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Michael is a skilled construction lawyer who advises principals, contractors, subcontractors, and owners’ corporations on a varied range of issues  from the formation and establishment of construction contracts to construction disputes/litigation and rectification works.

EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Michael’s varied experience includes handling domestic and commercial building disputes, constructive trust disputes, personal and corporate debt recovery, insolvency, negligence, defamation, competition and consumer law, property/lease disputes, Part IV applications, and family law disputes.

Michael was previously employed as a solicitor with a Melbourne-based law firm  assisting the Royal Commission into the management of Police Informers (Lawyer ‘X’ Royal Commission).

Michael was also one of the instructing solicitors involved in the landmark human rights case, Kaplan v State of Victoria (No 8) [2023] FCA 1092.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Michael’s major matters include:

  • Advising an owners corporation in relation to a trespass and Water Act claim
  • Advising both claimants and respondents with respect to claims arising from the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 (Vic)
  • Advising a contractor in relation to a claim for breach of contract
  • Advising a subcontractor on a judicial review of an adjudication determination in relation to a renewables project in the south western region of Victoria
  • Advising a principal on the development of a multi level shopping centre
  • Advising on planning disputes with local government authority
  • Advising on third party retention of title dispute with local government authority
  • Advising on breach of credit contract of farming machinery and enforcement options to maximise recovery of debt
  • Advising on defending negligence claim in relation to regional prohibited weed
  • Drafting and advising on a variety of Australian Standard contracts for principals and contractors
  • Appearing at Interlocutory hearings, final hearings, Directions hearings, Compulsory Conferences, Pre-Hearing Conferences and mediations
  • Instructing in most courts and tribunals, including the Supreme Court of Victoria, County Court of Victoria, Magistrates’ Court, Federal Court of Australia, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and VCAT.

Expertise

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws, 2015, Victoria University

Memberships

  • Law Institute of Victoria
  • Goulburn Valley Law Association