Neil acts for financial institutions, insolvency practitioners and corporate entities in commercial litigation, insolvency, banking and cross-border matters. He brings more than 25 years of experience and holds a doctorate in cross-border insolvency law.
Biography
Neil acts for leading financial institutions, accounting firms and corporate entities operating in both local and international markets. His clients include major banks and insolvency practitioners. He is based in Melbourne.
Neil advises on commercial litigation, insolvency, banking and finance disputes, directors and officers claims, insurance disputes, competition and consumer law claims and matters under the Corporations Act. He appears regularly in the Supreme and Federal Courts and represents clients during ASIC examinations. His cross-border insolvency practice draws on specialist expertise in the UNCITRAL Model Law.
Neil has more than 25 years of experience in commercial dispute resolution. His matters span complex shareholder disputes involving multiple entities holding substantial mining tenements, class actions in the building sector, recovery proceedings for insolvency practitioners acting in respect of unregistered managed investment schemes, and advice to financial institutions on security enforcement where standard enforcement mechanisms are not available.
Neil holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Western Australia and is the author of Cross-Border Insolvency: The Enactment and Interpretation of the UNCITRAL Model Law. He is a CPA, a Public Notary and a member of the Law Council’s Insolvency and Reconstruction Committee.
Credentials
Academic qualifications:
- Bachelor of Economics (Monash University)
- Bachelor of Laws (Monash University)
- Graduate Diploma of Notarial Practice (Victoria University)
- Doctor of Philosophy (University of Western Australia)
Memberships:
- Law Institute of Victoria
- Law Council of Australia
- UNCCA Ltd
- Society of Notaries of Victoria
- Australia & New Zealand college of Notaries
- CPA Australia
- Australian Institute of Company Directors
Neil's experience
Joint venture dispute
Dispute between joint venture partners in relation to a large residential and retail property development.
Cross-border bankruptcy (UK)
Acting for Australian Trustee in Bankruptcy in relation seeking recognition in the United Kingdom and identifying and selling properties held by the bankrupt in England including dealing with creditors who registered securities post bankruptcy but before recognition order made in the UK.
Cross-border bankruptcy (Hong Kong)
Acting for an Australian trustee in bankruptcy seeking recognition in Hong Kong and obtaining orders for banks in Hong Kong to produce banking reports of the bankrupt .
Liquidator advisory and debt recovery
Acting for liquidator of large building company and advising on potential claim and issuing proceedings for debts owed.
Trust property transfer dispute
Advising trustee of trust where major trust asset being real property was transferred by fellow trustee without co trustee knowledge to another family member for less than market value.
Awards, recognition and ranking
- Best Lawyers in Australia — Leading Lawyer, Insolvency and Reorganisation Law (2016-2027), Litigation (2016-2027)