Neil Brydges

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Leaders in Law endorses Neil Brydges as our exclusively recommended Tax Services expert in Australia. If you wish to get in touch with Neil, please use the contact information provided above.

Neil is a Principal Lawyer in the business law area of Sladen Legal, 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 financial advisors, to understand complex legal issues and help them to better assist their own clients.

Neil is a Chartered Tax Advisor with The Tax Institute and accredited as a specialist in taxation law with the Law Institute of Victoria.

Since 2019 Neil has been named one of Australia’s “Best Lawyers of the Year” in the practice of tax law. The list is compiled by United States peer-review company Best Lawyers and published in the Australian Financial Review. Neil was also recognised in Doyles Guide as a recommended tax lawyer in 2021.

Practice Areas

  • Company and International Taxation
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Capital Gains Tax
  • Division 7A
  • Family Trust Arrangements
  • Cross-border Financing
  • Inbound and Outbound Investment
  • Foreign Currency Transactions and the Taxation of Financial Arrangements
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Neil participates in tax policy, advocacy, and reform through his roles with the following organisations:

  • Chair of the Law Institute of Victoria’s Taxation and Revenue Law Committee
  • Member of the Law Institute of Victoria’s Tax Law Specialisation Committee
  • Member of the Tax Committee of the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia
  • Member of The Tax Institute’s Dispute Resolution Tax Committee
  • Member of the International Fiscal Association

Firm Description:

Sladen Legal is a Melbourne based law firm dedicated to providing expert advice and legal services to private enterprise.

Representing some of Melbourne’s most innovative and forward-thinking businesses, we are driven by the fierce determination and entrepreneurial spirit of our clients. We offer a client-driven and personalised approach to law. We take the time to understand our clients and their business, ensuring that we reflect their values in the work that we do.

Our team of talented principals, special counsel and lawyers share an unwavering focus on carving out the road ahead for private enterprise. We are dedicated to championing truth, pioneering thought and inspiring outcomes for our clients.

At Sladen Legal we offer a fresh approach – an approach that embodies the passion, dedication and entrepreneurial spirit that we share with our clients.

With an emphasis on private enterprise, our pioneering approach to legal services is unique. We are fierce in representing our clients – commanding in our approach to business and resolute in our commitment to achieving results.

We offer clients the highest standard of knowledge, experience and dedication. We are committed to understanding the structure and complexities of every client and providing them with personalised service and a targeted approach.

Our Guarantees

  • Communicate with you openly and with clarity, ensuring that we are meeting your needs
  • Provide you with price certainty and transparency in fees and charges
  • Keep you informed
  • Always respond to you within one business day
  • Provide you with expert advice and demonstrate a commitment to achieving your results
  • Do what we say we will do

 

Liam Hennessy

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Leaders in Law endorses Liam Hennessy as our exclusively recommended Compliance & Regulatory expert in Australia. If you wish to get in touch with Liam, please use the contact information provided above.

Liam Hennessy specialises in compliance / risk matters, regulatory investigations and complex disputes.

His practice focuses on financial services clients, and he has acted for banks, insurers and others in the financial services industry in a number of significant regulatory investigations, commissions of inquiry and class actions spanning multiple international jurisdictions. Liam’s experience covers long periods working in London, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and he is a committed thought leader, including in his capacity as a course creator and lecturer for a financial services regulation law course at a Brisbane university.  He is a member of a number of financial services regulatory policy working committees.

Liam has considerable experience with the Banking Executive Accountability Regime (and its United Kingdom equivalent, the Senior Managers & Certification Regime), ASIC’s DDO / PIP regime, AML / CTF frameworks, financial services and credit licensing obligations, policy reviews, anti-hawking reforms, whistle-blowing frameworks and white-collar crime prevention. More generally, he advises clients in relation to risk, governance and compliance issues. Liam has structured and undertaken a wide range of internal investigations and risk reviews for clients in Australia, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions.

