Owen practices predominantly in commercial and public law and has an interest in general and economic torts, defamation, employment, industrial, regulatory and inquisitorial proceedings.
Before coming to the Bar, Owen was a Senior Associate at Phi Finney McDonald working principally on class actions. Previously, he acted as a solicitor in a broad range of complex disputes including shareholder class actions, contractual claims, constitutional matters, consumer protection claims, defamation, anti-corruption and foreign influence and bribery investigations.
In 2020-21, Owen was Associate to the Honourable Justice Murphy of the Federal Court.
Owen holds a Bachelor of Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons I) from the University of Sydney.
Owen has been an Honorary Fellow of the University of Melbourne Law School where he taught Remedies. He has also held tutoring positions at the University of Sydney Law School where he taught Torts and Contracts.
He was previously an advisor in opposition to the Commonwealth Attorney General the Honourable Mark Dreyfus KC MP and a researcher for the former High Court Justice the Honourable Michael Kirby AC KCMG.
Owen read with Jonathan Kirkwood SC. His senior mentors are Bernard Quinn KC and William Edwards KC.
A copy of Owen's current CV , including cases in which he has appeared, is available here.
Some recent cases in which he has appeared are listed below.
Class Actions
Mumford v EML Payments Limited [2022] VSC 750: Group Costs Order - led by William Edwards KC - ongoing.
Slater v IG Markets & Anor VID301/2023: class action - unconscionable conduct - misleading and deceptive conduct - alleged contraventions of s 994E of the Corporations Act - led by Lachlan Armstrong KC, Thomas Bagley and Blake O'Connor, for the Applicants - ongoing.
DA Lynch v Star Entertainment Group; Drake v Star Entertainment Group; Huang v Star Entertainment Group; Jowene v Star Entertainment Group [2023] VSC 561 - multiplicity of proceedings - group costs orders - led by Fiona Forsyth KC, Melanie Szydzik SC, Tim Chalke, for the Plaintiff in the Huang proceeding.
Lynden Iddles & Anor v Fonterra Aust Pty Ltd & Ors [2023] VSC 566: settlement approval of class action - led by William Edwards KC, for Litigation Lending Services intervening.
Boulos v M.R.V.L. Investments (Merivale) NSD2168/2019 - class action - underpayments s 546 of the Fairwork Act 2009 (Cth) - application for further notice under s 33X of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) - application for Merck orders - led by Kristine Hanscombe KC and William Edwards KC, for the Applicants.
Consumer and privacy law
Medibank Private Limited v Australian Information Commissioner [2024] FCA 117: anti-suit injunction - restraint for threatened interference with administration of justice - led by Rachel Doyle SC, for the second respondent - application dismissed.
Gomes v Medibank Private Limited - representative complaint under s 36 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) - alleged breach of Australian Privacy Principles - led by Rachel Doyle SC, for the Applicant.
Foley v Australian Information Commissioner [2024] FCA 169: judicial review - statutory construction of various provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) - led by Rachel Doyle SC, for the Applicant - decision of the AIC quashed.
Commercial and regulatory law
FAL v Hurlad & Ors VID120/2020: breach of contract - misleading or deceptive conduct - cross claims for indemnity and contribution - led by Christian Juebner KC, for the third and fourth respondents - ongoing.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Provide Nominees Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 1137 - construction of s 70 of the ASIC Act 2001 (Cth) - led by Michael Wyles KC and Dean Luxton, for the respondent.
Public law
BBC18 v The Minister for Immigration MLG551/2018 - judicial review - procedural fairness - right to a fair hearing - s 425 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) - unled - resolved prior to final hearing.