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Experience

Chris practises primarily in commercial, public, regulatory, and employment law. He accepts briefs in sports law and criminal matters.

He has expertise in matters involving the protection of personal and confidential information.

Commercial and property law

Chris acts in all areas of commercial law, particularly matters involving breaches of fiduciary duties, directors’ duties, and the protection of confidential information. He also acts in matters involving incorporated associations.

He has appeared unled in commercial matters in all Victorian courts, including the Supreme Court.

His property law practice includes acting in real property disputes and leasing disputes.

He appears in urgent applications, including applications for injunctions and freezing orders.

Employment and discrimination law

Chris acts in employment matters, including contractual restraint matters, general protections matters, unfair dismissals, and matters involving workplace privacy. He has experience in underpayment and long service leave matters, including those relating to portable long service leave schemes.

He acts in discrimination matters under state and federal discrimination and equal opportunity legislation.

Public law, regulatory, and criminal law

Chris acts in judicial and merits review matters, regularly appearing in the Review and Regulation list at VCAT.

He represents clients in professional disciplinary, privacy and freedom of information matters in State and Federal jurisdictions, including representing Government departments and agencies.

Chris also acts in criminal and quasi-criminal matters, including occupational health and safety matters, regulatory prosecutions, and coronial inquests. He regularly appears unled in County Court conviction appeal matters.

Sports law

Chris represents athletes and sporting bodies at hearings before sporting tribunals, including appearing before the AFL Tribunal and AFL Appeals Board.

Background

Before coming to the Bar, Chris represented clients in highly regulated industries, including government, health, private health insurance, gambling, and energy.

Chris was Associate to the Hon Justice Hargrave while his Honour was Principal Judge of the Commercial Court at the Supreme Court of Victoria, and then a judge of the Court of Appeal.

Chris has a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne. He also has a Graduate Diploma in Data Analytics.

Chris read with Tom Smyth. His senior mentor is Ben Ihle KC.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.