Steven is a special counsel in the insurance team in Sydney. He has over 25 years' experience working as a solicitor in commercial litigation, professional indemnity, construction, liability insurance and financial lines.
Steven is a special counsel in the insurance team in Sydney. He has over 25 years' experience working as a solicitor in commercial litigation, professional indemnity, construction, liability insurance and financial lines.
Steven has a depth of practical experience in commercial litigation including; contractual disputes, trade practices litigation, intellectual property disputes, building and construction litigation, banking law, planning law, property litigation, administrative law and general commercial litigation.
Steven also has over 10 years' experience acting for and against legal practitioners, including on behalf of Lawcover and Law Mutual. He has acted for insurers, as both defence and coverage counsel, and in recovery proceedings, including international arbitration proceedings.
Steven holds a Masters of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (UNSW). He was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of NSW in 2000 and the Supreme Court of WA in 2007. He joined Clyde & Co in 2019.
相关经验
Insurance
Acting as coverage counsel for the D&O insurers of construction, engineering and mining companies in shareholder class actions, and proceedings brought by Liquidators for breaches of directors’ duties.
Acting for the D&O insurers of New Cap Reinsurance Limited in insolvent trading proceedings brought by the Liquidator, and in proceedings brought by D&O challenging insurers’ declinature.
Acting for insurers of financial institutions in claims arising from margin calls made during the Global Financial Crisis.
Acting as coverage counsel in a class action arising out of the finance broking scandal in Western Australia, which was the subject of a Royal Commission.
Acting for geotechnical engineers in professional negligence proceedings arising out of the Lane Cove Tunnel collapse, and for mining engineers in relation to the collapse of a coal mine in the Bowen Basin.
Acting for structural and civil engineers in the defence of long running professional negligence claims arising out of the Gateway Upgrade Project (which at the time was the largest infrastructure project in Australia).
Acting for structural and civil engineers in multi-party proceedings and claims arising out of the construction of metro and light rail projects.
Acting for environmental engineers in the defence of proceedings arising out of contamination of sites (including PFAS) and landfill design.
Acting for structural and facade engineers in the defence of combustible cladding claims.
Acting for coastal engineers in the defence of professional indemnity claims and subsequent recovery actions arising out of the designs of ports, and the reclamation of land.
Acting for nuclear engineers in the defence of professional indemnity claims arising out of the design of a nuclear reactor for the production of medical isotopes.
Acting for civil engineers in the defence of professional indemnity claims arising out of the flooding of the Australian National University during major redevelopment works.
Successfully defending underwriters’ declinature of a claim under an events cancellation policy: Commens t/as Subsonic Music v Certain Lloyd’s Underwriters subscribing to Policy No. ALTCNX1900332 [2024] FCA 434.
Acting for insurers in defending professional negligence claims against accountants, architects, auditors, barristers, certifiers, construction companies, engineers, finance brokers, medical service providers, real estate agents, software providers, solicitors, and valuers.
Commercial litigation
Administrative law: Including appearing as advocate in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and conduct of proceedings in the Companies, Auditors and Liquidators Disciplinary Board.
Arbitration: International arbitration proceedings against a US manufacturer arising from a product defect claim.
Arbitration: Acting for a multinational company in arbitration proceedings arising out of the construction of an ammonium nitrate plant.
Banking: Acting for a major Australian bank in defence of claims alleging fraudulently altered cheques, breach of mandate, and conduct of proceedings for enforcement of mortgages.
Building and construction: Acting for a Government Authority in an expert determination relating to a contract for the design and construction of a commercial wharf.
Contract: Garratt’s Ltd v Thangathurai - Defence of Supreme Court of NSW Commercial Division proceedings arising out of a venture capital agreement between an Australian and a BVI company.
Intellectual property: Gambro Pty Ltd v Fresenius Medical Care Australia Pty Ltd - Federal Court proceedings for the assessment of damages consequent upon patent infringements arising from the sale of haemodialysis machines.
Planning law: McClenahan v North Sydney Council - Class 1 Land & Environment Court applications against refusals of development applications, including successful appeal to the NSW Court of Appeal; and, May v Wilhelm – Class 4 Land & Environment Court proceedings, including the successful defence of an appeal to the NSW Court of Appeal.
Property law: Conveyancing and leasing disputes in the District Court, Supreme Court of NSW, Federal Court and the NSW Court of Appeal.
Trade practices: Bective Station v AWB Australia Ltd - proceedings in the Federal Court to establish misleading and deceptive conduct against the Australian Wheat Board.
General commercial litigation: Including disputes over valuations of privately held companies, and applications to set aside statutory demands.