Recent contentious matters include acting in several confidential ASIC investigations for financial services entities; representation of clients called before the Hayne Royal Commission; advising a global bank concerning multiple global regulatory agencies’ investigations into allegations of manipulation of financial benchmarks and related conduct; advising a large mutual bank in relation to multiple UK regulators’ investigations concerning allegations of systemic mismanagement; acting for a leading advisory firm in a class action relating to a large capital raising for a failed construction conglomerate.

Practice Areas

Firm Description:

Gadens is a leading Australian law firm with 97 partners and 880 staff across offices located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. With our history dating back to 1847, our vision is to be a preeminent, independent firm renowned for providing outstanding client service, innovative solutions and value.

We regularly undertake highly complex and day-to-day transactional legal work for a wide range of clients across multiple industry sectors. Our clients include major Australian and multinational organisations – we are advisors to more than a quarter of the Top 200 companies listed on the ASX – as well as many small to medium-sized businesses, and high-net-worth families and individuals.

Our aim is to help our clients achieve their objectives – providing an outstanding client experience for every client, every time. This is underpinned by our intense focus on understanding our clients, their needs and expectations and building meaningful, long-term relationships – a number of which span decades.

Our core values are the firm’s foundation and reflect the essence and character of the firm – they define how we interact with one another and our clients.

 

Avinash Singh

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Leaders in Law endorses Avinash Singh as our exclusively recommended Criminal Law expert in Australia. If you wish to get in touch with Avinash please use the contact information provided above.

He is one of Australia’s most respected and highly sought-after lawyers, having represented some of Australia’s elite sportspeople including Olympians & National Rugby League (NRL) players.

Mr Singh commenced his legal career over ten years ago as a law clerk with some of Australia’s most well-known barristers. There he worked on some of the country’s most prolific cases.

He was able to learn first-hand from Senior Counsel & Queens Counsel the techniques used by them to analyse voluminous and complex material and develop successful case strategies.

Upon his admission he began honing his advocacy skills in courtrooms throughout New South Wales and has built a reputation as one of the Australia’s most fearsome advocates.

Some of Mr Singh’s most notable and highest profile cases include:

  • representing rugby league great Andrew Johns and forcing prosecutors to withdraw all proceedings against him before the first court date;
  • persuading the Court to not record a conviction against an Australian Olympian for serious drug charges. Mr Singh was also able to ensure that his client’s name was not published in any media reports;
  • a successful appeal to the High Court which transformed the landscape of Evidence law in Australia and resulted in the prosecution being unable to present any evidence against his client;
  • representing the son of a prominent overseas government official and obtaining ‘not guilty’ verdicts for multiple sexual assault charges against him;
  • the only acquittal in the greyhound racing ‘live-baiting’ scandal;
  • dozens of acquittals in sexual assault trials, commercial drug trials, complex fraud trials, grievous bodily harm, robbery, dangerous driving occasioning death, proceeds of crime and various other trial matters;
  • murder & manslaughter cases which have attracted media attention;
  • representing companies and individuals in corporate crime (ie. white collar crime) proceedings and investigations, money laundering, bribery and other forms of corruption.

Mr Avinash Singh is respected by Judges and Magistrates as a persuasive advocate. He has an exceptional record in having clients found ‘not guilty’ as well as avoiding criminal convictions if they choose to plead guilty. Mr Singh is often able to negotiate to have charges dismissed or downgraded when other lawyers cannot.

He has recognised by the Law Society as an Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law. This is a title that less than 6% of lawyers in Australia have been honoured with, putting him in a truly elite bracket. This achievement was made all the more impressive as he achieved this title before the age of 30.

He has since been appointed to the Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee. This is the body that develops & conducts the assessments for lawyers who are applying to be Accredited Specialists in Criminal Law.

Other members of the profession often seek out his advice on complex legal matters. His success has seen him be recognised in television, radio, online and print media. Journalists regularly contact him for his legal expertise on breaking news and legal developments.

There is a high level of demand for Mr Singh’s services. If you wish to have a consultation with him, please contact our office on (02) 7804 2823 or send us an email at info@astorlegal.com.au to arrange an appointment.

 

Jim Doyle

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Leaders in Law endorses Jim Doyle as our exclusively recommended Construction Law expert in Australia. If you wish to get in touch with Jim please use the contact information provided above.

Jim is an accredited mediator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Doyles Construction Lawyers was established in 1991 by its Principal Lawyer, Jim Doyle and has since grown expanded into four states with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. We are Construction Law specialists and our expertise includes construction contract reviews and amendments, drafting and structuring, building dispute resolution, construction negotiation, payment claims, litigation, arbitration, general advice and more.

Jim Doyle is the Director of Doyles Construction Lawyers, established in 1991. Doyles Construction Lawyers acts for all construction industry participants and represents parties at all stages of project development, from planning , tendering, design and construction, to project delivery and dispute resolution.

Prior to qualifying as a lawyer, Jim worked in civil engineering construction and design and as a transport engineer/economist on major transport initiatives in Victoria.

Jim’s commercial multidisciplinary approach to resolving challenges and delivering viable projects, is a result of his qualifications and experience in Economics (Econometrics and Urban Economics), Engineering (he is a Chartered Professional Engineer with The Institution of Engineers Australia) and Law. Jim is admitted to the State Supreme Courts and the High Court.

Jim has extensive experience both nationally and internationally in contract documentation, contract administration and project delivery.

He frequently presents to industry conferences on topics of current interest.

Areas of law

Corporate and Commercial law

Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) University of Melbourne,

Bachelor of Economics (Honours), La Trobe University,

Diploma of Civil Engineering, WCAE, CPEng

Admissions

Supreme Court of Victoria,

High Court of Australia,

Supreme Court of New South Wales,

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Firm Description:

Doyles Construction Lawyers was established in 1991 by its Principal Lawyer, Jim Doyle and has since grown expanded into four states with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. We are Construction Law specialists and our expertise includes construction contract reviews and amendments, drafting and structuring, building dispute resolution, construction negotiation, payment claims, litigation, arbitration, general advice and more.

Doyles Construction Lawyers acts for a diverse range of clients which are involved in the municipal, construction, engineering, and development industries and include government agencies, statutory authorities, principals, head contractors and subcontractors alike. From small residential projects to major civil and commercial developments, we are well equipped to handle all types of projects and represent parties at all stages of project development from planning, tendering, design and construction, to project delivery and dispute resolution.

We have a team of experienced and capable staff who can assist in a wide range of Construction Law matters. Our staff come from multidisciplinary backgrounds having worked in legal services, building construction, engineering and related industries. This provides our clients with the benefits of a wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge of construction projects and the associated legal issues.

Doyles Construction Lawyers has represented clients on a number of high-end developments including major shopping centres in both Queensland and South Australia, various Government and private investor projects in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria. Our team members also regularly present at industry conferences on topics of current interest and publish a newsletter which features recent Court decisions of specific relevance to the construction industry.

 

Michael Hunt

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Leaders in Law endorses Michael Hunt as our exclusively recommended Mining Law expert in Australia. If you wish to get in touch with Michael please use the contact information provided above.

Michael has extensive experience consulting for the mining, petroleum, exploration and infrastructure industries to both government and non-government clients, nationally and internationally.

He is consistently recognised nationally and internationally as a leading mining lawyer and his expertise is applauded by a long list of legal rating publications including Chambers Global Guide, Chambers Asia Pacific, Best Lawyers™, the Financial Review’s survey of Australia’s top lawyers, the IBA’s “Who’s Who Legal – Mining Lawyers”, Asia Law’s Leading Lawyers, and Doyle’s Guide.

Michael is a former national President and founding member of AMPLA. His writings include the book Mining Law in Western Australia (the fifth edition of which was published in 2016), the “Energy and Resources” volume of Halsbury’s Laws of Australiaand the book Minerals and Petroleum Laws of Australia (which is a comprehensive review of all onshore and offshore petroleum and mining laws throughout Australia).

