Paul James

Practice Areas

As the principal legal adviser on some of the most complex restructuring and insolvency matters in Australia, Paul has led cross-disciplinary teams with experience in corporate, finance, private equity and tax to get the best possible commercial outcome for creditors, shareholders and employees, across a wide range of industries.

Work Highlights

Administrators appointed to Dixon Advisory: advising on all aspects of the external administration, including advice regarding the negotiation of a deed of company arrangement and settlement of a class action.

Acted as Australian legal advisors of FTX Trading Limited following the collapse of the FTX group of companies and demise of one of its founders, Sam Bankman-Fried, one of the most infamous global corporate collapses in recent years.

Advising for GFG Group on global restructuring negotiations with financial creditors including German administrators appointed to Greensill Bank following the collapse of Greensill Capital in March 2021.

Department of Health (Commonwealth): advising on all aspects of its dealings with a financially distressed aged care provider (PresCare), including the operation of aged care legislation and the Court appointment of Receivers.

Virgin Airlines group: advised the group and then their appointed voluntary administrators in relation to the group's restructuring and successful sale to Bain Capital.

McGrathNicol, the administrators and then deed administrators of Nexus Energy: advising on a Court application for the compulsory transfer of shares in Nexus Energy (the first opposed application of its kind in Australia).

Westpac: advising on its financing and security arrangements in respect of the Sargon group.Also providing ongoing advice in relation to the impacts of the various administrations and receivership appointments and the continued trading of the Sargon group. Working in conjunction with Westpac's investigative accountants on all financial, legal and trading aspects of the Sargon group.

Optus: acting in the defence of complex proceedings issued against Optus by a former distribution partner in the Supreme Court of Victoria, seeking damages and other relief in excess of $250 million.

Commonwealth Bank: acted in a long-running proceeding in the Supreme Court of Victoria concerning the administration and receivership of a clothing wholesale business.

Confidential client: acted in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings regarding compensation against the occupier of land under the Environment Protection Act 1970 (Vic)

ASX-listed oil and gas company: advising on a dispute ($50 million) concerning a contract for the charter of an off-shore drilling rig.

Receivers and managers of Eastmark: acted in successfully defending a claim brought by the owners corporation in the Supreme Court of NSW against Eastmark regarding proprietary rights.

Industry Sector Expertise

Banking & Financial Institutions

Energy & Resources

Private Capital

Consumer & Retail

Telecommunications