appeared as a solicitor advocate. Since 2006, Michele has been a Barrister specialising in family law. Michele has ex...

Neil is a Principal in the business law area, with a particular focus on taxation advice and disputes. Taxation law is a complex area. Neil’s aim is to provide technical expertise to clients, commercially applied and in a friendly and approachable manner. Neil’s practice involves advice, audits, disputes, and transactions. The client mix includes both family groups and business enterprises. Neil also regularly assists professional advisors, including tax agents, accountants and fi...

Michael is a patent attorney and principal of Davies Collison Cave where he heads up the firm’s organic chemistry/pharmaceutical group. Michael’s professional activities include drafting and prosecuting patent applications, providing patent infringement and validity advice, conducting patent oppositions, filing and prosecuting patent term extensions and providing strategic patenting advice. Michael is the Immediate Past President of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys...

Based in Melbourne’s South East, Meg Caines is a senior lawyer with a track record for getting great results for injured Victorians. She prides herself on having strong communication skills and providing straightforward advice to clients. Efficient and approachable, Megan enjoys assisting clients from diverse backgrounds navigate the TAC motor vehicle accident compensation scheme and the legal process that comes with that. The law is unfamiliar to ordinary Australians and it’s imp...

John-Paul Cashen is recognised as one of Australia’s most prominent media lawyers, with extensive experience in all aspects of media law. He is a specialist in defamation, contempt of court, suppression, privilege, breach of confidence, freedom of information, urgent injunctions and racial vilification claims. John-Paul is a lawyer who always puts his clients first. Understanding that in litigation most clients are going through challenging times, John-Paul ensures his clients know they...

Teresa has been in private practice for over 18 years and became a Wills and Estates Victorian Accredited Specialist in 2008. She was previously a partner of a top-ten Australian legal firm and has developed and headed up Wills and Estates practices in small to mid-tier firms across Melbourne. Teresa founded iWills Legal (a specialist firm covering all areas of wills and estates law with offices in the CBD and Brighton) in late 2017 with the view of providing specialised wills and estates ser...

Deborah has extensive experience across a broad range of commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets and other corporate transactions, equity investments, shareholders and joint venture arrangements, management equity arrangements, ASX listed company advice, and a wide variety of commercial arrangements. Deborah’s major clients span a range of industries, with particular focus on the technology and biotech industries, and on agribusiness, and vary...

Justine Clark is an experienced and formidable family lawyer, and an accredited family law specialist. Justine was trained by Michael Taussig QC, after working as a legal associate to His Honour Justice Hugh Fraser QC of the Queensland Court of Appeal, then to the Honourable Peter Young QC and the Honourable Paul Cronin of the Family Court of Australia, Melbourne. She is highly skilled in running complex family law matters, has an extensive and precise understanding of all aspects of family l...

Tim is the Joint Head of the Melbourne Office and has extensive experience in intellectual property protection and commercialisation, and IT and telecommunications contracts, as well as commercial agreements, franchising, data protection, privacy and competition and consumer law. Tim has experience in advising on all aspects of intellectual property protection, its commercialisation and enforcement and disputes. Tim assists clients with management of intellectual property portfolios in Austra...

Lisa has over 25 years’ experience across all types of property developments and transactions including acquisitions, disposals and legal due diligence. Lisa acts for various Victorian Government departments and statutory authorities, listed and unlisted corporations and superannuation funds. She is also well-versed in transacting Crown land through her work with the Victorian Government. Lisa has extensive experience in residential, mixed use and commercial developments, including acqu...

John is a founding Partner of Coghlan Duffy. He has a broad commercial practice with a focus on serving entrepreneurial clients through incorporation, investment rounds and exit transactions. John also has considerable experience in venture capital, private M&A, and general corporate and commercial matters.

Michael is a corporate and commercial lawyer with considerable experience in a number of fields of advisory and transaction-based legal work and also has significant experience in advising clients in the charity and not-for-profit sector, and the Horticulture industry. His expertise encompasses corporate advice on directors’ duties, capital management, ASX Listing Rule requirements, corporate governance, company constitutions and general meetings, negotiated acquisitions, schemes of arr...

Jeremy is a commercial property expert with extensive experience in private practice and in-house roles, specialising in property transactions. His real estate transactional experience includes work with law firms and as an in-house counsel. Jeremy’s experience includes: Purchase of 50% interest in the commercial and retail component of 447 Collins Street, Melbourne (circa $600 million); Fund through the purchase of 50% interest in 405 Bourke Street (NAB Headquarters, circa $800 million...