Michael consults to many of our clients in relation to projects in emerging markets including in Africa, Asia, and PNG.

In addition to his legal career, Michael held board roles for more than 30 years on a significant number of junior exploration and mining companies listed in Australia and overseas.

Firm Description:

We solve legal and commercial problems by bringing together the right people with the skills and experience required to navigate the issues at hand. When required, that will be a very large team from across our practice, but more often than not, it’s a much smaller team than our clients expect. That means we deliver the solutions that our clients are looking for in a way that keeps value high and costs low.

 

Martin Klapper

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Leaders in Law endorses Martin Klapper as our exclusively recommended Energy Law expert in Australia. If you wish to get in touch with Martin please use the contact information provided above.

Martin is a strategic and big picture thinker and his clients value the whole of project expertise he offers. His lengthy career has seen him advise on the development of legislation, negotiate with governments and regulatory bodies, and in many cases, break new ground in his work on many ‘first-of-its-kind’ projects or agreements. He is a skilled negotiator and a very accomplished legal adviser.

Martin is a former President of Australia’s Resources and Energy Law Association (AMPLA), a chair of the Queensland Law Society Mining and Resources Committee, and a member for the Queensland advisory board for AMEC (Association for Mining Exploration Companies).

Martin was included in The Best Lawyers™ in Australia 2021 for Energy Law; Mining Law; Oil and Gas Law.

Firm Description:

We solve legal and commercial problems by bringing together the right people with the skills and experience required to navigate the issues at hand. When required, that will be a very large team from across our practice, but more often than not, it’s a much smaller team than our clients expect. That means we deliver the solutions that our clients are looking for in a way that keeps value high and costs low.

 

Tony Denholder

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Tony is the head of Ashurst’s resources practice in Brisbane specialising in energy and resources, government and native title.

He has advised companies in the mining sector for over 15 years including Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. His practice focuses on the development of new mine and related infrastructure projects, including port and rail developments.

Tony is ranked as a leading individual in Chambers, 2007-2014. He is also recognised as one of Australia’s leading lawyers in the 2009 to 2014 editions of Best Lawyers Australia.

Tony Denholder co-heads the practice and is hailed as “a market leader in native title advice.” – Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2013.

Native Title Law Practice:

Ashurst Australia’s native title team is the only native title practice rated Tier 1 by Chambers Global each year since 2007. Our client base includes many leading corporates and significant infrastructure providers, which we assist to obtain project approvals and develop strategies for engagement with indigenous stakeholders.

Our solutions are geared to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation as well as managing the statutory processes that apply to developments in a manner that is consistent with our client’s corporate objectives and commercial imperatives.

Importantly, we also assist our clients to build enduring relationships with indigenous stakeholders. Prior to entering negotiations with groups, we assist our clients to develop a practical long term strategy, so that agreements remain workable long after the lawyers have left the scene.

Our native title, land rights and associated cultural heritage practice works closely with other specialists in property, environment and planning, resources, energy, construction and infrastructure to provide comprehensive legal services for project development.

Ashurst:

Ashurst is a leading international law firm advising corporates, financial institutions and governments. Our core businesses are in corporate, finance, dispute resolution, and the development and financing of assets in the energy, resources and infrastructure sectors. In November 2013, Ashurst LLP and Ashurst Australia (formerly Blake Dawson) merged to form one global team.

We have 28 offices in 16 countries and a best-friend referral relationship with an Indian law firm. With over 400 partners and 1,700 lawyers in total, we offer the international insight of a global network combined with local market knowledge

Harry Rigney

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Harry Rigney is an Australian legal practitioner, solicitor of the Supreme Courts of Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Tasmania.

Harry has specialised since 1981 in taxation research, advice, and the implementation of taxation solutions through senior positions in professional firms, with responsibilities in achieving national quality assurance standards for firm-wide taxation consulting and compliance. Harry has expertise in the areas of business succession planning, structuring for business and investment within Australia and international, design and implementation of overseas business and joint venture structures for exporters, property development, and asset acquisitions and sales.  His areas of practice include all tax-sensitive areas of commerce and investment.

