Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Dispute Resolution: The Bar - Australia
What the Team is Known For
List G Barristers constitutes a substantial Melbourne offering, mustering some 160 counsel. It focuses principally on commercial and public law issues and commands respect in the market. One commentator noted: "a very strong list of counsel; one of the top lists in Australia. They are canny, commercial operators". The list brings together advocates with particularly impressive track records in such specialised areas as employment, native title and shipping, as well as those maintaining broader commercial practices, and it attracts especially high praise for having assembled a notable cohort of IP practitioners. One interviewee observes that the list is "the preeminent list for IP in Melbourne". CEO and senior clerk Jane King is the principal contact.
Notable practitioners
Bruce is without doubt a leader of the IP bar - both in Melbourne and Sydney.
Bruce is a pre-eminent IP silk in Australia.
Clare Cunliffe operates across the IP spectrum, being particularly well-known for her exhaustive knowledge of patent law and deep familiarity with the pharmaceutical sector.
Clare is highly intelligent, has a love of IP law, is extremely knowledgeable, and a delight to work with.
Clare is very clever and grasps complex matters, including tricky and technical patent matters very quickly.
Hamish has a very considered style, so I always have confidence in the way he is presenting a case or preparing advice.
Hamish is an excellent and extremely hardworking barrister, with exceptional standards of client service. His knowledge of insolvency is second to none.
Justin is a leading silk with a top-drawer reputation.
Justin is a market leader.
Kane is a class act across all areas.
Kane is very measured and forthright.
Kane is absolutely, outstandingly bright. He is great drafter of submissions and excellent on his feet.
Peter is highly intelligent, very knowledgeable about IP matters, and the author of formidable submissions.
Peter is without question one of the very smartest barristers at the Victorian Bar.
She is very clear, purposeful and practically-oriented.
Rebecca is hardworking and technically excellent. She has a clear understanding of the commercial pressures on clients.
Rebecca is a delight to work with and has a strong work ethic. She gets the job done, is diligent and knowledgeable.
Stewart is extremely smart and has been at the forefront of developments in insolvency and restructuring for many years now.
He's a true insolvency guru, including on international issues and he is the silk who knows cross-border insolvency truly well.
Tom is a leading IP silk in Victoria. He is well-prepared and extremely collegiate.
I was impressed with Tom’s ability to get across complex science in a short period of time and get to the heart of the issues.
He is very reliable.
Andrew is excellent to work with. He is across the Fair Work Act in detail and his work product reflects that.
Benjamin is a solid performer.
He is a relentless workhorse.
Brendan Avallone draws upon experience acquired not only in private practice, but also in a number of state and Commonwealth government agencies to advise or advocate across a varied range of workplace issues, including industrial action, unfair dismissal applications and underpayment claims.
Brendan is a go-to choice for complex employment or industrial matters. He has huge experience and his fees are very reasonable.
Colin is a pre-eminent IP silk particularly for copyright matters.
He is very good and attentive.
He is great value and easy to work with, strong and technical.
Marcus Fleming is very good on his feet with a nice style and is easy to work with.
Marcus is very knowledgeable about IP law and pleasant to work with.
He is a thoughtful, well-prepared and pretty dynamic barrister.
Nick De Young is an excellent strategist.
Nico Burmeister draws on experience both as a solicitor and as an in-house counsel in the recruitment sector to advise and advocate across a broad range of practice area issues, often leading his own cases and notably dividing his practice between Victoria and Western Australia. He is active in both the general employment and industrial relations spheres.
Nico is very thorough and a very good advocate.
Working with Nico is an absolute pleasure.
Craig Smith SC has a background in chemical engineering and often appears in cases involving technical scientific issues, including biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. He focusses on patent and trade mark cases.
Craig is an excellent IP silk with the ability to take on cases across different areas of IP. He is also a pleasure to work with.
An excellent choice for any matters with difficult scientific or manufacturing issues, and Craig always has valuable strategic insights.
He is a skillful advocate and a pleasure to work with.
Jeremy Slattery KC maintains a wide-ranging practice which often addresses insurance, intellectual property, professional negligence or trade practice issues.
Jeremy is an excellent legal mind and very user-friendly.
David Yarrow SC offers experience in the native title space dating back to 1994 and represents indigenous groups across a broad range of mandates, including determination applications, claims-related litigation and other disputes.
Kate Beattie SC is cited for a variety of capabilities by interviewees, sources not only identifying her as an experienced advocate in patent cases in general, but also stressing the significance of a scientific background to a career that has seen her act in several pharmaceutical patent cases.
Kate is an excellent IP barrister with a focus on pharmaceutical patent cases.
Kate Beattie is an excellent advocate.