Nancy Collins is a commercial litigation lawyer with a particular focus on private family wealth disputes. Her expertise lies in this complex area of law, together with family trust, deceased estates, and business and commercial disputes. Nancy co-founded King & Collins understanding that people going through a stressful legal experience want the combination of personal attention and expertise that only a small, specialist firm can offer. Nancy understands the emotional impact of these ki...

Tim’s practice involves contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law matters, with a focus on commercialisation of intellectual property rights. Tim’s non-contentious practice includes the preparation and negotiation of commercial agreements for all intellectual property and related rights, including commercialisation, assignment, licensing and confidentiality agreements. Tim regularly advises clients on general commercial matters, consumer protection and trade practi...

Nick Curran is a Partner in the Disputes team with more than 15 years’ experience in commercial litigation and dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. He advises insolvency practitioners, banks and individuals in relation to all aspects of corporate insolvency including receivership, voluntary administration and liquidation, as well as personal insolvency. He also acts for a variety of companies and businesses involved in commercial litigation, including publicly-listed co...

James has experience in a broad range of commercial and intellectual property matters, including intellectual property commercialisation, agreements and licensing, trade mark registrability and infringement issues. James also has extensive experience in technology procurement, licensing and outsourcing matters. This work includes drafting and advising on IT contracts, including software licences, software, platform and infrastructure as a service agreements, software development agreements, I...

Mark specialises in the construction, energy and infrastructure sectors. His experience includes drafting and negotiating a range of project delivery and procurement documentation including design and construction contracts, BOO/BOOT contracts, equipment supply agreements, operation and maintenance agreements, connection agreements, design services agreements, and other related project agreements. Mark has experience advising in relation to the contractual and regulatory issues associated wit...

Cath Devine has extensive experience in all areas of Family Law, with a particular interest and expertise in Child Support advice and advocacy. Cath has appeared as junior counsel and on appeal on numerous occasions. Cath has a reputation as a fearless and forceful advocate for her clients, and also on behalf of children when she appears as Counsel for the Independent Children's Lawyer. Cath is a qualified mediator and arbitrator. Cath has been an Adjunct Lecturer in the Masters of Laws progr...

Victor is a Sladen Legal principal and heads the property and development team. Victor works closely with Sladen Legal’s many property and investment clients. When assisting clients on technical and complex negotiations with other parties, Victor brings a problem solving and outcome-driven approach to the table. His dedication to providing a highly personalised level of service and to achieving strong commercial outcomes, has seen him establish trusted and long lasting commercial relati...

James is a Practice Leader in the Private Clients Team at Moores and heads up the Elder Financial Abuse and VCAT Guardianship Disputes Team. James has been instructed in a number of high-value private trust disputes and has extensive experience across all aspects of Wills and Estates practice, with a particular focus on resolving complex disputes regarding trusts, deceased estates, superannuation and Guardianship and Administration. James is an Accredited Specialist Wills and Estates Lawyer a...

Graydon leads the Hall & Wilcox Litigation and dispute resolution team. He acts on behalf of a number of national and overseas clients on large and complex commercial litigation matters and advises on all aspects of dispute resolution. He has particular expertise in contract disputes, negligence cases, regulatory matters including ASIC and ACCC investigations, coronial inquests and commissions, and product liability. He has advised clients in both the private and public sector. Clients ap...

Stephanie Doyle is a highly respected family lawyer in Australia, known for her extensive experience and expertise in family law matters. With over 17 years of experience, Stephanie is committed to continuing her professional education and is currently serving as the Chair of the LIV Family Law Section Education Work Group. She is also a member of the LIV Family Law Section Courts Practice and Executive Committees, where she advocates for the family law profession and education of the profess...

Ian is a Principal in the Trade Mark Group. His areas of practice encompass all aspects of trade mark searching and clearance for use, registration, oppositions and advice in relation to trade mark enforcement internationally. He has handled trade mark matters in most countries worldwide, including directly before the Australian, United Kingdom, European Community Trade Mark, New Zealand and Pacific Island Trade Marks Offices. Ian represents both local and international clients with business ...

Mark’s practice encompasses both litigious and non-litigious applications of employment and industrial relations law. Mark is skilled in dealing with matters involving: industrial disputes and their implications; drafting and advising on enterprise agreements; award interpretation and ramifications; providing advice and acting in litigious matters regarding terminations, employee discipline, unfair dismissals, adverse action claims, common law disputes, equal opportunity, discrimination...

