QUALIFICATIONS BA, LL.B (Hons), LL.M (Michigan)
ADMITTED 1984 BAR 1987
YEAR APPOINTED SILK 2007
CHAMBERS CHY 2605
CLERK CONTACT 03 9225 7999
PHONE 9225 7363
MOBILE 0412 210 457
EMAIL cawthorn@chancery.com.au
LINKEDIN View Profile
ENQUIRIES: dever@vicbar.com.au
Peter has an extensive commercial law practice. He has appeared in a number of long and complex matters, including at the appellate stage. He acts in and advises in connection with substantial commercial matters in areas of administrative law, contracts, corporations and securities law, equity and trusts, insolvency, insurance law, intellectual property, landlord and tenant, product liability, professional negligence, property law, trade practices and wills and estates.
Peter has appeared in and advised in connection with a number of class actions, including securities actions involving managed investment schemes (including recently Banksia, Willmott, Great Southern), product liability and environmental law.
Doyles Guide – Leading or recommended Professional Indemnity Senior Counsel 2020, 2021, 2022
Peter accepts briefs as a mediator.
A selection of cases he has recently appeared in are:
LL UP Pty Ltd v Kegland Distribution Pty Ltd [2024] VSC 651 (25 October 2024)
Company oppression, trusts, unclean hands
Australian Securities Ltd v Victorian Managed Insurance Authority [2024] VSC 542 (6 September 2024)
Domestic Building Insurance – right of financier to recovery indemnity
Carl Finance Pty Ltd v Argent Law Pty Ltd [2024] VSC 424 (22 July 2024)
Recitals in deed created binding obligations
Independent Tube Mills Pty Ltd (in liq) v Corplex Pty Ltd [2024] VSC 267 (24 May 2024)
Subrogation and assignability in insurance
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors (No 6) [2024] VSC 171 (10 April 2024)
Election between remedies
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors (No 5) [2024] VSC 6 (25 January 2024)
Remedies: damages and account of profits
Zhang v Zhang & Anor [2024] VSC 3 (16 January 2024)
Cross-vesting – removal from Supreme Court of Victoria to Federal Court of Australia
Sun v Sunshine International Australia Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 696 (29 November 2023)
Shareholder oppression
Mikkelsen v Li [2023] VSCA 255 (26 October 2023)
Misleading and deceptive conduct and contributory negligence
Krongold v Thurin [No 2] [2023] VSCA 210 (5 September 2023)
Costs: referral of questions to Court of Appeal
Krongold v Thurin [2023] VSCA 191 (17 August 2023)
Federal jurisdiction – referral power from Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to Supreme Court of Victoria
Laird v Vallance [2023] VSCA 138 (8 June 2023)
Constructive trust – proprietary estoppel – representations by parents to son
Yin v Wu [2023] VSCA 130 (1 June 2023)
Foreign judgments – enforcement of judgment of Chinese Court. Summary judgment – restitution
Sam v Wu & Ors (Ruling) [2023] VCC 582 (18 April 2023)
Discovery, limitation, determination as to when loss suffered
Vanta Pty Ltd v Mantovani [2023] VSCA 53 (16 March 2023)
Lost trust deed – whether as a consequence trust property held on a constructive trust
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors (No 3) [2023] VSC 135 (21 March 2023)
Breach of fiduciary duty – election between remedies.
Teico Investments & Anor v WA Blue Gum Limited & Anor [2022] VSC 379 (5 July 2022)
Managed investment scheme – trustees duties – defective Product Disclosure Statement
Taleb v Rijal [2022] VSC 259 (25 May 2022)
Motor vehicle, entitlement to hire car
Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's of London v Dhillon Scaffolding Pty Ltd [2022] VSCA 92 (18 May 2022)
Appeal, insurance, reasonable precautions requirement
Yehia v Williams [2022] VSC 197 (22 April 2022)
Motor vehicle, entitlement to hire car
Zivkovic v Parke [2022] VSCA 43 (31 March 2022)
Contract, settlement of proceedings, conditions precedent
Dugan v Process Holdings Pty Ltd (No 3) [2021] VSC 737 (12 November 2021)
Fiduciary duty – claim by shareholder that directors owed him fiduciary duties – damages – pleading
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 572 (13 September 2021)
Breach of fiduciary duty, accountants, appropriation of business opportunity
Hamilton v Dominican Province of the Assumption & Anor [2021] VSC 261 (14 May 2021)
Limitations, personal injury, sexual abuse claim
Corporate insolvency, administration, sale and purchase of real estate
SF Cosentino Pty Ltd v Glendining [2020] VSCA 149 (9 June 2020)
Appeal: sale of business, guarantee
Braham v ACN 101 482 580 Pty Ltd [2020] VSCA 108 (6 May 2020)
Appeal – professional negligence, solicitors, managed investment scheme
Nom De Plume v Ascot Vale Self Storage [No 2] [2020] VSCA 70 (27 March 2020)
Appeal – insolvent trading, breach of financing agreement
Danbol Pty Ltd v Swiss Re International Se [2020] VSC 23 (7 February 2020)
Insurance – whether contract of insurance entered into
Ascot Vale Self Storage Pty Ltd (in Liq) v Nom de Plume Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 794 (4 December 2019)
Abuse of process – whether permanent stay warranted
Re Ballanbrae Pastoral Coy Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 808 (7 December 2019)
Wills and estates – executors commission
Re 99A Furlong Road Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 528 (2 August 2019)
Restraining lawyers from acting
SXIQ Pty Ltd v Kalmus [2019] VSC 429 (28 June 2019)
Employment law – summary dismissal for misconduct
Orwin v Rickards [2019] VSC 375 (7 June 2019)
Professional negligence – lawyers – family law
Professional negligence – solicitors liability for financial agreement under Part VIIIA of the Family Law Act
The Edge Development Group Pty Ltd v Jack Road Investments Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 91 (24 April 2019)
Contract – whether agreement subject to contract
MA & J Tripodi Pty Ltd (v Swan Hill Chemicals Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 46 (12 March 2019)
Damages – lost opportunity
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation