Laila practises in commercial law, public law, international arbitration and public international law. She is regularly briefed as junior counsel and also appears unled. Since coming to the Bar, Laila has been briefed on matters in State and Federal Courts and Tribunals, including the High Court, the Federal Court of Australia, the Victorian Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Victoria. She has also appeared before the International Court of Justice and handled arbitrations under the major institutional rules including the ICSID, UNCITRAL, ICC, SCC, SIAC and HKIAC Rules.
Before joining the bar, Laila was a Senior Associate in the commercial disputes team of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in London. Laila was also previously an Associate at the International Court of Justice (to H.E. Judge Cançado Trindade) and completed her articles with Lander & Rogers.
Laila has a Bachelor of Science (Genetics) and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Melbourne. She also holds a Master of Laws (with distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Laila has been recognised in Doyles Guide and the Legal 500 (UK). She read with Paul Liondas SC and her Senior Mentor is Kathleen Foley SC.
Recent cases include:
- Aussie Broadband Limited v Superloop Limited [2024] FCA 312 - acted for Superloop in successfully resisting an application for an interloctuory injunction (led by Michael Borsky KC, instructed by Baker & McKenzie)
- Viterra Malt Pty Ltd & Ors v Cargill Australia Ltd & Anor [2023] VSCA 157 – acted for Cargill in an 8 day appeal (led by Steven Finch SC and Philip Solomon KC, with Tom Barry and Minh-Quan Nguyen, instructed by Gilbert + Tobin)
- Viterra Malt Pty Ltd v Cargill Australia [2023] HCASL 165 (led by Steven Finch SC and Philip Solomon KC, with Tom Barry, instructed by Gilbert + Tobin)
- Cargill Australia Limited v Viterra Malt Pty Ltd [2023] VSCA 301 (led by Kate Burke, instructed by Gilbert & Tobin)
- Gecko Australia Pty Ltd v Montagnese FCA VID597/2021 – acted for the Defendants (settled, led by Paul Liondas SC, instructed by King & Wood Mallesons)
- Salera v Salera & Ors No VID 639 of 2022 (ongoing, led by Kathleen Foley SC, instructed by Arnold Bloch Leibler)
- HX Group (Richmond) Pty Ltd v Property Development Solutions (Aust) Pty Ltd & Anor CI – 21 - 03789 (ongoing, acting for the First Defendant, led by David Klempfner, instructed by Lander & Rogers)
- Confidential solar farm PPA dispute (2023) – appeared for an intermediary off-taker in a commercial arbitration relating to power purchase agreements from multiple solar farms (led by Tom Clarke, instructed by Ashurst)
- Paramount Mining Corporation Limited (in liquidation) v Guy Anderson & Ors - FCA NSD352/2023 (acting for the Fourth Defendant, instructed by Robinson Gill, unled)
- Acting for a state in proceedings before the International Court of Justice (unled)
- Guggal v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FCA 641 (unled)
- AZE18 v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FedCFamC2G 1097 (unled)