Harry combines academic and practical professional backgrounds; graduating as Menzies Scholar from Harvard Law School in 1980, lecturing in law in several universities, author of “Australian Business Taxation” published by Butterworths in 1990, National Tax Director for PKF for several years, senior tax manager PwC, tax partner law firm and sole practitioner providing services in all Australian East Coast States since 2004.

His background reflects the ‘revolving door’ ethos acquired and cultivated during his Harvard studies; to deliver excellence in professional service by building and sharing skills and expertise within and across commerce and academic forums.  His work and standing continues to be recognised and acknowledged by international accreditation agencies.

 

Cheng Lim

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Leaders in Law endorses Cheng Lim as our exclusively recommended TMT Law expert in Australia. If you wish to get in touch with Cheng, please use the contact information provided above.

Cheng Lim is an M&A partner in our Melbourne office who has deep experience in the telecommunications, technology and infrastructure sectors.

Cheng has been a key telecoms advisor to Telstra for over 2 decades. Most recently, he co-led the team advising Telstra on its landmark agreements with NBN Co, under which Telstra agreed to disconnect its copper networks as the NBN is rolled out.

He also has extensive experience in IT and outsourcing in regulated industries, such as electricity, gambling and financial services. He has deep expertise in new media, having acted for Telstra, Australia’s leading ISP on its major online initiatives on the delivery of music, sports vision (AFL and NRL), gaming and movies over the internet and to mobiles.

Cheng’s infrastructure practice is focussed on transport and energy. He has acted for successful bidders in many major infrastructure projects, including the Melbourne Metropolitan Train Franchise (MR3), the Victorian Smartcard Transport Ticketing Project (myki), and the Commonwealth Government’s $6 billion Air Warfare Destroyer Project.

Cheng is ranked as a Band 1 Leading Individual in TMT Chambers Global Guide 2013 with observers noting “his first-rate negotiation skills, strong industry knowledge and ability to mobilise a high-quality legal team to make things happen as quickly as the client wants”. He is recognised as a leading individual and “strong performer” in TMT by APL 500 2013 and in IT by Who’s Who Legal 2013. Cheng has also been recognised by leading international survey Best Lawyers as one of its IT and Telecommunications Lawyers of the Year for 2013.

TMT Law Practice:

Covering broadcasting, publishing, advertising, social media, film, music and radio – the media and entertainment sector is as diverse as it is dynamic. From the rise of digital and converging technologies to the launch of online newspapers, magazines and apps, there is a new business landscape in which revenue models for subscriptions and advertising are looking to keep up with the rise of social media tools, content aggregators and fast-changing consumer preferences.

At the forefront of this dynamic and fast-changing sector, King & Wood Mallesons has recently advised on some of the region’s most significant transactions and landmark matters, including: copyright in newspapers headlines, copyright in advertising copy, social media issues, negotiation of complex contracts for media ratings services, M&A capital and fund raising and a number of defamation actions, suppression orders and complaints regarding misleading advertising.

Across this market leading advice, clients have benefited from our seamless delivery of cross-expertise (corporate, capital markets, competition, litigation & dispute resolution and intellectual property) and our ability to draw upon our industry backgrounds in media and information technology. Ensuring compliance with ongoing regulatory change, clients have also benefited form our long-standing relationship with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

King & Wood Mallesons:

Strategically positioned in the world’s growth markets, financial capitals and the home of information technology – we’re on the ground where our clients need us most. We offer them unrestricted legal capability and capacity across the region’s most dynamic economies, including Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, the US and the Middle East.

Clients benefit from our extensive network of legal advisors with the right expertise, sector insights and relationships to help them realise the opportunities and navigate the region’s complex web of regulators.
This game-changing combination is powered by more than 550 partners and 2700 lawyers and is the only firm that can practice Australian, PRC, Hong Kong and UK law which enables us to provide strategic advice on the ground in these must win markets.

Across 30 international locations we are delivering industry expertise across the full spectrum of commercial, financial and specialist legal services.

