Clifford Chance

Commercial Litigation & Class Actions

• a leading accounting firm on its defence of proceedings arising from the collapse of the Dick Smith Group (proceedings by receivers and managers as well as two shareholder class actions): Findlay v DSHE Holdings Ltd; Mastoris v DSHE Holdings Ltd; Mastoris v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2021] NSWSC 249 (class action settlement approval), DSHE Holdings (Receivers & Managers Appointed)(In Liquidation) v Nicholas Abboud (No 3); National Australia Bank v Nicholas Abboud (No 4) [2021] NSWSC 673 (Company and Bank proceedings), DSHE Holdings (Receivers & Managers Appointed)(In Liquidation) v Nicholas Abboud (No 4); National Australia Bank Limited v Nicholas Abboud (No 5) [2022] NSWSC 91 (costs judgment)
  
• a leading accounting firm on its defence of proceedings arising from the collapse of the Hastie Group (a shareholder class action)
• a resource company in relation to a mediation to resolve historical environmental contamination on a Sydney CBD construction site
• the Commonwealth in relation to the defence of a class action relating to the escape of equine influenza from a quarantine station
• a wealth management company in several class actions in the Federal Court of Australia brought by investors in synthetic collateralised debt obligations
• a leading retail bank on allegations that it acted unconscionably for an improper purpose in appointing receivers and managers over one of its customers
• an investment bank in relation to proceedings arising from the sell-down of an options portfolio following a margin call
• the liquidators of a complementary health manufacturer in defending proceedings by customers for breach of contract and misleading and deceptive conduct
• the liquidators of a major insurance company in proceedings relating to accounting irregularities
• SHFA on a range of disputes with tenants including proceedings in the Supreme Court and NCAT
• an investment bank in relation to Supreme Court proceedings arising from a failed securitisation
• a resource company in relation to a parliamentary inquiry arising from a threatened environmental contamination incident at a manufacturing site

Regulatory matters

• a leading retail bank on an internal investigation of certain financial planning advice
• a senior executive of an investment bank in relation to an ASIC examination
• a senior executive of a major corporate in relation to an ASIC examination

Legal project management

• a global retail bank in relation to the Brexit-related transfer of its business to Ireland by court application and related business sales of European branches
• a global bank in relation to a Monitor-led investigation of sanctions compliance involving multiple entities
• a payments company in relation to the acquisition and integration of a payments terminal business
• an energy company in an arbitration in Singapore relating to payments under an energy supply contract