Stephen advises domestic and international corporations on complex disputes, Competition and Consumer Act compliance and litigation, class actions, franchising and product liability across Australian jurisdictions.

Biography

Major domestic and international corporations, including major automotive companies, infrastructure operators and franchise networks. Clients include Mitsubishi Motors Australia, Acciona and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), for which Stephen is the firm’s principal liaison partner. He has served as a member of client compliance and safety committees at board level.

Stephen’s practice covers large and complex commercial disputes, competition and consumer law, class actions and franchising. In disputes, he manages multi-party, multi-jurisdictional proceedings involving competition and consumer law, corporations law, product liability, taxation, banking and finance, and security enforcement. In competition work, he advises on the full range of Competition and Consumer Act provisions, ACCC investigations and enforcement, authorisations and notifications, and compliance programs. His franchising practice covers all aspects of franchise arrangements and distribution agreements.

Stephen has advised Mitsubishi Motors Australia for more than 20 years as principal liaison partner, acting on commercial, corporate, product liability, franchise litigation and competition matters including as a member of its Corporate Compliance Committee and Safety and Recall Committee reporting to the Board. He has acted in proceedings concerning the A$1.83 billion Adelaide Desalination Plant and in major restraint of trade and franchise disputes across multiple states.

Stephen was a Board member of Thomsons for nine years and National Head of its disputes department for a further six years, reflecting his seniority and standing within the firm’s disputes practice. With more than 30 years of experience, he is a consistent presence in South Australian and national competition and disputes work.

Credentials

Memberships:

Stephen's experience

Mitsubishi Motors Australia — Principal liaison

Acting as principal liaison partner for Mitsubishi Motors Australia for more than 20 years, advising on all commercial, corporate, product liability, franchise litigation and competition matters, including serving on the Corporate Compliance Committee and Safety and Recall Committee reporting to the Board.

Mitsubishi Motors — Fuel labelling class action

Acting in the class action and related proceedings arising from allegedly misleading fuel consumption claims for Mitsubishi’s Triton ute, co-ordinating the defence across multiple forums.

Acciona — Adelaide Desalination Plant

Advising Acciona Agua Australia Pty Ltd and Acciona Agua Adelaide Pty Ltd in relation to matters arising from the design, construction and commissioning of the A$1.83 billion Adelaide Desalination Plant at Port Stanvac, South Australia.

Vision Group Holdings — Restraint of trade proceedings

Acting for a client in Queensland Supreme Court proceedings brought by Vision Group Holdings and Icon Laser (Aust) seeking approximately A$26 million in damages and an injunction restraining breach of restraint of trade provisions.

ACCC — Principal liaison

Serving as the firm’s principal liaison partner acting for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, managing regulatory investigations, enforcement matters and compliance engagement.

Awards, recognition and ranking