We’re opening doors and unlocking opportunities for business. We ask the right questions, listen hard and focus not just on what clients want, but how they want it. We use this to help our clients recognise where they are, where they want to be, and where they could be.

We are also committed to delivering real value for our people – empowering them to grow and to achieve great things in a flexible, dynamic and supportive environment.

We’re already achieving great things together and this is just the beginning.

Meagan Bertolatti

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Meagan Bertolatti graduated from University of Notre Dame, Sydney with an LLB (First Class Honours) and a BA in Politics and Journalism. She joined Quinn Emanuel’s Sydney office in 2016 as an associate. Her practice focuses on complex commercial litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Meagan worked at one of Australia’s largest plaintiff’s class action firms, where she focused primarily on plaintiff law and commercial litigation. Meagan also has prior experience as a legal researcher at universities in both New South Wales and Western Australia.

Firm Overview:

The Sydney office opened with two of Australia’s “finest litigators,” Michael Mills and Michelle Fox, who joined the firm from Herbert Smith Freehills. They were then joined in 2014 by Beau Deleuil, former worldwide head of litigation at King & Wood Mallesons and in 2015 by Damian Scattini, who was a Principal at the largest Australian plaintiff’s class action firm and head of its Queensland class actions practice. The promotion to partnership in 2016 of senior associate Duncan Watson, took Sydney to a five partner office.

Quinn Emanuel’s global reputation is built on doing only one thing—business litigation—and doing it better than anyone else. The Australian offices are no different. We have no corporate practice. We filled a void in the Australian legal market for a high-end specialist litigation practice not saddled with the conflicts that plague the big, full-service firms. We are not committed to any one industry or side, and therefore we represent our clients without fear or favor—whether as defendants or plaintiffs. The Sydney office is backed by the resources, experience, and reputation of the largest litigation-only firm in the world.

We have hired our lawyers one by one, with a strict policy of hiring some of the best and the brightest in the country. We have former judges’ associates, honours graduates from Australia’s premier law schools, internationally recognized LLMs and attorneys admitted in multiple states and countries. They bring with them a wealth of litigation and trial experience from all over the world. Because we only employ the best lawyers, our clients receive the best work and resolution outcomes.

The lawyers in the Sydney office have deep experience representing companies in a broad array of complex commercial business disputes, in Australia and internationally and on both sides of the bar table. These include transactional disputes, directors and officers litigation, class actions for plaintiffs and defendants, insolvency and restructuring, mass torts, white collar crime, insurance (both coverage disputes and risk solutions for policy holders), competition law, products liability, financial services and various other kinds of business disputes.

Our Sydney partners have represented clients in some of Australia’s largest and most complex corporate collapses, crises, disasters, and class actions, including HIH, World Trade Center litigation, Ensham Resources, Babcock & Brown liquidation proceedings, the James Hardie Royal Commission, a shareholder class action against Shine Corporate Limited, and currently running seven class actions in the Supreme Court of NSW against vehicle manufacturers arising out of the Takata airbags recalls; as well as presently (as a matter of public record): Arup Pty Ltd, Aurizon, Forge Group, ICICI Bank, NuCoal Ltd, South32, Macquarie Bank, Deloitte, and Viva Energy (amongst others).

We also offer our clients an array of dispute resolution alternatives and expertise, including successfully negotiating creative ways to resolve commercial disputes by arbitration, mediation and early neutral evaluation. We have extensive experience acting as counsel in international commercial and investment treaty arbitrations under all major arbitral rules, seated in Australia and around the world.

Our Sydney Partners are highly regarded by the top publications including Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Expert Guides, Chambers Global, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Who’s Who Legal, and Australian Financial Review. Recently, Michelle Fox, Michael Mills, and Beau Deleuil were named in the 2019 “Best Lawyers in Australia” list by Best Lawyers. Michael Mills was also named “Product Liability Lawyer of the Year”. In the Global Arbitration Review 100 2016, we were noted as one of the highest ranked arbitration practices operating in Australia.