Geoff has 25 years’ experience in the construction and infrastructure sectors. He works with many of the construction industry’s major organisations on projects from start to finish. His expertise includes advice on tenders, contract drafting and negotiation through to project finalisation including claims preparation and advice, as well as dispute resolution. Geoff acts for owners, contractors and facility managers on all types of contracting and procurement. He has experience in...

Andrew has more than 40 years’ experience in superannuation, trusts, estate and succession planning. He is considered one of Australia’s pre-eminent superannuation lawyers and has been recognised in The Best Lawyers in Australia in superannuation law every year since 2012.Andrew advises on self-managed superannuation, estate and trust planning, restructuring of family trusts and companies, inter-generational wealth transfers and disputes, and philanthropy. Andrew is also experienc...

Over the last 40 years Lou has advised various large property development companies, government bodies and overseas investors in relation to all facets of property law. Such advice has encompassed sales, acquisition, structuring, subdivision, titling, planning and development, GST, stamp duty and financing. Lou’s practice has a significant focus on all aspects of ‘off the plan’ sales and the preparation of related contracts. Throughout his career Lou has been involved in and...

Dr. Rodger Fernandez is a Senior Lawyer at FCG Legal Pty Ltd and is a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia. He is also admitted to practice as a solicitor in New South Wales and is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a Specialist Solicitor in Immigration Law. He has been in legal practice for over 30 years. He is the current Chairperson of the Advisory Committee to the Specialisation Board of the Law Institute of Victoria in immig...

Carina is the Managing Partner of a large immigration law practice in Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria. She is an Accredited Immigration Law Specialist, New Zealand Licenced Immigration Adviser and was the winner of the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) Paul Baker Award in 2017. She was awarded Best Lawyers in Immigration 2022 and 2024, Melbourne and Lawyers Weekly, “Partner of the Year’ -Immigration for 2022. She is a regular presenter of CPD topics in immigration law for a range of ...

St John has over 26 years’ experience in New South Wales and Victoria as a construction, engineering, and infrastructure lawyer. St John acts for a diverse range of institutional and private commercial clients in relation to: Project delivery and documentation – Advising in respect of tenders, project delivery methods, and the preparation of project documentation for a diverse range of institutional and private commercial clients. Risk management/insurance – Advising on proj...

BAR PRACTICE 1988- : Full-time mixed trial, appellate and advisory practice. Dr Freckelton is an experienced silk who practises in a broad range of areas throughout Australia and internationally in cases which require a high level of strategic skills and close analysis of technical material in the form of expert evidence. Dr Freckelton has particular skills in addressing the broader repercussions of legal disputation so that clients can achieve outcomes which address the issues that have take...

Norman has more than 20 years' experience in dispute resolution and litigation, banking and finance, corporate insolvency, and bankruptcy. Norman acts for a number of major insolvency accountants and financial institutions, and has been an adviser in a number of Victoria’s large insolvency administrations. He also regularly acts for a number of major corporate clients in complex litigation. Norman’s approach is to work closely with his clients to identify commercial imperatives wh...

For more than 20 years, Chris has advised some of Australia's leading employers on workplace strategy, complex human resources issues and high-stakes litigation. Chris loves the engagements that really matter for clients, working with business leaders who can best take advantage of his experience. For Chris, workplace law is his expertise, but helping businesses achieve their goals is his passion. His considerable expertise in workplace change has been forged in the toughest of environments, ...

Luke understands the complex dynamics that make up the employer–employee relationship, the human component that makes this area of law so unique. For more than 20 years he has been resolving issues that have an impact on a company’s culture and profitability, and that are often highly emotional for the people involved. Luke’s clients vary from large corporate ASX listed companies and multinationals through to smaller local businesses and executives. Clients praise Luke for h...

Louise Gehrig is a highly experienced litigator with more than 20 years’ experience in litigation and dispute resolution in corporate and commercial law, trust and estate litigation, particularly at Supreme and Federal Court level.​ ​Louise’s areas of expertise include property and commercial disputes, Australian Consumer Law including unconscionable conduct and misleading and deceptive conduct in business, wills, estates and trust disputes, banking and finance litigation. She has...

Justine advises clients in relation to employment arrangements and industrial instruments, workplace policies, executive employment issues, termination of employment, enterprise bargaining, industrial action, and workforce restructures. She has particular experience in post-employment restraint matters and has assisted employers to obtain injunctive relief in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Federal Court of Australia. Justine also has experience acting in employment and industrial litig...